CUBE PREPARATION FOR COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TEST

INTRODUCTION

OBJECTIVES

To attain the minimum tamping effort/ compaction effort that will bring a satisfactory strength of
the concrete that can be used for construction of strip footing.

The required strength of the cube for our construction work should not be less than 20MPa

SKILLS AND MANPOWER

MATERIALS USED AND SOURCE

Cement 42.5N
Sand of low plasticity Index
Aggregates
Water

TOOLS AND MACHINE USED

 Tamping rod
For compacting the concrete mixture in the mould
 Steel cube moulds 15cm3
Is the mould that provide the shape to the concrete
 Spade
For pouring concrete in the cube and carrying concrete from the mixing area

PROCEDURES

 Batching
The materials where batched by volume on which the buckets used as the standard for
measuring. The ratio used was similar to that used in strip footing.
 Mixing
All mixing activities were done in the mixing plant located at the site.
 Moulding
The mould used was dimensioned by (15cm x 15cm x 15cm).
 Compaction/Tamping
The compaction took place in layer, the tamping rod were used. Each sample were
compacted with different number of strokes.
 Curing
The type of curing of concrete cubes was ponding (fully immersed) in the watertight pit.
The curing days were 7 days.
  Test
The test done soon after removing the cubes from the water and the selection of the test
samples were done by picking only 3 samples.

INFLUENCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION

No environmental condition affected the cube preparation.

SAFETY AND PRECAUTIONS

The first aid kit full of first aid medicines were available at the site at any time for example
painkillers, antisepses, burn care creams, cotton gausses, bandages spirits iodine etc, plus every
person working at the site (technicians, craftsman, trainees) wore safety equipments for example
safety boots, reflectors and hard helmet

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION