Engineering Material: Properties and Testing Methods

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ENGINEERING MATERIALS (18CVA010)
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1. There is sometimes a need for the assessment of the in-situ properties of concrete.
Describe five different concrete properties that can be tested for, indicating an
appropriate test method for each.
Concrete is made of a mixture of sand, cement, aggregates and water that hardens to form a stone
like mass. This material is widely used as a construction material because it is more versatile. It
is a material of choice for many country due to its strength, durability, impermeability,
workability, water tightness, permanence, abrasion and fire resistance (Berndt, 2009).
Properties of concrete and the methods for testing
Strength
Compressive strength of concrete is one of the most essential properties of all. Therefore,
it is not surprising to test the strength of concrete on site before it is used for construction works.
However, there are also a number of factors that affect the compressive strength of concrete. The
major factors include water to cement ratio, curing and the degree of compaction (Cachim,
2009). Other factors that may influence the strength include the size of aggregates, volume, age
of loading and the type of cement.

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Source: (Corinaldesi, 2010)
Cut and Pull Out Test (CAPO) is the method used insitu to determine the compressive
strength of concrete mix. In most cases, the test is found to be within a range of 8% of the results
obtained. CAPO test is done in compliance with the ASTM C900 and EN-12504-3 (Muhit, et al.,
2013).
Suitability
A suitable concrete should be able to resist its decay and disintegration. A well-mixed
concrete should be durable with regard to weathering conditions which include moisture
changes, action of atmospheric gases, temperature variations. For concrete to maintain its
durability, water to cement ratio should be at the right measure to ensure a workable mix. A well
compacted concrete is one that has very few pores or voids that will make it more durable. To

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entrap air bubble in air bubbles on a mixture of concrete, admixture called vinsol resin is
sometimes added in the mixture (Cachim, 2009).
The chemical action in the cement should harden the concrete to enable it to resist the
lateral load the will be subjected to it in its service life. Concrete sustaining the damages of
weather can be attributed to thawing and freezing cycle. Thus increasing the water tightness in
water can help improve the resistance of damage in concrete. One of the best insitu methods to
determine the suitability of concrete and determine whether there is any form of damages is Ultra
Pulse Velocity (UPV) (Corinaldesi, 2010). This method has been traditionally used in quality
control of materials such as metals and welded connections. Advancement in transducer
technology has made it possible for testing of concrete to be widely accepted. The testing
procedures must comply with ASTM C 597 as the” Standard Test Method” (Muhit, et al., 2013).
The idea used in this technology is by measuring the time the acoustic waves get to travel
through a medium and comparing them with the density and elastic properties of a material.
Workability
This is the ease of working with concrete where by it can be easily placed and finished
without much energy involved. By workability we mean that concrete has achieved a certain
degree of consistency or fluidity which can be tested using slump test with in compliance with
ASTM C143. Slump test is the most common test that can either be done on laboratory on site, it
is done by collecting the sample of concrete mix and moulding the mixture in a frustum cone like
shape that is approximately 12 in high with a diameter of 8-in and 4-in at the base and top
respectively (Corinaldesi, 2010). When the mould is removed, the change in height of the sample
used as specimen is measured. When the change of height occurs, its regarded as the slump
value. The higher the water content in concrete the higher the slump value measured.