EXPERIMENT NO:-

Date:-

TITLE: Compacting Factor Test

AIM: To determine the workability of fresh concrete by compacting factor test

THEORY

According to compacting factor test, the workability may be defined as the amount of
applied work required to compact the concrete to its maximum density. This test works on the
principle of determining the degree of compaction achieved by a standard amount of work done
by allowing the concrete to fall through a standard height. The degree of compaction, called the
compacting factor is measured by the density ratio i.e., the ratio of the density actually achieved
in the test to density of same concrete fully compacted. This method is adopted for determining
the workability of concrete mix in laboratories. It gives fairly good results for concrete of low
workability.

APPARATUS: Compacting Factor apparatus, Trowels, Graduated cylinder, Balance, Tamping

rod and iron buckets

PROCEDURE

1. Place the concrete sample gently in the upper hopper to its brim using the hand scoop and
level it.

2. Open the trap door at the bottom of the upper hopper so that concrete fall in to the lower
hopper. Push the concrete sticking on its sides gently with the road.

3. Open the trap door of the lower hopper and allow the concrete to fall in to the cylinder
below

4. Cut of the excess of concrete above the top level of cylinder using trowels and level it.

5. Clean the outside of the cylinder.

6. Weigh the cylinder with concrete to the nearest 10 g. This weight is known as the weight
of partially compacted concrete (W1).
 7. Empty the cylinder and then refill it with the same concrete mix in layers approximately
5cm deep, each layer being heavily rammed to obtain full compaction. Level the top
surface.

8. Weigh the cylinder with fully compacted. This weight is known as the weight of fully
compacted concrete (W2).

9. Find the weight of empty cylinder (W)

Recommended values of workability for various placing conditions

Degree of Values of
Conditions
Workability Compacting factor
Concreting of shallow sections with
Very low 0.75 to 0.80
vibrations
Concreting of lightly reinforced sections
Low 0.80 to 0.85
with vibrations
Concreting of lightly reinforced sections
without vibrations or heavily reinforced Medium 0.85 to 0.92
sections with vibrations
Concreting of heavily reinforced sections
High Above 0.92
without vibrations

OBSERVATION TABLE

Sr. No. Description

1 Weight of empty cylinder (W)

2 Weight of partially compacted concrete (W1)

3 Weight of fully compacted concrete (W2)

4 Compaction Factor= (W1-W / W2-W)

CALCULATIONS

Compaction Factor= (W1-W / W2-W) =

RESULT:

The compaction factor was found to be

CONCLUSION

PRECAUTION:

The test is sufficiently sensitive to enable difference in work ability arising from the initial process
in the hydration of cement to be measured. Each test, there for should be carried out at a constant
time interval after the mixing is completed, if strictly comparable results are to be obtained.
Convenient time for releasing the concrete from the upper hopper has been found to be two minutes
after the completion of mixing