Fresh Concrete

WORKABILITY The amount of useful internal work necessary to produce full compaction. Useful internal work physical property of concrete alone and is the work or energy required to overcome the internal friction between the individual particles in the concrete.
The ability of a fresh (plastic) concrete mix to fill the form/mold

properly with the desired work (vibration) and without reducing the concrete's quality. Workability depends on water content, aggregate (shape and size distribution), cementitious content and age (level of hydration) and can be modified by adding chemical admixtures, like superplasticizer. Raising the water content or adding chemical admixtures will increase concrete workability. The ease with which the concrete mix can be transported, placed and consolidated. CONSISTENCY
Another term used to describe the state of fresh concrete

The firmness to form a substance or the ease with which it will flow Sometimes taken to mean the degree of wetness; within limits, wet concretes are more workable than dry concretes, but concretes of the same consistence may vary in workability. Because the strength of concrete is adversely and significantly affected by the presence of voids in the compacted mass, it is vital to achieve a maximum possible density. This can be obtained by requiring sufficient workability for virtually full compaction to be possible using a reasonable amount of work under a given conditions

 The presence of voids in concrete reduces the density and greatly reduces the strength: 5% of voids can lower the strength by as much as 30% Voids in hardened concrete are, in fact, either bubbles of entrapped air or spaces left after excess water has been removed. Therefore, for any given method of compaction there may be an optimum/best water content of the mix at which the sum of volumes of air bubbles and of water space will be a minimum, and density will be maximum. Factors affecting workability
1. Water Content by adding water, the inter-particle lubrication

increase. 2. Amount and type of aggregate

The Surface texture of aggregate can be either smooth or rough. A smooth surface can improve workability, yet a rougher surface generates a stronger bond between the paste and the aggregate creating a higher strength. Particle Size When the particles are of uniform size the spacing is the greatest, but when a range of sizes is used the void spaces are filled and the paste requirement is lowered. The more these voids are filled, the less workable the concrete becomes, therefore, a compromise between workability and economy is necessary.

3. Ambient Conditions Temperature higher temperature reduces the workability and increases slump loss. If temperature is high, evaporation increases, thus workability decreases. Wind If wind is moving with greater velocity, the rate of evaporation also increases, thus reducing the amount of water and ultimately reducing workability. 4. Cement Fluidity decreases with fineness increases.

5. Admixture - such as a high-range water-reducing admixture (super-

plasticizer), will increase the strength and provide greatly increased workability with the addition of excessive amounts of water. The admixture does not, however, reduce the quality of the material.

COHESION AND SEGRAGATION SEGREGATION- the separation of the constituents of a heterogeneous mixture so that their distribution is no longer uniform.

CAUSE OF SEGREGATION ON CONCRETE Difference in size of particles Specific gravity of mix constituents 2 FORMS OF SEGREGATION The coarser particles tend to separate out since they travel further along a slope or settle more than finer particles Occurring particularly on wet mixes, is manifested by the separation of grout (cement plus water) from the mix

REDUCING SEGREGATION VIBRATION- use to spread heap concrete over a larger area Provides a most valuable means of compacting concrete but, because a large amount of work is being done on the concrete,

the danger of segregation is increased with improper use of vibrator This happens when vibration is allowed too long; with many mixes separation of coarse aggregate toward the bottom of the form and of the cement paste toward the top may result concrete to be: Weak Laitance (scum) on its surface would be too rich and too wet Crazed surface with a tendency to dusting might result

BLEEDING The water gain. Form of segregation in which some of the water in the mix tends to rise to the surface of freshly placed concrete

As a result of bleeding, the top of every lift (layer of concrete placed) may become too wet If water is trapped by slipper imposed concrete, a porous and weak layer on non-durable concrete will result If bleeding water is remixed during the finishing of top surface, a weak wearing surface will be formed.

