CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

PART 1 (LAB 1)

REBOUND HAMMER TEST (Schmidt Hammer)

LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General

Rebound hammer test by Akhsay R Manohar MTech-Construction Technology CIVIL

ENGINEERING DEPT. NMAMIT-NITTE. The rebound hammer test is one of the non-
destructive tests used to check the compressive strength of concrete. An empirical
relationship has been determined between the the absorbed by the concrete when given a high
impact and its compressive strength. 

A series of related M Sc theses of the Tribhuvan University, Institute of Engineering,

other national and international journals as well as books have been studied. Out of these,
some of the significant works are mentioned below: Aydin and Saribiyik have attempted
to establish the relationship between rebound numbers (N) and crushing strengths of cubes
and core samples from elements of structures. The data plotted were compared by doing
linear regression. It has been found that the variations in correlation were higher for older
(than ninety days) concrete. Pattanaika suggested at least two independent methods of
different equipment of NDT should be used to determine the compressive strength of
concrete. By using correlation curves, he obtained a correction factor that can be used for
quick assessment of quality of the concrete by rebound hammer. He also established
correlation between each pair of NDT instruments for assessment of compressive strength of
concrete at necessary location which would be necessary for structural health monitoring.
CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the objectives of this experiment which to estimate strength of concrete

in structures are achieved. This experiment shows that different concrete has different
strength. This is caused by the use of different ratio of material, and different grade of
cement. Besides The rebound hammer method is suitable only for close texture concrete
Open texture concrete typical of masonry blocks, honeycombed concrete or no-fines concrete
are unsuitable for this test.  The rebound value can be measured discretionary, whereas the
number of crushed specimens is limited. The combination of both methods is the best and
most reliable procedure to determine the compressive strength of concrete structures.

.
COMPRESSIVE STRENGHT
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General

Ait-Mokhtar et al. (2013) [44] experimentally investigated the variability in durability

properties of concrete. The study was aimed to quantify the 17 in properties of concrete for
predicting the service life of concrete structures by performance based probabilistic approach.
The experimental study included testing of 40 sets of concrete specimens from two different
construction sites for compressive strength and different durability properties.

Department of Civil Technology Written By: Ahmed Zakaria 1 Summer Office Training
Report 2015 AHMED ZAKARIA BS CIVIL TECHNOLOGY. Concrete mix Design
Concrete mix design may be defined as the art of selecting suitable ingredients of concrete
and determining their relative proportions with the object of producing concrete of certain
minimum strength & durability as economically as possible. Similarly, the common method
of expressing the proportions of ingredients of a concrete mix is in the terms of parts or ratios
of cement, fine and coarse aggregates. 

Based on article that written by Noorwirdawati Ali (2017), compressive strength test
was conducted based on BS EN 772-1:2011. The surface of the machine is cleaned from
any kinds of dusts and dirt that can affect the test results. Specimens are sorted out in a
uniform placement for uniform results to be obtained. Calculation of the compressive
strength is done by dividing the maximum strength obtained with the area of which loads
are forced to, and rounded off to the nearest 0.1 N/mm2. Her research on the test contain
HDPE but in our experiment did not contain HDPE. We use the same concept like she
use because accordance to the same British Standard.
8.0 CONCLUSION

To conclude, all parameters remaining identical, concrete compression strength will be higher
for concrete made using fine aggregates having lesser finer fines, aggregates having
maximum aggregate size, aggregates having rounded shape and aggregates having less
porosity or having density. From the test we can learn that each of bricks has their own
maximum carry load. Not all the bricks in a same type has a same maximum carry load.
Bricks will crack if load applied on it over than it maximum load or failure load. If the brick
crack means that the brick already accept it maximum load
SLUMP TEST
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General

Soran University Faculty of Engineering - Civil Engineering Department SLUMP TEST

Student: Sarchia Khursheed Experiment NO: 2 Date: 06.04.2016 Supervisor: Arianfar Haji
The concrete slump test is used to determine of concrete's workability, or fluidity and Also
indirectly to determine of concrete consistency or stiffness. Introduction The concrete slump
test is used for the measurement of a property of fresh concrete. The test is an empirical test
that measures the workability of fresh concrete. More specifically, it measures consistency
between batches.. The slump test is a practical means of measuring the workability. 

