D. TESTS ON CONCRETE7 i 22 23 METHOD D1 ‘THE MAKING, CURING AND COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH DETERMINATION OF CONCRETE TEST CUBES SCOPE This method describes the making. curing and testing of concrete test cubes for comt= pressive strength, APPARATUS ‘Steei oF cast ten cubical moulds, strong enough to resist distortion, with the follow- ing internal measurements, Max. nominal Distance ‘aggregate between faces size (ram) {mmm 199 180 375 180er300, 75.0 300 When assembled, the cimensions and in- ternal faces of the mould should be within the following tis: ‘The height and cistance between coposte faces: * 0,15 mm of the eppropriate size, The angle between the top and bottom planes and internal faces and between any ‘hwo aejacent intemal faces: 80 + 0.05° (see 8.3). The imernal faces should be plane to within 9,08 mm, Each mould should be ftted with a ighteite ting metal base plate, attached fo the mould by screws, ‘The mould should be s0 constructed that 's possible to remove the moulded sec: ‘mens without damage. All parts should, then assembles. be rigidly hele together, incuding during the fling ana hancing procecures: A stee! tamping bar, 400 = S mm long with ‘a mass of 1.8 0,1 kg, and having a 25 2 {mm squere ramming face. A compression testing machine complying with te requirements for Grade A ma- chines of 85 1510, with sulfciem capacity to measure the strength of the concrete specified anc able to maintain a rate of ‘Sansa Tee Menede Ti, Pons Soom tren. 24 28 28 32 228 922 Soading of 15 MPa/min. The machine ‘should have bearing plates as deserived in the relevant section of 8S 1881 and be dimensionally stable and rigid under toll led. ‘A balance to weigh up to 10 kg, accurate to 10s. A cementer’s square, 209mm long and marked in mm, Mixing trowels, basins, etc. for handemixing ‘and batching of the concrete, o: 2 smi laboratory mixer. METHOD Batching Airdry the aggregate te be used and bring into a temperature of 22 ta 25°C. Mix the ‘cement thoroughly and bring It 10 a tem perature of 22 t¢ 28°C. Proportion the materials by mess to the Nearest 0.5 per cent or by volume using calibrated containers ‘n such @ manner as to avoid ary loss of water or materiel by Using fone of the folowing praceduras. Machine mixing. (This methed is prefered) IWthe mixer is loaded by skip, introduce al the mixing water into the drum before ade ing any of the Solid materials. Load the skio vwitt: about one half of the coarse aagre- gate, then with the fine aggragate, then with the cement anc finally with the cemain- er of the coarse aggregate, It the drum is hand-loaces ar if the mixer is cf the pan tyne, fitted with @ discharge gate, charge it with the solid materials ia the feverse order to that given sbove anc ‘add water slowly, starting as soon as the deum pan starts to rota. Continue mixing until the conerete is uni- form in appearance but for not less than ‘wo minutes afterall the materials are ic the un, Hencemixing. Mix each batch ot concrete 205Method D1 3a 384 332 34 3A 342 208 ‘on a watertight non-absorbert platform, praceading as follows: (a) Mix the dry cement and fine aggregate Until the mbcure is thoroughly blended ‘and uniform in colour. 8) Add the coarse aggregate and mix thoroughly uni is Ueiformly cistib- ted in the micure of cement and fine aggregate. (©) Ade the water stowiy and mix the en ‘re batch unt t appears to be homno- geneous and of uniform consistency. Moulding Preparation and filing of mouic. Prepare thie mould by clearing. ign cling end as- semBing tt and clamping # onto the oled bate pate. Ensuce that al nuts are securely figntened and that the inside faces are square. Fil each of three moulds rom a composite sample of concrete sampled according to SARS Method ACT, or with the concrete ‘rixed in te labora, fh layers of approx ‘mataly 50 ram deen, in such a way 28 10 provide full compacton of the concrete without segregation or excessive faitance. Compaction. Compact each layer as fol- tows: Using the tamper, distribute the strokes Uniformly, over the cross-section of the ‘mould. The number of strokes requiree per {ayer wl vary withthe type of concrate but nat tess than one stroke for every 600 mm* of area of the ayer should be given. (This means 38 well-distibuted strokes