KEC International Limited

Sampling, Handling, Curing & Testing of Concrete Cubes

Power T & D Civil Railways Oil & Gas Pipelines Solar Cables
Sampling Equipment

S.No Description Requirements

1. CUBE MOULD
✓ The cube moulds of required
size (150 mm x150 mm x 150
mm) shall be used for sampling
of concrete.
✓ Cube moulds shall be provided
with a base plate and they shall
be as per IS:10086-1982.
The dimensions, 1 Distance between opposite faces, mm 150 ± 0.2
tolerance and
2 Height of mould, mm 150 ± 0.2
materials of cube
moulds shall be as 3 Thickness of wall plate, mm 8
given in table : 4 90 ± 0.5 0
Angle between adjacent interior faces and between
interior faces and top and bottom plates of mould.
5 Length of base plate, mm 280
6 Width of base plate, mm 215
7 Thickness of base plate, mm 8

✓ The cube moulds should be 8 Permissible variation in the planeness of interior 0.03
numbered as 1,2,3 ………. and so faces: 0.05
on for identification. for new moulds, mm
for moulds in use, mm
9 Permissible variation in the planeness of base 0.03
✓ The dimension of the cube
moulds should be checked at plate, mm
regular intervals and recorded 10 Materials Cast iron
in the calibration register. a) Side plate Cast iron
b) Base plate
Sampling Equipment

2.TAMPING ROD 3. SCOOP 4. “GHAMELA” or WHEEL

BARROW, TROWELS/STRAIGHT
✓ As per IS: 10086-1982, the ✓ Sampling scoop should be of EDGE
tamping rod shall be 16±0.5 adequate size.
mm dia and 600±2 mm long.
✓ With a rounded working end
and shall be made of mild
steel.
Sampling Process

✓ The bolts of the moulds should be adequately tightened. Inner surface shall be Clean and thin layer of oil
should be applied.

✓ The Cube moulds should be kept on a levelled surface.

✓ Take the fresh concrete from the same batch in Wheel Barrow with scoop of directly from mixture
machine. Mix the concrete thoroughly with scoop & trowel.

✓ Fill the concrete in the moulds in layers approximately 50 mm thick.

✓ Compact each layer with not less than 35 strokes per layer using the tamping rod.

✓ Level the top surface and smoothen it with a trowel / straight edge.

✓ Cover the casted cubes with hessian/tarpaulin /kept moist and left undisturbed for 24 hours.

✓ After this period the specimens should be marked and removed from the moulds, Care should be taken
while demoulding for any damages. The surface finishing should be checked.
 Sampling Process- Precautions/Checks

Check the condition of cube Moulds at regular intervals, If not

Improper tightening of Bolts
meeting the dimensional requirement should not be used in the
work.

Cleaning not
done properly Dimension
variation in
moulds due to
use of bending
wire in place of
bolt.

Binding wire used

instead of bolts
Gap in moulds
lead to
dimension
variation of
cube.
Sampling Process- Precautions/Checks

Cubes may not possess desired strength if, cubes are not
No Tamping leading to voids and air
placed on leveled surface bubbles in casted cubes

Cracks in cubes,
honeycombs and broken
edges
Handling and Transportation of Cubes

Cube curing tank at Site

✓ The demoulded cubes for first 3 days shall be kept at location ensuring curing at
location only. Ensuring that the temperature of 27±2 Degree Celsius is maintained
at all times.

✓ Only after 3 days the demoulded cubes should be shifted to the curing tank with
at-most care and use of cube casings to be done for shifting in vehicle.

✓ There should not be any damage of the edges and corners of cubes While De- Cube Casing for Transportation

moulding.

✓ If there is high temperature at Site, at it will take few hours to transport the cubes
from site location to curing tank then in that case cubes should be protected by
putting wet hessian cloth during transportation.
Cube Curing- Process

✓ The test specimens are stored in clear fresh water until taken out
prior to test.

✓ The water for curing should be tested every 7 days and the
temperature of water must be at 27+/-2 Degree Celsius. Adequate
measures for maintaining the water temperature shall be taken in
winter season.

✓ The curing tang should be covered with tarpaulin / GI Sheet.

✓ Cubes should be fully submerged & minimum 25 mm water should

remain above cubes throughout 28 days and till testing carried out.
 Cube Curing- Precautions/Checks

Such type of conditions should strictly avoided. Improper handling of cubes, Such type of conditions should strictly avoided.
Curing tank is not covered with roof on top. Cubes not handled properly at site No curing tank available
Not placed in tank within 24 hours Cubes not fully submerged
Not kept under shade/ hessian cloth at site Water not cleaned

Curing tank water is not clean.

Cube Testing- Process

✓ Remove the specimen from water after specified curing time and wipe out
excess water from the surface.

✓ Clean the bearing surface of the testing machine.

✓ Place the specimen in the machine in such a manner that the load shall be
applied to the opposite sides of the cube cast.

✓ Align the specimen centrally on the base plate of the machine.

✓ Rotate the movable portion gently by hand so that it touches the top
surface of the specimen.

✓ Apply the load gradually without shock and continuously at the rate of 140
kg/cm2/minute till the specimen fails.

✓ Record the maximum load (L) and note any unusual features in the type of
failure.
Calculation and Acceptance

✓ Minimum three specimens should be tested at each selected age. If strength of any specimen varies by
more than 15 percent of average strength, results of such specimen should be rejected.

✓ Average of three specimens gives the compressive strength of concrete.

✓ The strength requirements of concrete as per as per Clients Technical Specifications / IS 456.

Calculations of Compressive Strength:

✓ Size of the cube =15cmx15cmx15cm

✓ Area of the specimen “A” (calculated from the mean size of the specimen) =225 cm2

✓ Compressive strength=(L/A) N/mm2

 THANK YOU

Global Footprint in
100 countries*

*Includes EPC and Supply

Follow us on: Registered Office

RPG House, 463, Dr. Annie Besant Road, Worli, Mumbai - 400 030.
Phone: +91-22-6667 0200 Email: kecindia@kecrpg.com
www.kecrpg.com