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LabEx No. 18 Making and Curing Concrete Cylinder and Beam

This document provides procedures for making and curing concrete test specimens in the laboratory. It describes mixing concrete manually or using a mechanical mixer according to standard proportions. Molds are filled in layers and rodded to consolidate the concrete. Specimens are initially cured covered with plastic for 24 hours then immersed in lime-saturated water or placed in a moist room. Final data on mix proportions, water-cement ratios, and air content is recorded.

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German Barlis
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57 views

LabEx No. 18 Making and Curing Concrete Cylinder and Beam

This document provides procedures for making and curing concrete test specimens in the laboratory. It describes mixing concrete manually or using a mechanical mixer according to standard proportions. Molds are filled in layers and rodded to consolidate the concrete. Specimens are initially cured covered with plastic for 24 hours then immersed in lime-saturated water or placed in a moist room. Final data on mix proportions, water-cement ratios, and air content is recorded.

Uploaded by

German Barlis
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Laboratory Exercise No.

18
MAKING AND CURING CONCRETE TEST SPECIMENS
IN THE LABORATORY

INTRODUCTION
Concrete compressive and bending stresses are significant in the design and
construction of concrete highways, bridges and buildings. This ASTM practice covers
procedures for making and curing test specimens of concrete in the laboratory under
accurate control of materials and test conditions using concrete that can be
consolidated by rodding or vibration. This practice also makes reference to typical
plastic concrete tests such as the a) slump test, b) the unit weight, yield, and air
content by gravimetric means, and c) the air content by pressure meter. The
procedure is in accordance with ASTM C192.

APPARATUS

1. Concrete Mixer, power driven


2. Tamping Rods
5/8” diameter for 6 inch diameter cylinders
3/8” diameter for 3 inch and 4 inch diameter cylinders
3. Shovel, hand scoop, trowel
4. Mallet - rubber, weighing approximately 1.25 lb
5. Molds - cylinders, 3” diameter by 6”, 4” diameter by 8”, & 6” diameter by 12”
6. Beams - 6” by 6” by 21”

SAMPLE DESCRIPTION

Concrete sample may be mixed manually or mechanical mixer following certain


proportions. Sample may be obtained also from a supplying transit mixer or a
batching plant following ASTM C 172.

PROCEDURE
Using Mechanical Mixer
1. Dampen entire inside of mixer drum and drain.
2. Place coarse aggregate, some of the mixing water, and admixture solution (if
any) into the mixer
3. Start mixer.
4. Add fine aggregate, cement, and the balance of the water while the mixer is
running.
5. Run the mixer for 3 minutes followed by a 3 minute rest (turn mixer off). Then,
restart mixer for an additional 2 minutes.
6. Tilt the mixer while it is running and pour the concrete into a clean and wet
mixing pan or wheelbarrow.
7. Remove any concrete stuck in the mixer using a scoop or trowel.
8. Remix concrete in the mixing pan or wheelbarrow using a shovel.
9. Measure the slump. (Refer related literature for slump test.)
10. Determine the unit weight, yield, and air content. (Refer related literatures for
these tests.)
Manual Mixing
1. Place all fine and coarse aggregates, cement, and admixture (if any) into the
mixing pan.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients well using shovels.
3. Form a heap and make a crater at the center of it.
4. Place some of the water and mix.
5. Add the remaining water and mix further. Apply cut-and-fold technique to ensure
proper mixing.
6. Stop mixing for 3 minutes to allow water absorption, and then remix further until
the concrete mix is uniform in consistency and no aggregate segregations
appear. Adjust water if necessary.

FILLING OF MOLDS

Cylinders (6-inch diameter)

1. Clean the cylinders and lightly grease the inside.


2. Place the concrete in the cylindrical molds using hand trowel or scoop in three
layers. Each is approximately one-third the volume of the mold. For the final
layer, place sufficient concrete to just fill mold after compaction (rodding).
3. Rod each layer 25 times with the appropriate rounded tamping rod. Rod the
bottom layer throughout its entire depth. Distribute the strokes uniformly across
the cross section of the mold. Rod the succeeding layers allowing the rod to
penetrate the underlying layer about 25 mm (1 inch).
4. After each layer is rodded, tap the outside of the mold lightly 10 to 15 times with
the rubber mallet.
5. Towel off top surface flush with top of mold. Set aside filled molds for one to two
hours to allow surface to subside.
6. Prepare cement paste and apply it on the surface and smooth finish the top with
a masonry float or trowel.

2
Beams

1. Clean the mold and lightly grease the entire inside.


2. Place the concrete in the beam molds, using a hand trowel or scoop, in two
layers of approximately the same thickness.
3. Rod each layer sixty (60) times throughout its entire depth and over the entire
surface. When rodding the second layer, allow rod to penetrate the first layer by
25 mm (1 inch).
4. Finish the top surface by adding only enough concrete with a masonry float or
trowel to overfill the mold by about 1/8”. Work this additional concrete into the
surface with a masonry float or trowel and strike off the excess concrete.

CURING

1. Initial curing. Cover the prepared cylinders and beams with impervious plastic
sheeting and set aside for 24 hours.

2. Final curing. After 24 hours, remove the specimens from their molds and
immerse in lime-saturated water in a storage tank until prior testing (Figure
18.1a). Other curing methods maybe employed, like placing samples in moist
cabinet or room (Figure 18.1b).

a) Curing in water tank b) Curing in moist room

Figure 18.1 Curing of Concrete Samples

3
FINAL DATA SHEET

A. Proportion by Mass

Trial Numbers
Descriptions 1 2 3 4
Mass of cement, kg
Mass of sand, kg
Mass of gravel, kg
Mass of water, kg
Water-cement ratio
Air content, %

B. Proportion by Volume

Trial Numbers
Descriptions 1 2 3 4
Volume of cement, m3
Volume of sand, m3
Volume of gravel, m3
Volume of water, m3
Water-cement ratio
Air content, %

4
Name: Date Performed:

Course/Year: Instructor:

Laboratory Exercise No. 18


MAKING AND CURING CONCRETE TEST SPECIMENS
IN THE LABORATORY

PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET

A. Proportion by Mass

Trial Numbers
Descriptions 1 2 3 4
Mass of cement, kg
Mass of sand, kg
Mass of gravel, kg
Mass of water, kg
Water-cement ratio
Air content, %

B. Proportion by Volume

Trial Numbers
Descriptions 1 2 3 4
Volume of cement, m3
Volume of sand, m3
Volume of gravel, m3
Volume of water, m3
Water-cement ratio
Air content, %
GROUP No. _________

Group Leader: __________________


Group Members: Signature:
1. _____________________ ____________
2. _____________________ ____________
3. _____________________ ____________
4. _____________________ ____________
5. _____________________ ____________
Approved by:
_____________________
(Instructor)

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