Ruwan Rajapakse, in Construction Engineering Design Calculations and Rules of Thumb,

2017 slump test is performed for the analysis of flow behavior of cement to check the
workability, according to Standard ASTM: C-143. In the freshly prepared cement paste,
small particles interact via colloidal forces, such as Van-der Waals, electrostatic repulsion,
steric hindrance, and hydrogen bonding, and some bigger particles interact via direct contact
like friction or collisions.

Concrete Slump Test Jesse Russell, Ronald Cohn, Book on Demand, 2012 - 98 pages. The
concrete slump test is used for the measurement of a property of fresh concrete.

8.0 CONCLUSION

Slump test is perhaps the most ideal approaches to quantify the consistency of new cement
previously it very well may be performed to check the usefulness of new concrete. The droop
solid takes 3 shapes (valid, shear, breakdown). We should repeat the testing, if breakdown or
shear results acquired, since it shows that the combination of new concrete is excessively wet
or having a high functionality blend. The workability of concrete is relying upon the extent of
fixings blend and can be constrained by adding water
VICAT TEST
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General

The manufactured of OPC must be achieved the quality requirements specification of

Malaysian Standard MS 522: Part 1: 1989, which likely based on British Standard BS 12.
However, in European Union standard use the specify test for the cement to control their
quality such as blame method to test the fineness, vicat method to test their setting time,
mortar cube to test the strength and Le'Chatelier method to test their soundness.

Cement and Concrete Research Volume 14, Issue 6, September 1984, Pages 884-886
In quick-setting cements, setting may occur, wholly or partly, within the four minutes of the
specified mixing time. The resulting structure, however, is broken by the mixing operation
and the cements exhibit a normal, or near normal, setting. Hence, the use of the Vicat test (BS
4550: Part 3) for determining setting times of quick setting cements is not always adequate
and may give misleading results.

Based on article that written by Sofiane Amziane Université Clermont Auvergne -The Vicat
test is a standard test for measuring the setting times of cement paste and mortar. The
physical background of the test is based on the resistance of a paste to dynamic penetration
by a rod with a certain weight and shape (shear strain). The information obtained (initial and
final set time) is very useful to compare cement setting properties

8.0 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this experiment meant to determine the amount of water required for normal
consistency according to a specific procedure. To find out the percentage of amount of water
at which the standard consistency is achieved.
SEIVE ANALYSIS
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General
SIEVING ELECCION, NICELY JANE R. Department of Chemical Engineering College
of Engineering and Architecture Cebu Institute of Technology – University N. Bacalso Ave,
Cebu City 6000 Sieve analysis is used to obtain the particle size distribution of a solid
material by determining the amount of powder retained on a series of sieves with different
sized apertures. This experiment aims to perform the differential and cumulative analysis of a
given sample and to determine the particle population, and average particle size of a sample
by the case of a screen analysis.

Engr. Jennifer M. Fernandez March 13, 2018 In sieve analysis, the particulate material
is divided into size fractions and the weight of these fractions are determined. In this way
analysis on a relatively broad particle size spectrum is quick and reliable. During sieving the
sample is subjected to horizontal or vertical movement in accordance with the chosen
method. This causes a relative movement between the particles and the sieve; depending on
their size, the individual particles either pass through the sieve mesh or are retained on the
sieve surface.

Test Sieving Methods: Guidelines for Establishing Sieve Analysis Procedures; 5th Edition
by Trent Smith sieve analysis helps to determine the particle size distribution of the coarse
and fine aggregates. In this we use different sieves as standardized by the IS code and then
pass aggregates through them and thus collect different sized particles left over different
sieves.

8.0 CONCLUSION

We conclude that sieve analysis is the simple and helps to determine the particle size
distribution of the coarse and fine aggregates. Based on the experiment, sieving process is
one of the method to determine the size of particles.  The distribution of particles size are able
to be analysed after conducting this experiment especially in achieving optimum production
of efficacious medicines in pharmaceutical phase.
PART 2 (LAB 2)

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF BRICKS

LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General
Mckenzie [2001] reviewed that the compressive strength of bricks is dependent on numerous
factors such as the mortar strength, unit strength, relative values of unit and mortar strength,
aspect ratio of the units (ratio of height to least horizontal dimension), orientation of the units
in relation to the direction of the applied load and the bed-joint thickness. The listed factors
give an indication of the complexity of making an accurate assessment of the masonry
strength

The compressive strength of bricks is most important with respect to the other mechanical
properties of bricks. It is directly linked to the strength of wall and serves as 15 a common
index to the brick characteristics. A significant amount of previous research on brick-wall
strength suggests that stronger bricks provide higher brick-wall strength (Hendry, 1990;
Lenczer, 1972; Sahlin, 1971).

