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Direct Tensile Test of Concrete

This document describes a direct tensile test for determining the tensile strength of Portland cement concrete. The test involves casting concrete cylinders with deformed rebar passing through their centers. The cylinders are loaded in tension until failure. The ultimate load and failure mode are recorded. Computations are done to determine the tensile stress based on the load and specimen cross-sectional area. Specimens are tested at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days to evaluate strength gain over time. The results are presented as a percentage of the compressive strength from companion specimens.

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1K views7 pages

Direct Tensile Test of Concrete

This document describes a direct tensile test for determining the tensile strength of Portland cement concrete. The test involves casting concrete cylinders with deformed rebar passing through their centers. The cylinders are loaded in tension until failure. The ultimate load and failure mode are recorded. Computations are done to determine the tensile stress based on the load and specimen cross-sectional area. Specimens are tested at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days to evaluate strength gain over time. The results are presented as a percentage of the compressive strength from companion specimens.

Uploaded by

Bunkun15
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Direct Tensile Test of

Portland Cement Concrete


(Reference: None)

Purpose
To determine the tensile strength of a hydraulic concrete by a direct tension method. Because of the dif-
ficulty encountered in applying truly axial tensile loads to concrete specimens, direct tension testing of
concrete specimens is rarely attempted. Both of the indirect indices of concrete tensile strength, namely
the flexural and splitting tests, are known to yield results considerably higher than true tensile values. The
method presented in this manual will be submitted to ASTM within the next year. In the meantime, I have
decided to include the testing procedure herein.

Equipment and Materials


All of the equipment and materials used in ASTM Designation: C 192, Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens,
except that the molds should be a wax-coated cardboard disposable type
Testing machine with jaw grips for holding the RE-bars of the test specimens
Special fixtures to hold the specimen assemblies and align the RE-bar while they are being cast and allowed to develop
the initial 24-hour strength before being placed in the curing facility; a photograph and details of the fixture are shown in
Figure40
Machined No. 6 or 2-cm deformed RE-bars, 75 cm (30 in.) in length; see Figure41, which shows the details of the RE-bar
with a lubricated slip joint at the center

Test Procedure
1. Drill a hole at the bottom of the mold, just large enough to accommodate the RE-bar.
2. Lightly lubricate the RE-bar joint and assemble it into the fixture.
3. Prepare the specimens in accordance with ASTM Designation: C 192, including the filling of the mold in three lifts and
tamping each 25 times, then striking off the excess concrete with a trowel to a smooth finish.
4. Follow the same curing and stripping instructions as for all laboratory prepared specimens, as indicated in ASTM
Designation: C 192.
5. Just prior to testing, remove the specimens from the curing facility and measure the diameter of the cylinder at the center, by
averaging two diameters at right angles to the nearest 0.25 mm (0.01 in.). Record the average diameter on the data sheet.
6. Place the specimen in the top and bottom jaws of the testing machine. The ends of each segment of RE-bar that is held by
the jaws should be machined smooth with just the deformations removed for about 8 cm (3 in.).

151
152 Engineered Concrete: Mix Design and Test Methods, Second Edition


Figure 40
Photograph and sketch of fixture and RE-bar for concrete test specimens. Deformed RE-bar = 1 cm ( in.) diameter. Drill to
obtain close to a No. 6 bar or 2-cm diameter fit about 3 cm or 1 in. in depth.

7. Once the specimen is properly gripped and seated in the jaws of the testing machine, apply load at the approximate rate
of 4.4 kN/min or 1000 lb/min until failure. The rate of loading should be the same as for the Bond Strength Test (ASTM
C 234).
8. Record the ultimate load, and the type and location of the failure.
9. See Figures42, 43, and 44 for additional test details as well as the pictures of the specimens after failure.

Explanation of Computations and Data Sheet


1. Computations: In the sample computations and the illustrated data sheet, the U.S. Standard System of Measurements will
be used. Therefore, a No. 6 deformed RE-bar will be assumed as well as a nominal 6-inch-diameter concrete cylinder.
The cross-sectional area of the bar is taken as 0.44 square inches. The net cross-sectional area of the test specimen is,
therefore,
28.27 in.2 0.44 in.2 = 27.83 in.2

The ultimate load is divided by the net cross-sectional area to determine the ultimate tensile stress at failure.

= P/A

The dimensions will depend upon the system of measurements used, whether kPa or psi.
Direct Tensile Test of Portland Cement Concrete 153

1" 1"

1"

1 cm ( 3"
8
) diameter
Deformed RE-bar = Drill to obtain a close
1"
to a # 6 bar or 2 cm diameter fit about 3 cm or 1 8 in depth

Figure 41
Photograph and details of the RE-bar at the joint assembly. Slip joint detail of the RE-bar for tension testing of concrete cylinders.
The overall length of the finished RE-bar assembly = 75 cm or 30 in. The slip joint at the center is to be lightly lubricated. The ends
of each RE-bar, at the joint, are to be machined to just remove the deformations for a length of about 2.5 cm or 1 in.

2. Data Sheet: An illustrated data sheet is shown below. It is common practice to prepare 12 test specimens and subject them to
7-day curing increments. The percent of the 28-day compressive strength, f c, is computed in this case for the average of the
accepted values for each test group; that is, at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days. You will note that the results of several of the specimens
were discarded, principally in this case because the values deviated so drastically from the other values in the group. You
will notice also that in this particular test result, there was a relatively smaller percent increase in tensile strength over time
than is usually the case with compression strengths within a 28-day period.
154 Engineered Concrete: Mix Design and Test Methods, Second Edition

Figure 42
Sketch of a tension specimen ready for testing.

Figure 43
Cylindrical tension specimen in the testing machine.
Direct Tensile Test of Portland Cement Concrete 155

Figure 44
Photographs of a tension specimen after failure.
156 Engineered Concrete: Mix Design and Test Methods, Second Edition

Illustrative Example for Direct Tensile Test


Date specimens were cast: 7/22/99
Description of test specimens: Same concrete mix design as for specimens tested in compression, ASTM Designation: C 39
Average diameter measured at the middle of specimen: 6.00 inches
fc from compression test specimens: 6450 psi

Specimen Load, Tensile Stress,


No. kg or lb kPa or psi Days Cured % fc Remarks
1 10,500 lb 377 psi 7

2 10,000 lb 359 psi 7

3 9800 lb 352 psi 7

Average 363 psi 7 5.5

4 10,500 lb 377 psi 14

5 10,000 lb 359 psi 14

6 10,000 lb 359 psi 14

Average 365 psi 14 5.7

7 11,700 lb 420 psi 21

8 10,700 lb 384 psi 21

9 10,500 lb 377 psi 21

Average 394 psi 21 5.9

10 10.700 lb 384 psi 28

11 8000 lb 287 psi 28 Disregard

12 11,000 lb 395 psi 28

Average 390 psi 28 6.0


Direct Tensile Test of Portland Cement Concrete 157

Data Sheet for Direct Tensile Test


Date specimens were cast:
Description of test specimens:
Average diameter measured at the middle of specimen:
fc from compression test specimens:

Specimen Load, Tensile Stress,


No. kg or lb kPa or psi Days Cured % fc Remarks

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