FLEXURAL STRENGTH TEST OF CONCRETE

OBJECTIVE:
To determine the flexural strength of concrete, which comes in play when a road slab with
inadequate sub-grade support is subjected to wind loads and/or there are volume changes due
to temperature/ shrinkage.
EQUIPMENTS:
Beam mould, tamping bar and flexural testing machine
PROCEDURE:
1) Prepare the test specimen by filling the concrete into the mould in 3 layers of
approximately equal thickness. Tamp each layer 35 times using the tamping bar as specified
above. Tamping should be distributed uniformly over the entire cross section of beam mould
and throughout the depth of each layer.
2) Clean the bearing surfaces of the supporting and loading rollers, and remove any lose sand
or other materials from the surface of the specimen where they are to make contact with the
rollers.
3) Circular rollers manufactured out of steel having a diameter of 38mm will be used for
providing support and loading points to the specimens. The length of the rollers shall atleast
be 10mm more than the width of the test specimen. A total of 4 rollers shall be used, 3 out of
which shall be capable of rotating along their own axis. The distance between the outer
rollers (i.e. span) shall be 3d and the distance between the inner rollers shall be d. the inner
roller shall be equally spaced between the outer rollers, such that the entire system is
systematic.
4) The specimen stored in water shall be tested immediately on removal from water, whilst
they are still wet. The test specimen shall be placed in the machine correctly centered with
the longitudinal axis of the specimen at right angles the rollers. For moulded specimens, the
mould filling direction shall be normal to the direction of loading.
5) The load shall be applied at the rate if loading of 400kg/min for the 15.0cm specimens and
at the rate of 180kg/min for the 10.0cm specimens

CALCULATIONS:
The flexural strength or modulus of rupture (fb) is given by:
fb =pl/bd2 (when a>20.0cm for 15.0cm specimen or a>13.0cm for 10.0cm specimen)
fb =3pa/bd2 (when 17.0cm< a<20.0cm but for 15.0cm specimen or 11.0<a<13.3cm for
10.0cm specimen)
Where
a=the distance between the line of flexure and the nearer support, measured on the center line
of the tensile side of the center line
b=width of the of specimen in cm
d= failure point depth in cm
l= supported length in cm
p= max load in kg
SAFETY CONSIDERATION
 Use hand gloves, safety shoes at the time of the test.
 After test switch off the machine.
 Keep all the inside exposed metal parts of the mould greased.
 Keep the guide rods firmly fixed to the base and top plate
 Equipment should be cleaned thoroughly before and after testing.
Size of beam: 70x15x15cm
Grade of concrete: M30

Flexural Strength= 0.7√𝑓𝑐𝑘 =3.83N/mm2

FLEXURAL STRENGTH TEST READING ON BEAM:
Distance From Flexural Avg.Flexural
Load At
The Support Strength Strength
Sr. No. Failure
(a) (fb)= pl/bd2 (fb)= pl/bd2
(N)
(mm) (N/mm2) (N/mm2)
Specimen 1
a. 24170 290 4.28
b. 23600 240 4.20 4.06
c. 21000 250 3.70
Specimen 2
a. 23700 250 4.21
b. 27600 240 4.90 4.31
c. 21600 240 3.84

Conclusions: Average Flexural Strength of Specimen 1 = 4.06 N/mm2

Specimen 2= 4.31 N/mm2