TO AVOID BLEEDING Delay the finishing operation until bleeding water has evaporated Use wood floats

 Avoid over-working the surface

PLASTIC SHRINKAGE CRACKING Evaporation of water from the surface of the concrete Is faster than the is bleeding rate

If bleeding is undisturbed ( and the water evaporates ) the

effective water / cement ratio may be lowered with increase in strength

If rising water carries with it a considerable amount of the finer cement particles , a layer of laitance will be formed

RATE OF BLEEDING
LOWER- with a finer cements and is also affected by

certain chemical factors:

High alkali content High content

Added calcium chloride

HIGHER- with higher temperature within the normal range

Rich mixes are less prone to bleeding than lean one

Reduction in bleeding is obtained by the addition of

pozzolans or aluminum

powder

Compacting Factor Test

Although there is generally accepted method of directly measuring workability, the amount of work necessary to achieve full compaction, probably the best test yet available uses the inverse approach. The degree of compaction achieved by a standard amount of work is determined. The work applied includes per force the work done to overcome the surface friction but this is reduced to a minimum, although probably the actual friction varies with the workability of the mix. The degree of compaction, called the compactiing factor, is measured by the density ratio. The density ratio actually achieved in the test to the density of the same concrete fully compacted. This test was known as the compacting fcator. The apparatus consists essentially of two hoppers, each in the shpe of a frustum cone and one cylinder. All inside suface are polished to reduce friction. COMPACTING FACTOR Compacting factor of fresh concrete is done to determine the workability of fresh concrete by compacting factor test as per IS: 1199 1959. The apparatus used is Compacting factor apparatus. Procedure to determine workability of fresh concrete by compacting factor test. i) The sample of concrete is placed in the upper hopper up to the brim. ii) The trap-door is opened so that the concrete falls into the lower hopper. iii) The trap-door of the lower hopper is opened and the concrete is allowed to fall into the cylinder. iv) The excess concrete remaining above the top level of the cylinder is then cut off with the help of plane blades. v) The concrete in the cylinder is weighed. This is known as weight of partially compacted concrete.

vi) The cylinder is filled with a fresh sample of concrete and vibrated to obtain full compaction. The concrete in the cylinder is weighed again. This weight is known as the weight of fully compacted concrete. Compacting factor = (Weight of partially compacted concrete)/ (Weight of fully compacted concrete) Vebe Test Compaction is assumed to be complete when the transparent rider is totally covered with concrete and all cavities in the surface of the concrete have disappeared. This is judged visually, and the difficulty of establishing the end point of the test maybe a source of error. To overcome it an automatically operated device for recording the movement of the plate against time maybe fitted, but this is not a standard procedure. Vebe is a good laboratory test, particularly for very dry mixes. This is in contrast of the compacting factor test where error maybe introduced by the tendency of some dry mixes to stick in the hoppers. The vebe test also has an additional advantage that the treatment of the concrete during the test is comparatively closely related to the method of placing in practice.

Flow Table test The flow table test or flow test is a method to determine the consistence of fresh concrete.

Application When fresh concrete is delivered to a site by a truck mixer it is sometimes necessary to check its consistence before pouring it into formwork. If the consistence is not correct, the concrete will not have the desired qualities once it has set, particularly the desired strength. If the concrete is too pasty, it may result in cavities within the concrete which leads to corrosion of the rebar, eventually leading to the formation of cracks (as the rebar expands as it corrodes) which will accelerate the whole process, rather like insufficient concrete cover. Cavities will also lower the stress the concrete is able to support. Conducting the test The flowtable is wetted. The cone is placed on the flowtable and filled with fresh concrete in two layers, each layer 25 times tamp with tamping rod. The cone is lifted, allowing the concrete to flow. The flowtable is then lifted up several centimeters and then dropped, causing the concrete flow a little bit further. After this the diameter of the concrete is measured. Concrete Tests

Q: What is Concrete Testing? A: A concrete test is performed to learn more about the properties of a specific sample of concrete. A number of different tests can be performed on concrete both, on a job site and in a laboratory. Because concrete is an important structural element, testing is mandatory in many regions of the world, and construction companies must provide documentation of their testing and results when asked to do so by government representatives. Test results are also kept on file in case a problem develops in the future. There are a dozen different test methods for freshly mixed concrete and at least another dozen tests for hardened concrete, not including test methods unique to organisations like the Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Highway Administration and state departments of transportation. Q: What are the different types of Concrete Testing? A: One of the most classic concrete tests is a slump test. In a slump test, concrete is tamped into a cone, which is then removed to see how far the concrete sinks or slumps without the support of the cone. Changes in slump height between batches of concrete can indicate a consistency problem. There are also slump requirements for different types of construction; low slump height concrete, for example, cannot be used to build roadways. Thus, the slump concrete test is both a quality control measure and a consistency measure.

