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Compressive Strength Mortar

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Azam Khan
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5 views

Compressive Strength Mortar

Uploaded by

Azam Khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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EXPERIMENT NAME

DIRECT COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CEMENT MORTAR


INTRODUCTION

The mechanical strength of hardened cement is the property of this


material which is, perhaps, the most important one for its structural use.
Tests for strengths are not made on a neat cement paste because of
difficulties in moulding and testing with consequent large variations in
results.
The strength of cement is usually determined from tests on mortars.
Several tests are performed to determine the tensile, compressive and
shear strength of cement mortar of a certain proportion.
Cement mortar of concrete gives a compressive strength of about ten
times its tensile strength.
This test method covers determination of the compressive strength of
hydraulic cement mortars, using 2-in or 50-mm cube specimens.
Minimum Compressive Strength of
OPC (as per ASTM C150 )
APPARATUS

Balance: Sensitive to 0.1 gm


Graduated measuring jar: Of Sufficient capacity
Cube molds: Two sets of 2- in with base plates
Mixing pans
Tamper rod
Trowels
Compression Testing machine
MATERIALS

The sand used for making test specimens shall be natural


silica sand conforming to the requirements for graded
standard sand (Natural silica sand conforming C 778) in the
following specifications:
Table 7.2: Sieve Analysis
Sieve Accumulative % Retained
No. 16 None
No. 30 2±2
No. 40 30±5
No. 50 75±5
No. 100 98±2
TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY

The temperature of the air in the vicinity of the mixing


slab, the dry materials, molds, base plates, and mixing bowl,
shall be maintained between 20 ⁰C and 26⁰C.
The temperature of the mixing water, moist closet or moist
room, and water in the storage tank shall be set between
(21⁰C and 25 ⁰C)
The relative humidity of the laboratory shall be not less
than 50 %.
PROCEDURE
Composition of Mortars
The proportions of materials for the standard mortar shall be 1 part of
cement to 2.75 parts of graded standard sand by weight.
Use a water–cement ratio of 0.485 for all Portland Cement.
The quantities of materials to be mixed at one time in the batch of mortar
for making six and nine test specimens shall be as follows:
Composition of Mortars
Number of Specimens
6 9
Cement, gm 500 740
Sand, gm 1375 2035
Portland (0.485) 242 359
Water, ml
Air-entraining (0.46) 230 354
Preparation of Mortar

Place required amount of water in dry mixing


bowl.
Add the cement to the water and mix for 30 sec.
Add nearly one –half of the sand and mix for 30
sec.
Add the remainder of the sand and mix
vigorously for 2 minutes.
Molding Test Specimens

s
Molding Test Specimens (Contd..)

Place a layer of mortar about 1 in (25mm) (approximately one half of the depth of
the mold) in all of the cube compartments.
Tamp the mortar in each cube compartment 32 times in about 10 sec in 4 rounds,
each round to be at right angles to the other and consisting of eight adjoining
stokes over the surface of the specimen, as illustrated in figure
The tamping pressure shall be just sufficient to ensure uniform, filling of the
molds.
The 4 rounds of tamping (32 strokes) of the mortar shall be completed in one cube
before going to the next.
When the tamping of the first layer in all of the cube compartments is completed,
fill the compartments with the remaining mortar and then tamp as specified for the
first layer.
During tamping of the second layer, bring in the mortar forced out on to the tops
of the molds after each round of tamping by means of gloved fingers and the
tamper upon completion of each round and before starting the next round of
tamping.
Molding Test Specimens (Contd..)

On completion of the tamping, the tops of all cubes should extend slightly above
the tops of the molds.
 Bring in the mortar that has been forced out onto the tops of the molds with a
trowel and smooth off the cubes by drawing the flat side of the trowel (with the
leading edge slightly raised) one across the top of the each cube at right angles to
the length of the mold.
Then for the purpose of leveling the mortar and making the mortar that protrudes
above the top of the mold of more uniform thickness, draw the flat side of the
trowel (with the leading edge slightly raised) lightly once along the length of the
mold.
Cut off the mortar to a plane surface flush with the top of the mold by drawing the
straight edge of the trowel (held nearly perpendicular to the mold) with a sawing
motion over the length of the mold.
Storage of Test Specimens

Immediately upon completion of molding, place the test


specimens in the moist closet or moist room.
 Keep all the test specimens, immediately after molding, in
the molds on the base plates in the moist closet or moist room
from 20 to 24 hours with their upper surfaces exposed to the
moist air but protected from crippling water.
 If the specimens are removed from the mold before 24
hours, keep them on shelves of the moist closet or moist room
until they are 24 hours old, and then immerse the specimens,
except those for the 24 hours test, in saturated lime water in
storage tanks constructed of non-corroding materials.
 Keep the storage water clean by changing as required.
Determination of Compressive strength

Test the specimens immediately after their removal from the moist
closet in the case of 24 hours specimen, and from storage water in the
case of all other specimens.
All the test specimens form a given test age should be broken under
compressive force within the permissible time tolerance prescribed in
table
 If more than one specimen at a time is removed from the moist closet
for the 24 hours tests, keep those specimens covered with a damp cloth
until the time of testing.
If more than one specimen at a time is removed from the storage water
for testing, keep these specimens in water at a temperature of 73.4±3 ⁰F
(23±1.7⁰C) and of sufficient depth to completely immerse each
specimen until the time of testing.
Determination of Compressive strength (Contd..)

Wipe each specimen to a surface-dry condition; remove


any loose sand grains or incrustations from the faces that
will be in contact with the bearing blocks of the testing
machine.
Check these faces by applying a straightedge. If there is
appreciable curvature, grind the face or faces to plane
surfaces or discard the specimen.
A periodic check of the cross –sectional area of the
specimens should be made.
Determination of Compressive strength
Determination of Compressive strength
(Contd..)

Apply the load to specimen faces that were in contact with


the true plane surfaces of the mold.
Carefully place the specimen in the testing machine below
the center of the upper bearing block.
Prior to the testing of each cube, it shall be ascertained that
the spherically seated block is free to tilt.
Use no cushioning or bedding materials.
An initial loading up to one half of the expected maximum
loads for specimens having expected maximum loads of
more than 3000 lbf (13.3 kN) may be applied at any
convenient rate.
Determination of Compressive strength
(Contd..)

Apply no initial loading to specimens having expected


maximum loads of less than 3000 lbf (13.3 kN).
Adjust the rate of load application so that the remainder of
the load (or the entire load in case of expected maximum
loads of less than 3000 lbf (13.3 kN) is applied, without
interruption, to failure at such a rate that the maximum load
will be reached in neither in less than 20 sec nor in more
than 80 sec from the start of loading.
Make no adjustment in the controls of the testing machine
while a specimen is yielding prior to failure.
CALCULATION

Record the total maximum load indicated by the testing


machine and calculate the compressive strength in pounds
per square inch (or Pascal).
 If the cross-sectional area of a specimen varies more than
1.5% from the nominal, use the actual area for the
calculation of compressive strength.
 Draw the strength vs. age curve on the plain graph paper.
 Report the result to the nearest 10 psi (70 kPa)
QUESTIONS??

Compare your results with standard strength


requirement of ordinary Portland cement as
specified by ASTM. If you observed any deviation
from the standard requirement, discuss different
factors that might be responsible for this.
What is the range of temperature for curing water?
How the load is to be applied in the test?
EXPERIMENT
Data Sheet
Direct Compressive Strength of Cement Mortar
Age Speci Crushing Specimen Compressive Average Compressive
(days) men Load Area Strength Strength
No.

03

07

28

Student No:
Group:
Signature of Course Teacher Date:

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