CE 40/L Construction Materials & Testing Chapter VI – MISCELLANEOUS

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

Chapter VI

MISCELLANEOUS CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

6.1. Steel Bars

- one of the widely used construction materials

- it combines such characteristics as strength, fabricability and cheapness.
- DPWH’s standard specification requires the use of only the structural and intermediate
grades although recent studies abroad tend to show that hard grade steel give
satisfactory service performance.
- the standards further require the use of billet steel bars.

6.1.1. Functions of steel reinforcement

a. To control cracking of a concrete structure – it prevents the progressive opening of
these cracks by holding the edges of the crack close together.
b. To maintain the structural integrity of slab between transverse joints.

6.1.2 Sampling
- One meter long specimen should be obtained to represent a 10,000 kg of steel bars of
each size.
- Samples are taken and sent to the Regional Offices or any private testing laboratories
accredited by DPWH for testing, with complete identification.
- Bars should not be used until the results of tests are received and conformed to the
requirements of the standard specifications.

6.1.3. Storage
The steel bars should be covered if stored at jobsite for a long period to prevent
detrimental rust from setting in.

6.1.4. Usage
When placed in the work, it shall be free from dirt, detrimental scale oil or other
foreign matter.

6.1.5. Test

a. Chemical test
- steel for concrete reinforcement should have suitable chemical composition.
- amount of phosphorus in steel is a critical quantity since, while a small amount
can add to its physical properties, beyond 0.10% causes “cold shortness”
meaning, steel becomes brittle when cold thus making it less resistant to
impact.

b. Tension test
- primarily conducted to classify bars into grade through its yield and ultimate
strengths
- test is done by subjecting a specimen with an effective gage length of 200 mm
to tensile stress and determining the yield load and the maximum load that the
bar can resist before breaking

yield load, kN
Yield Strength =
area, mm2

maximum load, kN
Tensile Strength =
area, mm2

final length – gage length

% elongation = x 100%
gage length, mm
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Structural Intermediate Hard

Grade
(Grade 40) (Grade 60) (Grade 75)
276 MPa 414 MPa 517 MPa
Yield Strength
(40,000 psi) (60,000 psi) (75,000 psi)

c. Cold Bend Test

- measures the ductility of bars
- a bar is bent at 90o or 180o in a cold bend apparatus.
- bent bars must not manifest any cracking on the outside bent portion to be
acceptable.

6.2. Metal Materials

6.2.1 Galvanized Iron Sheets

6.2.2. Metallic Materials
a. Flat bars
b. Machined metals

Purposes of test:

a. To obtain quantitative measurements of their mechanical properties.

b. To check the quality and uniformity of the product.
c. To ascertain that there is no appreciable deviation from the standards.

Physical tests:
a. Tension test – determines the mechanical properties like:
a a.1. yield strength
b a.2. elongation
b. Ductility – is also evaluated by tension test through the determination of %
elongation or by the % reduction in area.
c. Hardness – determined by measuring the resistance to indentation by the use of
the hardened steel ball or diamond conical penetrator.
Methods:
c.1. Brinell method – uses ball penetrator
c c.2. Rockwell method

A “hardness number” is determined from the test; a higher number indicates a

harder material.

P
BHN 

D
2

D  D2  d 2 
where:
BHN - Brinell hardness number in kg/mm2
P - applied load in kilograms
D - diameter of the ball in mm
d - diameter of the impression in mm
or BHN may be determined from the graph

Rockwell Hardness Number (RHN) – can be determined on the dial.

d. Impact – is made to determine the resistance to failure due to brittleness

by a suddenly applied load. It is performed not only on materials subjected to
impact stresses under service conditions but also as a control test on all metallic
materials.

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Size of Standard Specimen:

1. Tension and Ductility:

Test specimens are either full size or machined. The standard rectangular
specimen with 200 mm gage length for flat shapes and round specimen with 50 mm
gage length are shown:

2. Hardness:
Test specimens vary greatly in form since the indentation is made on the surface
of the finished product. In the Brinell test, the thickness of the specimen shall be at
least 10 times the depth of the indentation; while in the Rockwell, the minimum
thickness is indicated in tables for the different scales.

3. Impact:
The size of the test specimen is as shown:

6.3. Paint

- is a mixture of a powdered insoluble solid called pigment and a liquid called vehicle
which dries to a relatively opaque film.
- it also applies to a special type of paint found in various liquid compositions like
varnish, enamels, lacquers, putty, etc. which in the form of thin films are converted
into solids when exposed in the action of air and light.

6.3.1. Types of Paint:

1. Exterior house paint – should possess reasonable durability and color retentiveness to
withstand continuous exposure
2. Interior flat paint – should possess properties useful for decorative purposes although
low in durability and weather requirements
3. Metal protective paint – should have good adhesive and anti-corrosive properties and
should be impervious to moisture
4. Traffic paints (also Luminous paint) for zone marking, traffic lanes and parking space
– should be rapid drying, resistant to abrasion and weather conditions and should
possess improved visibility at night.
5. Aluminum paints (Chemical resistant paint) - are widely used as primer for wood and
as finish coats for both wood and metals must exhibit good leafing properties.

