DETERMINATION OF TENSILE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE CYLINDER (SPLIT

TENSION OR EQUIVALENT)

I. INTRODUCTION
The compressive strength has been, and still is, the main parameter for characterizing concrete
quality. Traditionally, the compressive load bearing capacity of concrete is used in design, and
hence, the simple compression test is an adequate quality measure. Although the tensile
properties of concrete play an important role in several design situations, the tensile strength is
seldom measured. A direct uniaxial tensile test is difficult to perform. Therefore, indirect
measures like tensile splitting or flexural strengths are often used. When needed in design, the
tensile strength is usually derived from the compressive strength through empirical based
expressions.
In the last two decades, it has been a rapid development within concrete technology with design
of high performance concretes. This calls for a broader set of mechanical properties to be
determined in order to provide a satisfactory characterization of the concrete properties. Use of
admixtures, additives, and aggregate materials with a wide range of properties, makes it difficult
to establish mathematical relations of general validity between compressive strength and other
properties. Thus, the need for reliable methods for determination of properties like tensile
strength, modulus of elasticity and fracture energy have continuously increased.
II. TENSILE SPLITTING STRENGTH
A method of determining the tensile strength of concrete using a cylinder which splits across the
vertical diameter. It is an indirect method of testing tensile strength of concrete. One of the
important properties of concrete is “tensile strength” as structural loads make concrete vulnerable
to tensile cracking. Tensile strength of concrete is much lower than its compressive strength
(that’s why steel is used to carry the tension forces). It has been estimated that tensile strength of
concrete equals roughly about 10% of compressive strength. To determine the tensile strength,
indirect methods are applied due to the difficulty of the direct method. Noting that the values
obtained of these methods are higher than those got from the uniaxial tensile test. These indirect
techniques are: 1- split cylinder test and 2- flexural test. In this article, the Splitting Tensile
Strength test is discussed.
III. TEST SPICEMENS: Cylinder
The length of the specimens shall not be less than the diameter and not more than twice the
diameter. For routine testing and comparison of results, unless otherwise specified the specimens
shall be cylinder 150mm in diameter and 300 mm long.
IV. MAKING AND CURING TEST SPECIMEN
The procedure of making and curing tension test specimen in respect of sampling of materials,
preparation of materials, proportioning, weighing, mixing, workability, moulds, compacting and
curing shall comply in all respects with the requirements given in IS 516.
Sampling of materials
• Representative samples of the materials of concrete for use in the particular concrete
construction work shall be obtained by careful sampling.
 • Test samples of cement shall be made up of a small portion taken from each of a number
of bags on the site. Test samples of aggregate shall be taken from larger lots.
Preparation of materials
• All materials shall be brought to room temperature, preferably before commencing the
tests.
• The cement samples, on arrival at the laboratory, shall be thoroughly mixed dry either by
hand or in a suitable mixer in such a manner as to ensure the greatest possible blending
and uniformity in the material, care being taken to avoid the intrusion of foreign matter.
The cement shall then be stored in a dry place, preferably in air-tight material containers.
• Sample of aggregates for each batch of concrete shall be of the desired grading and shall
be in an air-dried condition. In general, the aggregate shall be separated into fine and
coarse fractions and recombined for each concrete batch in such a manner as to produce
the desired grading.
Weighing
• The quantities of cement, each size of aggregate, and water for each batch shall be
determined by weight, to an accuracy of 0.1 percent of the total weight of the batch.
Mixing concrete
• The concrete shall be mixed by hand, or preferably, in a laboratory batch mixer, in such a
manner as to avoid loss of water or other materials. Each batch of concrete shall be of
such a size as to leave about 10 percent excess after moulding the desired number of test
specimens.
Moulds: Cylinders
• The cylindrical mould shall be of 150mm diameter and 300mm height. Similarly the
mould and base plate shall be coated with a thin film of mould oil before use, in order to
prevent adhesion of concrete.
V. TEST FOR SPLIT TENSILE STRENGTH
Equipment
Compression testing machine, two packing strips of plywood 30 cm long and 12 mm wide,
moulds, tamping bar (steel bar of 16 mm diameter, 60 cm long), trowel, glass or metal plate.
Procedure of Splitting Tensile Test

• After curing, wipe out water from the surface of specimen

• Using a marker, draw diametrical lines on the two ends of the specimen to verify that
they are on the same axial place.
• Measure the dimensions of the specimen.
• Keep the plywood strip on the lower plate and place the specimen.
 • Align the specimen so that the lines marked on the ends are vertical and centered over the
bottom plate.
• Place the other plywood strip above the specimen and bring down the upper plate to
touch the plywood strip.
• Apply the load continuously without shock at a rate of approximately 14-21
kg/cm2/minute (Which corresponds to a total load of 9.9 ton/minute to 14.85 ton/minute)
• Write the breaking load (P).
Calculation of Tensile Strength: Range calculation for testing machine
According to IS 456, split tensile strength of concrete = (0.7) (Fck)
The splitting tensile strength,
Where:
P – is the applied load
D – is the diameter of the spicemen and;
L – is length of the specimen.
Accordingly
Expected load =
Range to be selected for loading = ( _ to _ )
Splitting Tensile Strength

Where P here is the actual failure load

Thus, splitting tensile strength of a given concrete= ----------

REFERENCES
Petersson, P.E., "Direct tensile test on prismatic concrete specimens". Cement and Concrete
Research, Vol 11, p 51-6, 1981.
Wright, P.J.F., °Comments on an indirect tensile test on concrete cylinders11 , Magazine of
Concrete Research No, Vol 7, p 87-96, 1955. /3/ Johnston, C.D., Sidwell, E.H., "Testing concrete
in tension and compression11 , Magazine of Concrete Research, Vol 20, p 221-8, 1968.
ASTM C496-11: Splitting Tensile Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens. West
Conshohocken: ASTM International, 2011.
ASTM C39-14: Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens. West Conshohocken:
ASTM International, 2014.