Quality Control

Testing
Mississippi Concrete
Industries Association
Robert Varner, P.E.

Testing Freshly Mixed

Concrete

Sampling - ASTM C172

Slump - ASTM C143
Temperature - ASTM C1064
Density - ASTM C138
Air Content - ASTM C231/C173
Strength Specimens - ASTM
C31

Sampling - ASTM C 172

1 ft3
Composite
sample
Middle of truck
Protect sample

Slump - ASTM C143

Consistency: The
ability of freshly
mixed concrete
to flow as
measured in the
slump test.
(expressed in
inches of slump)

Temperature ASTM C1064

Affects concrete behavior

May be important in trouble-shooting
problems
May be a specification issue

Density - ASTM C138

Density (Unit
Weight)
Weight of concrete
divided by a known
volume.
Conventional
concrete has a unit
weight in the range of
137 to 150 pcf
Lightweight: 15 pcf
Heavyweight: 375 pcf

Measured primarily to
compute yield

Yield
Yield is the volume of concrete produced
in a batch (typically expressed in yd 3)
yield = Batch weights
(Cement,FA,CA,H2O)

Weight

Unit

Air Content
ASTM C 173 - ASTM
C231
Measures entrained (tiny) and entrapped

(larger) air voids, expressed as a

percentage of the total volume of
concrete
Entrained: generally 0.0004 to 0.04
Entrapped: 0.04 and up
Somewhat a function of aggregate
characteristics
Non-air-entrained concrete w/ 1 coarse
aggregate has about 1-1/2% entrapped air

Volumetric Method
ASTM C173

Pressure Method ASTM C231

Strength Specimens

Cylinders
6 X 12
4X8

Beams

6 X 6 X 20

Curing Specimens
Standard curing
Field curing

Making & Curing

Concrete Test
Specimens
ASTM C31 Field
ASTM C192 Lab

Compressive Strength of
Cylindrical Specimens
ASTM C39

Making & Curing

Concrete
Test Specimens
ASTM C31 Field
ASTM C192 Lab

ASTM C 78
Flexural Strength Third Point Loading

Standard Curing

Curing procedures required by

ASTM C 31 for strength specimens
that are made for:

Acceptance testing
Checking adequacy of mix proportions
Quality control

Includes 2 curing stages:

Initial curing
Final curing

Initial Curing

Temperature
< 6000 psi 60 to
80 F
6000 psi 68 to
78 F

Moisture
Prevent moisture
loss

Time
Up to 48 hours

Transportation of
Cylinders To
Laboratory
Wait 8 hours after final set

Protect with suitable cushioning material

Protect from freezing
Prevent moisture loss
Transportation time not to exceed 4 hours

Final Curing

Temperature
73 3 F

Moisture
Free moisture on
surface at all times

Time
Within 30 minutes
after removing the
molds until testing

Field Curing
Temperature and moisture conditions as
close as possible to those of the in-place
concrete for curing specimens that are made
for:
Strength verification prior to putting the
structure or pavement into service
Comparison with test results of standard cured
specimens or various in-place test methods
Adequacy of curing and protection of concrete
in the structure
Strength check for form or shoring removal

Questions?
Mississippi Concrete Industries
Association
Phone: (601) 957-5274
email:
rvarner@mississippiconcrete.com
website: mississippiconcrete.com