Experiment No.: 06 Date: ..../..../…...

FLEXURAL TEST ON CONCRETE

Aim:
To determine the modulus of rupture of a given concrete by transverse bending test.
Apparatus:
Universal testing machine, Specimen mould, tamping bar weighing 2 kg, 400mm long and
having a ramming face of 25mm square

Specimen:
Cement concrete beams of standard size prepared from the given cement, clean fine and
coarse aggregates and water. If the maximum size of the aggregate is less than 20mm, beams of
size 100mm x 100mm x500mm shall be used. If the size of the aggregate is between 20mm and
38mm beams of size 150mm x150mm x 700mm shall be used. If the size of the aggregate exceed
38mm, beams of size having cross sections 4 times the maximum size of the aggregate and length
4 times the cross sectional dimension + 100mm shall be used.

Cement: Make ---------- Brand------------ Date of manufacture-------------------------

Reference Code: IS: 516-1959.

Theory & Significance:

Concrete is very weak in tension. Direct measurement of tensile strength of concrete is difficult
because no apparatus ensures uniform distribution of pull applied to the concrete. So indirect
method of flexural test is adopted to predict tensile properties of concrete, by Bernoulii-Euler
equation,

M fb E
―― = ―― = ――
I Y R

fb = M
―― Y
I
I = bd3/12 Y= d/2

M is taken as
P
— x a if 110 mm< a<133 mm for 100 mm specimen and
2
170 mm <a<200 mm for 150 mm specimen.
M is taken as

P L
— x — if a > 133 mm for 10 0 mm specimen and
2 2
a > 200 mm for 150 mm specimen.

If ‘a’ is less than 11.0 cm, the results of the test are discarded.

The flexural strength of the specimen is expressed as the modulus of rupture fb

3p x a
fb = ——— if ‘a’ is between 110 mm and 133 mm for 100mm specimen or
bd 2 if ‘a’ is between 170 mm and 200 mm for 150mm specimen

PL
fb = ——— if ‘a’ is greater than 133 mm for 100 mm specimen or
bd 2 if ‘a’ is greater than 200 mm for 150 mm specimen

a = the distance between the line of fracture and the nearer support, measured on the central line of
the tensile side of the specimen.

b = measured width of the specimen

d = measured depth of the specimen

L = length of the span in which specimen is supported

P = maximum load applied to the specimen

 Procedure:
 A through mix of Concrete (say 1:2:4) is prepared [M15 grade at 27 +3° C]. It is filled in
the standard mould in 3 to 4 layers after oiling the inner surfaces of the mould. Each layer
is tamped well.
 The filled moulds are vibrated on a vibrating bench until all the voids are completely
vanished.
 The moulds are kept in dampness for 24 hours. Cubes are taken out and are submerged in
water at a temperature of 24° C to 30°C for 48 hours, before testing.
 Wet specimen is taken out after 48 hours and the specimen is kept on the 2 roller supports
of 38 mm diameter, the distance between the centers is 40 cm for 10cm specimens.
 The load is applied through two similar rollers mounted at the third points of the supporting
span, i.e., spaced at 13.3 cm center to center as shown in figure. [If provision for two point
loading is not there, then a central point load is applied].
 The rate of loading is kept at 180 kg/min for 100 mm specimen and 400 kg/ min for
150mm specimen.
 The load is to be applied to the uppermost surface as cast in the mould.
 The load is increased until the specimen fails due to bending.
 Average strength of 3 specimens will be taken provided any of the value does not differ by
more than + 15% of the average strength.

Results:

Observations and Calculations:

Identification mark =
Date of test =
Age of specimen =
Size of specimen
Length = ……………… B = ………………….. D = …………………….
Span length =
Maximum load =
Position of fracture, value ‘a’ =
Volume of concrete required for casting V = ----------------------- m3

Wt of cement taken = --------

Wt of fine aggregate taken =---------

Wt of coarse aggregates taken =--------

W/C ratio =
Water added =

Tabulation:

Breadth ‘b’ mm Depth ‘d’ Span Value of ‘a’ Failure load fb = N/mm2
Sl. No. mm Length (Le) mm p
mm
1