Maisarah [2004] found that variation in mortar designations would also influence the
compressive strength of brickwork. High strength mortar was discovered to be insignificant
in improving brickwork prisms strength if low strength masonry units were used during the
construction of brickwork and vice versa. Masonry unit with lower strength will fail before
the mortar.

By B.Gigla Book Brick and Block Masonry - From Historical to Sustainable Masonry
The compressive strength of brickwork depends on the compressive strength of the
bricks, the compressive strength of the hardened mortar and on the bond strength
between mortar and units. In the case of existing masonry, the compressive strength of the
mortar and the bond strength of the joints are difficult to obtain
8.0 CONCLUSION

The main conclusion of this experiment are compressive strength test on bricks are carried
out to determine the load carrying capacity of bricks under compression with the help of
compression testing machine. This study technically demonstrates the feasibility of
producing peat added bricks. Thus, it is important to know the compressive strength of bricks
to check for its suitability for construction.
WATER ABSORBTION
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General

Rushad et al. (2010) [12] investigated the properties such as water absorption and
compressive strength of bricks made from fly ash, lime and local soil in different proportions.
Hand moulded and pressure moulded fly ash bricks were used for experiments. It was found
that bricks with fly ash and lime in the ratio 40:60 satisfied the requirements of Indian
standard IS 3495:1992 with regard to both water absorption and compressive strength.

Water absorption behaviour of masonry unit is an important factor affecting the fresh mortar,
and consequently the properties of mortar joint and masonry strength. Water suction in
masonry units represents a restrained water movement affected by capillary forces, chemical
binding forces and physical absorption force [Taha, El-Dieb and Shrive, 2001].

Apart from that, based on article by Lawrence and Cao [1988] explained the existence of an
optimum range of water absorption by the fact that low absorption will not allow enough
hydration products to migrate towards the unit surface to create bond. In contrary, high
absorption will remove too much water from the mortar and thus reduce the degree of
hydration of the mortar and the amount of hydration products deposited in the pores of the
unit. Shrinkage cracks may also be induced in the mortar weakening the masonry /mortar
interface.

Water Transport in Brick, Stone and Concrete books by Christopher Hall, William D. Hoff
-Water Transport in Brick, Stone and Concrete brings together in a unified manner current
information and guidance on a complex subject. Durability of much of the built infrastructure
depends on how water reacts with the construction material concerned, yet the underlying
science of deterioration processes is not yet well understood.
8.0 CONCLUSION

Generally, Water absorption test on bricks are conducted to determine durability property of
bricks such as degree of burning, quality and behaviour of bricks in weathering. The lesser
water a brick absorbs, the better its performance is expected to be. It can be concluded that
total water absorption is a valuable indicator of a brick’s quality, as it can be used to estimate
the volume of pore voids. The conclusion here is that percentage of peat content in peat
added bricks is an effective way to control the total water absorption.
DENSITY
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 General

The bricks density influences the weight of walls and variations in weight have
implications on the structural, thermal design and acoustical properties of the wall. Raw
materials of brick and manufacturing process govern the density of bricks. Construction
industry favours using a low-density bricks (lightweight brick) due to their benefits such as,
lower structural dead-load, easy to handle, lower transportation costs, better thermal
insulation and increase the percentage of brick production per unit of raw material (Raut et
al., 2011; Wu and Sun, 2007).

According to Kadir et al. (2010) lower density bricks can replace conventional bricks
except when greater strength is needed. Adam and Agib (2001) present density value of some
common masonry wall materials that summarized

American Journal of Civil Engineering Volume 8, Issue 3, May 2020, Pages: 64-76
Deformation, bulk density, water absorption capacity, and compressive strengths of sampled
bricks were observed and then compared with standard code values as well as with previous
findings. The study showed that none of the brick samples was found within the standard
benchmarks, and the bulk density was low, however, the water absorption capacity and
compressive strength values of all the sampled bricks were found to be within the allowable
limit, even though they were close to the lower bound. 

8.0 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, density of a brick was depending on clay composition. It was found that the
density decreased with the increasing peat content. Moreover, the density was found to
decrease with the decreasing curing periods. It also can be concluded that decrease in density
can result in decrease compressive strength. However, very high densities could result in
flaws during brick laying and transportation.