6.3.2. Composition of Paint

1. Pigment – is the solid portion of the paint that imparts important properties to the
finished material
 It may come as natural or synthetic which are organic and inorganic in
composition
 It varies in color.
 Some are reactive by chemical nature and react with the vehicle of the paint
forming metallic soaps thus offer less difficulty in the dispersion process
 Inert pigments are rendered active by the addition of ingredients that would
accelerate its suspension in the vehicle
 It should possess good hiding properties, one important requirement of a good
pigment

a. Prime pigments – are pigments with high refractive index. It imparts excessive
hiding property.
Ex. zinc oxide, zinc sulfate, titanium dioxide and white lead
b. Extender – pigment with low refractive index. It is usually added to reduce the
cost of paints
Ex. talc, silica, calcium sulfate
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 Colored pigments
Ex. iron oxide
red lead – possesses rust inhibitive properties
aluminum powder – high opacity and resistant to passage of moisture
- used as primers for structural steel and other metallic surfaces
- used as tinting color for white base paints

2. Vehicle – the liquid portion of paint which controls the drying and brushing properties
of the paint
a. drying oil – which binds the pigment into a uniform mass
Ex. linseed oil
 it consists of fatty acids with high degree of unsaturation
 the conversion of the oil to solid or a gel occurs when oxygen in air is
absorbed giving rise to concurrence of oxidation, polymerization, and
association reactions
b. volatile solvents or thinners – which reduces the consistency of the paint picture to
a convenient degree
Ex. turpentine and mineral spirits
 are volatile organic liquids which are used to thin surface coatings to
consistencies to enable them to be applied by brushing, spraying and other
methods
 good thinning characteristics are solvency or ability to reduce consistency and
volatility
c. driers – which accelerate the drying period of the paint
Ex. oxides, acetates or salts of lead, manganese and cobalt

6.3.3. Prime requisites of good paint

1. long life
2. continued good appearance and adequate protection
3. exhibit easy brushing, good flowing, spreading and good leveling properties when
applied to surfaces
4. should not settle badly or cake in containers and should be readily broken up with a
paddle to a smooth uniform paste-like consistency
5. painted surface when dry should be smooth, and flat, free from flashes and brush
marks.

6.3.4. Tests

1. Physical Examination
Procedure:
Weigh the unopened container. After thorough mixing, transfer content in another
container. Clean the original container, wipe dry and weigh.

2. Separation of Pigment and Vehicle

a. Continuous Extraction Method:

P1 – P2
% Pigment = x 100%
B1 – B2

% Vehicle = 100 – % Pigment

where:
P1 – weight of extraction thimble with cotton plug plus extracted pigment
P2 – weight of empty extraction thimble with cotton plug
B1 – weight of beaker, stirring rod and sample
B2 – weight of beaker, stirring rod minus the sample

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b. Centrifuge Method

W3 – W 1
% Pigment = x 100%
W2 – W 1

where:
W1 – weight of empty centrifuge tube
W2 – weight of centrifuge tube + paint sample
W3 – weight of centrifuge tube + dry extracted pigment

3. Drying Time

Procedure:
Brush one coat of paint sample on a glass panel. Allow to dry in horizontal
position, touching it from time to time at points not less than 1 cm from the edges of
the film.
“set-to-touch” condition - when the gentle pressure of the finger shows a tacky
condition but none of the film adheres to the finger
“dry-hard” condition – when a maximum pressure without twisting the film by
pressing the glass between thumb and finger, the film does not move
nor mark remains when lightly polished.

6.4. Galvanized Iron Sheets

 Are produced in various coating classes so that the user can specify the class suitable
to his requirements
 The gage numbering is in terms of a galvanized sheet gage number (GSG)
 Each galvanized iron and/or steel sheet shall be legibly marked showing the name and
address of the manufacturer, the brand or trademark. Nominal coating weight (g/m 2),
base metal thickness (mm), size, (m)
 The material shall be tested for zinc coating, base metal thickness, dimension and
bending properties.
 Tests shall be made from one sheet in each lot of 2500 sheets or fraction thereof

Test:

1. Unit Weight
Procedure: Weigh the whole sheet and measure the width and length

2. Triple-Spot Test
Specimen: 3 pcs - 2.250 ± 0.010 inch square, taken from each sheet cut one from center
and the other two from diagonally opposite corners, adjacent to, and within the
boundary formed by lines not less than 2 inches from the sides and 4 inches from the
ends.
Procedure:
a. Clean specimens by washing with naptha solvent, then with alcohol, and dry in
oven
b. Weigh each specimen and immerse singly in a solution prepared by adding 5 ml
of antimony chloride soln. (32 g SbCl 3 in 1000 ml HCl) to 100 ml of HCl for 15
to 30 seconds
c. After stripping, wash, scrub the specimens under running water, dry with towel
then heat to 100 oC
d. Cool and weigh.
e. Get the average loss in weight of the three specimens.

3. Single-Spot Test
The minimum check limit by the single-spot test is that one of the three specimens
with the lightest coating

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4. Coating Bend Test

Specimen: 2 to 4 inches in width, within the boundary formed by lines not less than 2 in
from the sides and 4 in from the ends
Procedure:
a. Using vise with smooth jaws bend specimen 180o at room temperature
b. Note flaking of the coating. Disregard flaking of coating within ¼ in from the
edge of the specimen

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