per layer fora #80 mm square mould see 5.1)) curing Laboratory-made specimens. Cover the test cubes (ia the moulds) wit an imper= vious sheet and store ther in a place tree from vibrations, in an atmosphere with relative humichty of atleast 90 per cent at a temperature of 22 to 25°C for 24 hours = ‘30 min ater the addition of the water to the ‘ry ingredients. Aer this intial curing period, mark each cube so that it can be easily identiied ana then remove it carefuly from the mould. Submerge the cubes immadiately in clean feesh water at a temperature of 22 to 25 °C. Renew the water every seven days but en- sure that the cubes do not become dry ‘curing this operation. Site or field-made specimens. Cover the test cubes (in the moulds) with impervious sheeting followed by wet hession or siilar 35 begs and store them in a place free ftom vibration, excessive draughts and direct sunlight for 24 hours = 30 min offer the time of the edtdtion of the water to the ory ingredients ‘ter this intial curing period, mask each ube so that it can be easily identified and take them to the testing laboratory in their moult. ‘The cubes should be handled with care during this transit period (see 5.2), 1 the cubes have to be Kept for a pro longed period on the site, remove them from their moulds after marking them, and keep them immersed in water at 22 to 25°C untl they are transferred to the lab oratory for testing. Ensure that loss of moisture is prevented during transportation and that, if the rrouids have been removed, the cubes are wall protected against damage, On arival at the testing laboratory, the moulds are carefully removed and the cubes cured asin 3.4.1 ‘Compression strength testing Test each specimen immediately after re- moval from the water and while sill wet. Wipe off surface water, git and projecting fine and determine the dimensions to the nearest 1 mm and mass to the nearest 10 g ‘before testing, Use a carpenter's square to ‘ensure that all sides are square to within 80 205" (so 8.9). Giean the beering platens of the testing ‘machine and position the specimen in the ‘machine so tat the load Is applied to op- posite side faces of the specimen as cast (Ge. not to the top and bottom). No packing should be used. Align the axis of the cube with the centre of thrust of the sphercally- seated platen and, as this platen is brought to bear on the specimen, rotate the platen gently by hand so that tniform seating is obtained. ‘poly the compression load without shock and increase 4 continuously at a uniform rate of approximately 15 MPa/min unt the specimen fails (se 5.4) Record the maximum load applied a§ well ‘as the appearance of the specimen and ‘any unusual feature in the ype of failure. CALCULATIONS Calculate the compressive strength of each specimen by dividing the maximum load applied during the test by the cross-sec- _StancrdTet Mato ‘nav Pears, Suns 886f U t {ional area of the specimen, and express it in MPa to the nearest 0,5 MPa (see 5.9). Calculate the average of the three results ‘as the compressive strength of the test ‘sample. Ifthe dlfference between the high= fest and lowest results exceeds 15 per cent of the average, the test should be regarded. ‘as invalid and the resuits discardec. Report the average of the three results to- gether with the following: date of test: ageof cubes; and ‘any unusual appearence of the concrete, ‘ype of fracture or curing conditions. NOTES 1t mechanical compaction is specified or referee it may be done by mears of an Bectrc or pneumatic vibration rod or, pret- erably, a sutable vibrating table. The table Should havea frequency cf more than 3.600 vibrations per minute and provision Should be made fer clamping the mous to ‘Stondd Test Mebeds ‘TM, Preto, Sou Aton BEE 52 53 34 5s Method D1 te tbl. an eto were use. he Caaf eS trustee Saperetidcf te Gee ee En inoue sal tee ons Fine mould when me Skee ae Sonat tom Spies mente Si Beco epertccones sncete A proven way of sarspering cubes at fee therm o's eam poses teat of Rr doe ti a ws back st vce of an te coe he ah ae ioe! Thc teens conanes a spac of rat move than ato of aes ror at esa Rtpumin means a load of 3378 ‘iv ors 10 rn oe ene The oarsnetane! ae of 8150 Ss Specs 0.008 REFERENCES ‘SABS Method 851 ‘SABS Methad 863 8S 1610 8S 1881 207