Quality Control Issues

Introduction
Even with the best mixture designs, failures occur in concrete structures, some of which are attributable to
design and the others to the material itself. However, more often than not, the failure is a result of
negligence and lack of attention to quality on the jobsite during construction.
Quality control (QC) is a check of the quality of the material and construction performed by the builder,
while Quality Assurance (QA) is performed by an independent authorized agent hired by the owner.
Statistical QC
An effective and economical system of QC must be based on statistical methods. The most important item
as far as concrete is concerned is the sampling of test specimens. Sampling should be random, and should
be as representative of the entire material as possible.
Generally, a Gaussian normal distribution is assumed for the property under investigation (most QC is done
for concrete compressive strength, since the conventional design is also based on strength). The distribution
may be presented either using the strength variable, or a transformed variable called the standard normal
variable,
which
is
defined
as:
Z = (X ) / , where X is the strength variable that follows a normal distribution, is the mean strength
of the population, and is the standard deviation of the population.
Figure 1 shows the probability density function associated with the standard normal variable. The
definitions of characteristic strength of concrete are based upon this function. According to the definition,
95% if the specimens should possess a strength greater than the characteristic compressive strength (f ck) of
concrete. From the probability density function, this corresponds to a value of 1.65 for the standard
normal variable. According to IS, the target strength of the concrete mixture is defined as:
Target
strength
=
fck +
1.65
,
where
s
is
the
standard
deviation.
The standard deviation can be initially based on prior experience, and later determined from trial results.

Figure 1. Probability density function for a normal random variable

Quality control charts

Control charts are typically prepared for concrete strength (see Figure 2). According to the probability
density function for a normal random variable, 99.9 % of the area is enclosed between Mean 3. Thus,
warning and action limits are typically set at 2 and 3, respectively.

Figure
2.
Control
charts
Based on : P. K. Mehta and P. J. M. Monteiro, Concrete: Structure, properties, and Materials, Second
Edition, Prentice Hall, Inc., NJ, 1993
Three types of presentations of the compressive strength (or any other QC parameter) can be used: (1)
individual strength values, (2) moving average based upon the average of five previous sets of tests (each
set is an average of 3 specimens), and (3) moving average for the range of strengths, where each point
represents the average range of the 10 previous sets of tests (each set 3 specimens). The occasional
outliers in the individual strength values need not be significant. The moving average of strength can
smooth out the data, while the moving average of the range of strengths can indicate the reproducibility of
the test results.

Acceptance criteria according to Indian standards

As per the IS code (Clause 16 of IS 456:2000), for a given set of tests, the compressive strength is taken as
the average of three tests, no one test differing from the average by more than 15%. The strength
requirements are deemed to meet standards in the following conditions are satisfied.
Compressive strength:
Mean of
Individual
Flexural

test

results
strength
strength

>

f ck +

(ft is

0.825
result
the

or

fck + 4 MPa
>
f ck
characteristic

(whichever
4
flexural

is

greater)
MPa
strength):

Mean
of
4
test
Individual strength result > ft 0.3 MPa

results

>

ft +

0.3

MPa

Quality factors
For a good quality concrete construction, one must ensure the four Cs:

Ensure design Cover is maintained

Ensure sufficient Cement and proper w/c

Ensure adequate Compaction so there is no honeycombing

Ensure good Curing so that design strength is obtained

Cores removed from concrete sections typically show a lower strength compared to specimens cats and
cured in the standard lab conditions. According to ACI, if at least 3 cores are removed from a representative
part of concrete and none of them shows strength less than 75% of the characteristic strength (also, average
not less than 85% of characteristic strength), then the concrete is in a sound condition.