Other types of concrete test can include laboratory analysis of the components of concrete, to confirm that concrete contains what the manufacturer claims it contains and to learn more about properties, such as durability and permeability. Concrete must meet specific standards, especially for high stress projects like bridges and high-rise buildings, which makes lab testing important to confirm that concrete is safe to use and that it will withstand years of stress. Material testing, in general, is designed to make sure that materials meet quality control standards, comply with any laws and contain the components people claim they contain. If concrete fails a concrete test, it may mean that part of a construction project needs to be redone to remove the faulty concrete or that a batch of concrete needs to be discarded. People have been testing concrete for strength, durability, and workability since Roman times. Curiously, reports about falsification of concrete test results pop up in the news on a regular basis, with construction companies being accused of cutting corners to avoid having to replace work performed with faulty concrete. Reputable companies use third parties to test their concrete so that the results are neutral, ensuring that there will be no doubts about the safety of the concrete in the future. Q: What are the most common tests for fresh concrete? A: Slump, air content, unit weight and compressive strength tests are the most common tests for fresh concrete. Slump is a measure of consistency, or relative ability of the concrete to flow. If the concrete cant flow because the consistency or slump is too low, there are potential problems with proper consolidation. If the concrete wont stop flowing because the slump is too high, there are potential problems with mortar loss through the formwork, excessive formwork pressures, finishing delays and segregation. Air content measures the total air content in a sample of fresh concrete, but does not indicate what the final in-place air content will be, because a certain amount of air is lost in transportation, consolidating, placement and finishing. Three field tests are widely specified: the pressure meter and volumetric method are ASTM standards and the Chace Indicator is an AASHTO procedure. Unit weight measures the weight of a known volume of fresh concrete. Pouring cylinders of fresh concrete and measuring the force needed to break the concrete cylinders at proscribed intervals as they harden, test compressive strength. According to Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete (ACI 318), as long as no single test is more than 500psi below the design strength and the averages of three consecutive tests equals or exceeds the design strength, then the concrete is acceptable. If the strength tests dont meet these criteria, steps must be taken to raise the average.

Test Method Slump Flow

Description ASTM C1611 Test is performed similar to the conventional slump test (ASTM C143) using the Abrams cone (use of inverted cone possible). However, instead of measuring the slumping distance vertically, the mean spread of the resulting concrete patty is measured horizontally. This number is recorded as the slump flow. Additional information about the mixture can be obtained by measuring the time it takes for the patty to reach 500mm (20in). This is called the T50 value and is a measure of viscosity. A final visual observation of the patty can be compared to an index called the Visual Stability Index, which rates the degree of segregation during the test. Measured characteristic: Filling ability (deformability), viscosity & stability ASTM C1621 The J-Ring consists of a ring of reinforcing bars such that it will fit around the base of a standard slump cone. The slump flow with and without J-Ring is measured and the difference calculated. An index, called the Visual Blocking Index, is available to rate the segregation of the mixture during the test; however, this is not part of the ASTM standard. Measured characteristic: Passing ability ASTM C1610 This test evaluates the static stability of a concrete mixture by quantifying aggregate segregation. A column is filled with concrete and allowed to sit for a while after placement. The column is then separated into three or four pieces. Each section is removed individually and the concrete from that section is washed over a No. 4 sieve and the retained aggregate weighed. A non-segregating mix will have a consistent aggregate mass distribution in each section. A segregating mix will have higher concentrations of aggregate in the lower sections. Measured characteristic: Stability

