CONSTRUCTION PRACTICE WORKSHOP

GROUP-8
Group: D Date: 17th March 2021
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Experiment no.: 8
CASTING OF CONCRETE CUBES
AIM:

To cast concrete cubes of 15 cm ×15 cm ×15 cm in mould considering compressive strength

of the cubes.

About the topic:

This test measures the uniaxial compressive strength of concrete cubes which are made, cured
and tested to very specific requirements. Testing the same concrete under different conditions,
for example specimen size, specimen shape, curing temperature, loading rate, etc. will give
different results.

APPARATUS:

1. Batch mixer: For measuring the material & for Dry Mixing
2. Concrete mixing tray: For Mixing the concrete ingredients (Wet Mix)
3. RCC beam mould: For Casting the beam of Required size
4. Cube moulds: These are of standard size of 15cm*15cm*15cm.
5. Trowel: Used for Smoothing & Finishing the surface
6. Fawda: For Mixing Raw Material
7. Head pan: - For Carrying the Material.
8. Measuring tap, measuring scale, Hammer, Rebar bending tool, Marking Chalk.
9. Slump cone: This is used to carry slump test to find the workability

Quantity of tools & equipment required

S.no Item name unit quantity
1 Trowel No. 2
2 Spade No. 2
3 Head pan No. 2
4 Bucket No. 2
5 Pawda No. 2
 6 Weighing Machine No. 1
7 Cube casting mould No. 3
8 Tray No. 1
9 Slump cone No. 1
10 Oil for Greasing ml 100

MATERIALS:

a) Cement
A cement is a binder, a substance used for construction that sets, hardens, and adheres to
other materials to bind them together. Cement is seldom used on its own, but rather to bind
sand and gravel (aggregate) together. Cement mixed with fine aggregate
produces mortar for masonry, or with sand and gravel, produces concrete. Concrete is the
most widely used material in existence and is behind only water as the planet's most-
consumed resource.

b) Fine Aggregate (Sand)

Fine aggregates are essentially any natural sand particles won from the land through the
mining process. Fine aggregates consist of natural sand or any crushed stone particles that
are ¼” or smaller. This product is often referred to as 1/4’” minus as it refers to the size,
or grading, of this particular aggregate. Fine aggregate (Sand) Fills voids between
aggregates. It forms the bulk and makes mortar or concrete economical. It provides
resistance against shrinking and cracking. It is naturally available.

c) Coarse Aggregate
Coarse Aggregate is one of the most important and massively used building material in
the Construction Industry. Coarse Aggregates in concrete provides body and strength to
the concrete and acts as a filler material which will give the homogeneous mass of the
concrete. Coarse aggregates are used in every Construction projects which includes the
construction of roads, Buildings, Railway Tracks etc.

d) Water
Mix design

MATERIAL CALCULATION
s.no particular unit value remarks
1 Dimension of the beam
Length m 0.15
Breadth m 0.15
Depth m 0.15
Volume of the 3 cubes cum 0.12125 30% wastage
2 Total volume of the beam cum 0.0171
3 Density
Cement kg/cm 1440
Fine Aggregate kg/cm 1650
Coarse Aggregate kg/cm 1750
4 Mix proportion 1/1.5/3
Cement Required kg 4.48
Fine Aggregate Required kg 7.7
Coarse Aggregate Required kg 16.32
Water Lit 2

PROCEDURE:
1. First all the quantities of materials were calculated as per the mix proportions i.e., for
M20 (1:1.5:3).
2. Accordingly, all the materials were collected and weighed in the weighing machine.
3. The moulds were made ready for casting and releasing oil was applied on the inner
surface of the moulds.
4. The materials were first dry mixed in a mixing pan.
5. Water was added to the dry mixed at certain intervals.
6. Before casting the cube, slump cone test was carried out.
7. For the slump cone the ready concrete was filled in the cone in 3 layers with free
tamping of 25 blows for each with a tamping rod.
8. The cone was lifted and the slump was measured.
9. Once the slump cone test was done the concrete was filled in the cubes.
10. The cube was manually compacted and the concrete was filled as per required.
Estimation:

S.no Particular Quantity Unit Rate Amount

1 Cement 4.48 kg 7 31.36
2 Fine aggregate 7.7 kg 22 169.4
3 Coarse aggregate 16.32 kg 20 326.4
Cube mould (15*15*15)
4 cm 3 No's 950 2850
TOTAL 3377.16

Safety measures:

1. Always wear safety helmet and gloves on site

2. Wear shoes while working on site
3. Be in a proper attire and roll up the sleeves
4. Be careful while handling the materials

OBSERVATIONS:

The value of slump for the concrete was 90 mm (Shear slump)

Conclusion:

The concrete cube test is performed for the purpose of determining the compressive strength
of a concrete element. The results from the compressive strength test are used to determine
the strength of the concrete.