Characteristic strength
This means that value of the strength of concrete below which, not
more than 5 percent of the test results are expected to fall.
Target mean strength
ft = fck + K.s
where
ft = target mean strength
fck = characteristic strength
K = a statistical constant, depending on the definition of fck and is
derived from the mathematics of Normal Distribution
s = standard deviation
The value of K is equal to 1.65 where not more than 5% of test results
are expected to fall below the characteristic strength
=>ft = fck + 1.65 s
Acceptance Criteria (IS 456 : 2000)
Compressive strength
Both the following conditions must be met :

a) The mean strength of any four consecutive test results compiles

with the appropriate limits in Table 3.
For M15 grade
Mean of 4 consecutive results in N/mm2 must be greater than or equal
to
fck + 0.825 x SD or
fck + 3 N/mm2 , whichever is greater
For M20 or above grade
Mean of the group of 4 consecutive results in N/mm2 must be greater
than or equal to
fck + 0.825 x SD or
fck + 4 N/mm2 , whichever is greater
Acceptance Criteria
b) Any individual test result complies with the appropriate limits in
Table 3.
For M15 grade
Individual test results in N/mm2 must be greater than or equal to
( fck 3 ) N/mm2
For M20 or above grade
Individual test results in N/mm2 must be greater than or equal to
( fck 4 ) N/mm2
Acceptance Criteria
Flexural strength
Both the following conditions must be met :
a) The mean strength of any four consecutive test results exceeds the
specified characteristic compressive strength by at least 0.3 N/mm2

b) The strength determined from any test result is not less than the
specified characteristic strength less 0.3 N/mm2

STANDARD DEVIATION AND ITS RELATION WITH STRENGTH OF

CONCRETE
Standard deviation generally indicates the deviation of a set of variables from the mean value.
The less the value of standard deviation is, the more the values are close together.
Also, a low value of standard deviation indicates more consistent results. On the other hand,
higher values represent inconsistent results.
The standard deviation is represented by a normal distribution curve, which is a bell shaped
curve with the mean value at the apex and positive and negative infinities on either side. The
area covered by the curve gives the percentage of samples within the range.
We can determine the confidence level of a set of samples using the standard deviation.
See the fig.

We generally represent standard deviation by the notation (sigma). In a normal distribution

curve, the possibility is that about 68.26% of the values are within and +.
For example, if the mean value of a number of samples is 100 and standard deviation is
calculated as, say, 6, then 68.26% of all the results fall between 94 and 106.
And 90% of the test results fall between -1.645 and +1.645
Similarly, 95.45% of samples fall between -2 and +2, ie between 88 and 112.
And 99.97% of the test results are likely to fall between 3 range, ie from 82 to 118.
Ultimately 6 means the confidence level is 99.99985%.
(Remember the use of sigma as a quality representation by companies now. Quality of six
means 99.99985% of the products are within the acceptable range or control limits, meantime
companies strive to minimise the standard deviation also.) Now,

M40 mix has a characteristic strength of 40N/mm2. As we know, characteristic strength is the
strength of concrete at 28 days, below which not more than 5% of the sample may fall.
As indicated above, 1.645 gives a confidence level of 90%, and out of the balance 10%, 5%
may be below the lower limit and 5% may be above the upper limit.
Since we are only worried about the value falling below the required strength, we conclude
that 95% of the test results are ABOVE the lower limit set, ie characteristic strength.
For getting a characteristic strength, the mean strength should be 1.645 . That is how the
target mean strength for concrete design has become fck + 1.645 (or fck +1.65, rather).
In the absence of proper test data, is assumed as 5N/mm2 for M40 concrete.(IS456 table
8).
Since we know fck = 40n/mm2, target mean strength is calculated as fck + 1.65 =
48.25N/mm2, which is the design parameter.
But as far as acceptance is considered, as per the table 11 of IS 456, mean of the group of 4
non overlapping test samples should be greater than fck+0.825 or fck+4 whichever is
higher.
This clause is to ensure that the average strength is around in the range of fck+4 N/mm2. For
instance, if we assume the standard deviation is zero, (ideal condition), our target mean
strength will become fck. There we follow the second condition, which is fck+4 N/mm2.

Sampling Sufficient volume (0.03 cum for 6 cubes) to

get consistent results
Filling and Compaction in 3 Equal layers with
minimum of 35 strokes

Testing Loading Rate for 150

(140kg/cm2/min or 5.25 N/Sec +/- 5%)

mm

cube