Mechanical Properties of Hardened Concrete

Compressive Strength of Concrete: (IS 516)

o One of the most important and useful property for the design and
construction of concrete structures.

o Determined from standard cubes and cylinders of size 150mm and

150×300mm (diameter × height) respectively. Compressive strength of
concrete increases as the specimen size decreases.

o In reinforced concrete (RC) structures, the compressive strength of

concrete is the main consideration as compared to its tensile strength.

o Water-cement (w/c) ratio primarily affect the compressive strength of

concrete.

o Higher the w/c ratio in concrete, lower is the compressive strength

(Abrams’ w/c ratio law) it states that “The strength of concrete mix is
inversely proportional to the w/c ratio”.

o Qualitative measure of other properties and no exact relationship with

other properties.
As per IS 516, 1959
o The compressive strength test shall be made at 7 and 28 days curing (Ages
of 13 weeks and one year are recommended if tests at greater ages are
required), (For early age strength, tests may be made at the ages of 24
hours ± ½ hour and 72 hours ± 2 hours).

o The ages shall be calculated from the time of the addition of water to the
dry ingredients. At least three specimens, preferably from different
batches, shall be made for testing at each selected age.

o The concrete specimens shall be tested in saturated surface dry condition

(if dry specimens received then specimens shall be kept in water for 24
hrs).

o In the case of cubes, the specimen shall be placed in the machine in such a
manner that the load shall be applied to opposite sides of the cubes as
cast, that is, not to the top and bottom. The load shall be applied without
shock and increased continuously at a rate of approximately 140 kg/sq
cm/min.

o The measured compressive strength of the specimen shall be calculated

by dividing the maximum load applied to the specimen during the test by
the cross-sectional area.
Tensile Strength of Concrete: (IS 516)
o Little important or ignorable property in the RC members, but plays
important role in the design of concrete pavement slab.

o Develop in concrete due to drying shrinkage, rusting of steel

reinforcement, temperature gradient and in concrete road slab, develop
due to wheel load and volume changes in concrete.

o Direct measurement of tensile strength of concrete is practically difficult.

o Indirect tensile strength of concrete are modulus of rupture or flexural

tensile strength and splitting tensile strength.

o Flexural tensile strength: can be obtained by testing standard size of prism

specimens (100×100×500mm or 150×150×700mm) under third or four point
loading arrangement.
13.3 or 20cm

40 or 60cm 38mm diameter roller

Flexural tensile strength of concrete

o The rate of loading on the specimens is 400 kg/min. For 15cm specimen
and 180 kg/min. For 10cm specimen.

o Casting face should be top or under the load during testing.

o Direct measurement of tensile strength of concrete is practically difficult.

o The modulus of rupture (fb) can be calculated as:

fb = P×l/(b×(d)^2) When a > 20 cm for 15cm specimen and

> 13.3cm for 10cm specimen

fb = 3P×a/(b×(d)^2) When a < 20 cm > 17cm for 15cm specimen and

< 13.3cm > 11cm for 10cm specimen

Where, a = distance between the line of fracture and nearer support; b = width
of specimen in cm; d = depth of specimen in cm; l = length of the span
in cm on which the specimens is supported; P = maximum load in kg

Note: if a < 17cm for 15cm specimen and < 11 cm for 10 cm specimen, the test
results are discarded.
Splitting Tensile Strength of Concrete:
o Also known as Brazilian test (1943) carried out as per IS 5816.

o The cylinder of 15cm diameter and 30cm long is placed horizontally

between the loading surfaces of a compression testing machine and load is
applied along vertical diameter.
P (Axial compressive load)

Cylindrical
Machine platens
Specimen
(150×300mm)

P (Axial compressive load)

o The splitting tensile strength can be calculated as:
fspt = 2P/(πLD)
Where, P = Compressive load on cylinder; L = length of length of cylinder; D =
Diameter of Cylinder
Stress-Strain Relationship of Concrete:

o Stress-strain curve shows the behaviour of concrete under compression,

tension and shear.

o Higher the grade of concrete, steeper is the initial portion of the stress-
strain curve and sharper the peak of the curve and less failure strain.

o For low strength concrete, the curve is relatively flat top and high failure
strain.
Higher grade
Compressive stress (MPa)

Lower grade

Strain (mm/mm)
Stress-Strain Relationship of Concrete:

o The stress-strain relationship of aggregate alone shows a straight line.

o The stress-strain relationship of cement paste alone also shows straight

line but slight bend at peak.

o The stress-strain relationship of concrete is not a straight line but a curve.

 The reason of curve may be due

to development of micro-cracks
Compressive stress (MPa)

Aggregate
at the interface of the aggregate
Concrete and mortar.

 Because of failure of bond at the

interface increase at a faster rate
Cement paste
than applied stress. The stress
strain curve continues to bend
faster than increase of stress.

Strain (mm/mm)
Young’s Modulus of Elasticity of Concrete:

o The static modulus of elasticity or Young’s modulus of elasticity is the

slope of straight part of stress-strain curve and denoted by ‘E’.

o It can be determined by testing cube or cylinder specimen under uniaxial

compression. The ratio of stress to strain within linear elastic range is E.

o The short term modulus of elasticity of concrete (Ec) is used in computing

the instantaneous elastic deflection.
Compressive stress (MPa)

ITM

Initial Tangent Modulus (ITM)

0.4fc’ TM

Ec Tangent Modulus (TM) –

SM
at a specified stress level
Slope

Unloading path Secant Modulus (SM) – at

a specified stress level

Strain (mm/mm)
Young’s Modulus of Elasticity of Concrete:

o ITM: Tangent drawn from origin, if no part of stress-strain curve is straight

– gives better results at low stress level.
o TM: Tangent drawn at any point on the stress-strain curve – gives better
results only for stress level within the vicinity of the considered point.
o SM: Chord drawn between two specific point on the stress-strain curve.
 As per ASTM C469, the static modulus of
elasticity is determined as the slope of the
secant, drawn from the origin to a point
Compressive stress (MPa)

corresponding to 40% of the cylinder

compressive strength of concrete (0.4fc’)
0.4fc’ on the stress-strain curve. where fc’ is the
ultimate cylinder compressive strength of
SM
concrete.
Slope
 The IS 456 gives the empirical expression
for the static modulus of elasticity Ec
(MPa) as Ec = 5000×sqrt (fck)
where fck = characteristic cube
Strain (mm/mm) compressive strength