BREAK-OFF TEST ON

CONCRETE

-BY
KAVIYA S
(2016233004)
 INTRODUCTION

In-place concrete strength is not the same as the cylinder

concrete strength because the in-place concrete is placed,
compacted and cured in a different manner than the
cylinder specimen concrete.
Determination of accurate in-place strength is critical in
form removal and prestress or post-tension force release
operations.
 Also, fast construction techniques and recent
construction failures emphasize the need for adopting
methods for determining in-place concrete strength.
The Break-Off stress at failure can then be related to the
compressive or flexural strength of the concrete using a
predetermined relationship which relates the concrete
strength to the Break-Off strength for a particular
source of concrete.
 The Break-Off test was developed in Norway by-
Johansen in 1976.
 The B.O. test is still not very widely used in North
America. The primary factor in limiting the widespread
use of this method being the lack of necessary technical
data and experience in North America.
 THEORITICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The B.O. method is based upon breaking off a

cylindrical specimen of in-place concrete.
 The test specimen has a 55 mm (2.17 in.) diameter
and 70 mm (2.76 in.) height.
The test specimen is created in the concrete by
means of a disposable tubular plastic sleeve, which is
cast into the fresh concrete and then removed at the
planned time of testing, or by drilling the hardened
concrete at the time of the B.O. test
The B.0 method is presently the only available test
method for directly determining flexural strength of
in-place concrete; and, there is a linear relationship
between the B.O. flexural strength and modulus of
rupture as determined by a beam test
 TEST EQUIPMENT

The Break-Off tester consists of

a load cell
a manometer, and
 a manual hydraulic pump capable of breaking a
cylindrical concrete specimen
Tubular plastic sleeve
Sleeve remover
Drilling bit(Hardened concrete)
The load cell has two measuring ranges:
 low range setting for low strength concrete up to
approximately 20 Mpa (3,000 psi) and
high range setting for higher strength concrete up to
about 60 Mpa (9,000 psi)
 TEST PROCEDURE

The core is formed by inserting a plastic sleeve into

the fresh concrete( for ease of sleeve insertion
concrete must be workable)

When the in-place strength of the concrete is

estimated the sleeve is removed

Hydraulic loading jack is placed into the

counterbore and a force is applied to the top of the
core until it ruptures from the concrete mass
The hydraulic fluid pressure is monitored with a
pressure gage , and

 the maximum pressure gage reading in units of bars

is referred to as the break off number of the concrete

the load configuration is the same as a cantilever

beam with circular cross section, subjected to a
concentrated load at it's free end.
Failure during the break off test occurs by fracture at
the base of the 55 mm diameter core

The crack initiates at the most highly stressed point

It then propagates through the mortar and in most

cases around CA located at the base of the core
For new construction, the core is formed by inserting
a plastic sleeve into the fresh concrete

For existing construction, a special drill bit can be

used to cut the core and the counterbore
 APPLICATIONS

 This method can be used both for quality control and

quality assurance.
 The most practical use of the B.O. test method is for
determining the time for safe form removal, and
the release time for transferring the force in pre-stressed
or post-tension members.
 The B.O. method can also be used to evaluate existing
structures.
 It has been reported that the B.O. test provides a more
effective way in detecting curing conditions of concrete
than the Pull-out and the standard cylinder tests
 ADVANTAGE

The main advantage of the B.O. test is that it measures

the in-place concrete (flexural) strength.
The equipment is safe and simple; and,
 the test is fast to perform, requiring only one exposed
surface.
The B.O. test does not need to be planned in advance of
placing the concrete because drilled B.O. test specimens
can be obtained.
 The test is reproducible to an acceptable degree of
accuracy and does correlate well with the compressive
strength of concrete.
 DISADVANTAGE

Two limitations for the B.O. test equipment are worth

noting:
(1) the maximum aggregate size; and
(2) the minimum member thickness for which it can be
used.
The maximum aggregate size is 25 mm and the minimum
member thickness is 100 mm (4 inches).
 The major disadvantage of the B.O. test is that the damage
to the concrete member must be repaired if the member is
going to be visible. However, this test is nondestructive
since the tested member need not be discarded.