Possible Causes Description of the Cause

The mix poured is not as per the approved mix design for that particular
1 Wrong mix poured
strength

2 Wrong mix design The mix design does not give the required strength

If the sample is not collected by a skilled worker, and is not supervised by a

3 Improper sample collection technical person, there are possibilities that the collected sample is not truly
representing the fresh concrete supplied at site
4 Improper cube preparation

4.1 Improper alignment of mould resulting in distorted cube shape

4.2 Improper / inadequate tamping leaving the cube porous

4.3 Improper filling of the moulds creating weak zones of mortar without aggregates

Once prepared, the cubes to be covered with wet gunny bags for a period of
5 Inadequate curing of the cube samples 24hrs from the time when water is first added to the concrete, and then
removed from moulds and kept under clean water until the time of test.

6 Testing wrong samples The identification numbering system should be unique so that exactly the
intended cubes are retrieved and tested at every time
 7 Errors during testing like placing of moulds over the CTM, cleaning the surface, seating the cube
properly, rate of load application etc

8 Errors with the testing apparatus

This could include errors with display, loading or hydraulic systems or a
manual error in reading and interpreting the displayed value

Unlawful addition of water to the mix without consulting the structural

9 Unauthorized w/c correction of the mix
consultant

The quality of materials used for preparing the concrete may be different
10 Change in quality of materials from those used while preparing the trial mix.(Eg,Cement,Sand.Course
Agg.Water)

11 Batching plant error error in preparation of the mix in the batching plant, due to any mechanical /
software error, which went unnoticed
 Posibility
Delivered truck mixures were used to cast the
element.For this to happen the supplier should sent a
wrong mix
Mix design submitted by the supplier was checked and
approved by the consultant.Therefore this could not be
able to happen if submitted mix design used for batching
the mix

This is done by a skilled workers from supplier and from

contractores,These people are doing this task for many
concreting works and therefore this can rarely happen.

Cubes are checking for distortion before

testing.Therefore this can rarely happen.
This is done by a skilled workers from supplier and from
contractores,These people are doing this task for many
concreting works and therefore this can rarely happen.
This is done exactly at the site.This procedure followed
for every test cubes and many other cube test were
already successful.The permanent water tank has
constructed at the site for this task and this can only
happen only as a mistake.But cubes were taken from the
water tank to send for testing and hence this is having
low possibility
SEC has used a unique identification and testing
authority has used the same identification on their
report.Therefore this can hardly happen
Normally testing machine is operated by a skilled person
who done this routine in every test and these kind of
errors are having very low possibility to happen

Normally testing machine is operated by a skilled person

who done this routine in every test and these kind of
errors are having very low possibility to happen.If the
apparatus is eeeornous it should give wrong results for
every test performed afterwords

At the transport stage this could happen because drivers

are not having technical knowledge on concrete
hydration reaction.But at the site,Staff is fully aware of
W/C ratio and its relevance to the strength and this could
not happen at that place.But since the site and batching
plant is not at much distance at the transportation stage
also no one will normally try to add water.

This can happen if batching plant is not thoroughly

inspected for confirmity.