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Casting and Curing Concrete

Specimens in Field Based on ASTM
C31
Home/ How To Guide/ Work Procedures/ Concrete Work Procedure

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Casting and curing of concrete cylinder and beam specimens from representative
samples of fresh concrete is crucial in building constructions.

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This is because the results of the tests conducted on these specimens are employed for
many significant purposes. For instance, acceptance of designated concrete strength,
examine adequacy of mix proportions for strength, and quality control.

Moreover, the values of these specimen tests are also employed for specifying
capacity of the structure to be put into service, check the adequacy of curing and
protection of concrete structure, and form removal time requirements.

Lastly, the concrete used to make the molded specimens shall be sampled after all on-
site adjustments have been made to the mixture proportions.

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Contents: [show]

Apparatus

1. Cylinder Molds

2. Beam Molds

3. Tamping Rod for which requirements are presented in Table 1.

4. Vibrators

5. Mallet

6. Placement Tools

7. Finishing Tools

8. Slump Apparatus

9. Air Content Apparatus

10. Temperature Measuring Devices

Table 1 Tamping Rod Diameter Requirements

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Diameter of Diameter or
Cylinder or Width Rod, mm
 of Beam, mm

<150 10 ± 2

$150 16 ± 2

Fig. 1: Cylinder and Beam Molds

Testing Requirements
Table 2 Minimum Cross-Sectional Dimension of Beams

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Nominal
Minimum Cross-
Maximum
Sectional
Aggregate Size,
Dimension, mm
mm

Equal or smaller
100 by 100
than 25

Greater than 25
but smaller than 150 by 150
50

Slump
Measure and record the slump of each batch ofconcrete

Air Content
Determine and record the air content

Molding Specimens

 The molds should be placed on level, rigid surface, free of vibration and other
disturbances.

 Determine the number of layers for concrete placement for specimens based on Table 3
and Table 4.

 Placing the concrete in the mold, move the scoop around the perimeter of the mold
opening to ensure an even distribution of the concrete with minimal segregation.

 Select method of specimen consolidation based on Table 3.

 If the method of consolidation is rodding, determine molding requirements from Table 4.

 If the method of consolidation is vibration, determine molding requirements from Table

5.

 Each layer of concrete shall be consolidated as required.

 For beam consolidation using vibrations, insert the vibrator at intervals not exceeding 150
mm along the center line of the long dimension of the specimen.

 For specimens wider than 150 mm, use alternating insertions along two lines.

 Usually sufficient vibration has been applied as soon as the surface of the concrete has
become relatively smooth and large air bubbles cease to break through the top surface.

 Allow the rod or vibrator to penetrate through the layer being rodded and into the layer
below approximately 25 mm

 After each layer is rodded or vibrated, tap the outsides of the mold lightly 10 to15 times
with the mallet to close any holes left by rodding or vibrating and to release any large air
bubbles that may have been trapped.

 In placing the final layer, add an amount of concrete that will fill the mold after
consolidation, avoid overfilling by more than 6 mm.
 Fig. 2: Casting
Cylinder and Beam Specimens in Field

Table 3 Method of Consolidation Requirements

Slump, mm Method of Consolidation

Equal or greater than 25 rodding or vibration

Smaller than 25 Vibration

Table 4 Molding Requirements by Rodding

Number of Layers of
Specimen Type and Number of Roddings per
Approximately Equal
Size Layer
Depth

Diameter of
Cylinder specimens,    
mm

100 2 25

150 3 25

225 4 50
 Width of beam
   
specimens

One rodding for for each 14

100 to 200 2 cm^2 of the top surface area of
the beam.  

One rodding for for each 14

3 or more equal depths, each
Greater than 200 cm^2 of the top surface area of
not to exceed 150 mm
the beam.  

Table 5 Molding Requirements by Vibration

Specimen Type and Number of Number of vibrator Approximate Depth

Size Layers insertions per Layer of Layer, mm

Diameter of Cylinder
     
specimens, mm

one-half depth of
100 2 1
specimen

one-half depth of
150 2 2
specimen

one-half depth of
225 2 4
specimen

Width of beam
     
specimens

Use rodding or
100 to 200 1 depth of specimen
vibration

Use rodding or 200 as near as

Greater than 200 2 or more  
vibration practicable

Finishing and Marking

 Finish specimen surface and prevent depressions or projections larger than 3.3 mm.

 Strike specimen surface off with the tamping rod or with a handheld float or trowel.

 Mark the specimens to identify them and the concrete they represent.

Initial Curing
 1. After finishing, specimens should be stored for up to 48hours in a temperature range of 16
to 27°C or 20 and 26°C for specified concrete strength of 40MPa or higher,

2. Specimens should be protected from direct sun light, radiant heating devices to prevent
the loss of moisture. Heating and cooling machineries may be used for this purpose.

Final Curing
Standard Curing

 Standard curing is used when the specimens are employed for several purposes such as
acceptance testing for specified strength, checking adequacy of mixture proportions for
strength, and quality control.

 Cylinder and beam specimens need to be moved into water storage tanks to cure them
with free water within 30 min after removing the moulds.

 Drying of the surfaces of the beam specimens shall be prevented between removal from
water storage and completion of testing otherwise surface drying of flexural specimens
can induce tensile stresses in the extreme fibers that reduce the indicated flexural strength.

 Standard curing temperature is not required provided that free moisture is maintained on
the cylinders and ambient temperature is between 20 and 30°C.

Fig. 3:Curing of Concrete

Specimens

Field Curing
  Field curing is used if the specimens are used for determination of whether a structure is
capable of being put in service, comparison with test results of standard cured specimens,
adequacy of curing and protection of concrete in the structure, and form or shoring
removal time requirements.

 Place the concrete specimens in or on the structure as near to the point of deposit of the
concrete represented as possible.

 Protect all surfaces of the specimens from the elements in as near as possible the same
way as the formed work.

 Provide the concrete specimens with the same temperature and moisture environment as
the structural work.

 At the end of the curing period, leave the specimens in place exposed to the weather in
the same manner as the structure.

 Ensure the same moisture on all specimens before testing by submerging them in water
for twenty-four hours.

Fig. 5: Field Curing of Concrete

Specimens

Report
The following data should be provided to the lab where the specimens are tested:

 Identification number

 Location of concrete represented by the samples,

 Date, time and name of individual molding specimens,

 Slump, air content, and concrete temperature, test results and results of any other tests on
the fresh concrete.

 Curing method

 For standard curing method, report the initial curing method with maximum and
minimum temperatures and final curing method.

 For field curing method, report the location where stored, manner of protection from the
elements, temperature

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 Madeh Izat Hamakareem
EDITOR

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