J-Ring

Column Segregation

Q: What items should one look for in a fresh concrete test set? A: The ASTM 138 deals with the Test Methods for Density, Yield and Air Content of Concrete The equipment required is 1. Balance 2. Tamping Rod 3. Internal Vibrator 4. Measure - A cylindrical container made of steel or other suitable material 5. Strike off Plate 6. Mallet Q: Why is it important to test concrete? A: Therehas always been, and will always be, a need to test products and materials to prevent disasters. Critical physical parameters must be measured to quantify performance and strength, ensuring our safety and the safety of our environment. Q: Why is the concrete cube tested for weight before compression test? A: The main reason for calculating the weight of concrete block before testing in the compression machine is to check whether the weight is approximately equal to the value, which is calculated by the multiplication of density and volume. This is a way to see approximately whether the concrete being used is correct or not. Now the exact results can be calculated by the concrete compression-testing machine, which will give the strength the block can hold. Mass = density x volume The concrete block should weigh about 8 ~ 8.5kg for a 150*/150*150mm3. If the value does not come as the given value then the concrete mixture is not correct and the compressive testing is of no use, as the concrete being taken cannot be used in building structures.

Ball Penetration Test

It is an ASTM test with the purpose of determining the consistency or the degree of wetness of the concrete by knowing the penetration of the metal hemispherical material known as the Kelly Ball, which has a diameter of 152 mm and has a weight of 14 kg. The procedure for this test is that we are going to allow the tool be placed on top of the concrete and wait for the Kelly ball to sink, the amount of sink that the Kelly Ball would make into the concrete which could be seen on top of the tool would determine the consistency of it . This test is quicker and easier to perform than of the slump test. The concrete that were going to use in this test has also its limitations in order for us to avoid the boundary effects, the allowable depth of the concrete must not be less than 200mm and for its least lateral dimension must be 460 mm only. Comparison of Tests We are comparing the different tests on concrete in order for us to know the relationship of each other, this relationship will give us a deep understanding on the behavior of concrete under different conditions. The relationship between the compacting factor and vebe time is that the compacting factor is closely related to the reciprocal of workability and the vebe time is the direct function of workability. The vebe tests measures the properties of concrete under vibration as compared with the free fall conditions of the compacting factor test. For specific mixes, the relation between compacting factor and slump has been obtained, but such a relation is also a function of the properties of the mix. The relation between the

influence of the richness of the mix (aggregate/cement ratio) in two of these relations is clear. The absence of influence in the case of the relation between slump and Vebe time is illusory because slump is insensitive in one end of the scale ( low workability ).

Table of the Comparison of Tests Test Principle Compacting factor Measures the effect of a standard amount of work (height of fall) on compaction Vebe Measures the amount of work ( time at constant vibration) for full compaction Comments suitable for medium and high workability concrete sensitive to small changes in water content very simple, suitable for site use heavily operator dependent suitable for low, medium and high workability mixes fairly simple, but requires scales less operator dependent than slump suitable for very low and low workability mixes greater relation to concrete placing conditions than slump more complex than other methods, requires standard vibrating equipment sometimes difficult to define end point suitable for high and very high workability mixes gives some indication of tendency of mix to segregate fairly simple, but, like slump, operator dependent developed for selfcompacting concrete very simple, suitable for site use operator dependent, but less so than slump an alternative to compacting factor test simple, suitable for site use likely to be operator dependent quicker and easier to perform than of the slump test

Slump

Measures a flow property of concrete under self-weight after standard compaction

Flow Table Measures the effect of a standard amount of work (bumps) on spread Slump Flow As in the slump test, measures a flow property of concrete under self-weight, but after self-weight compaction Measures the effect of a standard amount of work (dropping the concrete form the edge of container) on compaction Measures the consistency of concrete

Degree of Compactibility

Ball Penetration

Density (unit mass of fresh concrete) It is easily obtained by weighing the compacted fresh concrete in a standard container of known volume and mass. if the density is known, the volume of concrete can be found from the mass of the ingredients which composed of water, cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate, if they are mixed and put into the mixer that batch could be called as the yield.

= V=
For cement content ( mass of cement per unit volume of concrete )