UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

Faculty Course : : Engineering & Science Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) Civil Engineering Year 3/ Semester 1 / 2 / 3 Unit Code Unit Title Lecturer : : : UEMX3113 Civil Construction Material

Year/ : Semester Session : Practical 2

: CUBE TEST

Objective: To determine the workability, density and compressive strength of concrete cubes. Apparatus: 1. B. S. cube moulds 150mm mould 2. Boards and trowels 3. 5/8 diameter tamping rod 24 long to consolidate the concrete mix 4. Slump cone 5. Weighing scale 6. Schmidt hammer 7. Compression Test Machine Materials: 1. Sand 2. Coarse aggregate 3. Cement 4. Water 5. Additive Procedures: 1. Weigh out the amounts of Portland cement, sand and coarse aggregates to give mixes of specified proportion by weight. 2. Mix with water using a water/cement ratio of 0.50 0.60, the mixing is to be carried out until it is uniformly mixed. 3. Place a slump cone on a smooth, flat and nonabsorbent surface. 4. Fill the fresh concrete into one-third the volume of the cone and rod the layer with 25 even strokes with a standard 5.8 diameter rod. 5. Repeat the procedure in (4) twice more and strike off the top surface. 6. Remove the cone carefully in vertical direction and place it beside the slumping concrete. 7. Measure the slump. The recommended slump is in the range of 70 mm to 110 mm. Add more water to the concrete mix if the slump is below the lower bound, while add more cement if the slump is higher than the upper bound. 8. Repeat the procedures (3) to (7) until the recommended slump is achieved.

9. Transfer the mix to an oiled cube mould, standing on an oiled based plate in 3 layers, consolidate each layer by 25 strokes with the standard 5/8 diameter tamping rod. 10. Repeat the procedure (9) for another 5 cubes. Leave the cubes in the mould overnight. 11. Measure the fresh density of concrete. Repeat the procedure (9) by using a specified cylindrical mould. 12. Demould and label the cubes. Cure the concrete cubes in the water. 13. After exactly 7 days and 28 days respectively, take out three cubes from the water and allow draining for 30 minutes before testing. 14. Weigh, measure and calculate the bulk density and determine its surface hardness (Schmidt hammer test) and compressive strength. Results: Curing Duration Mass Volume Fresh density Bulk hardened density Compressive strength 1. Comment on the results tabulated in the table. Questions: 1. What are the precautions to be taken to ensure standard cube specimens in the laboratory? 2. What is the importance of slump test? 3. What are the significances of 7 days and 28 days compressive strength? Discussions & Conclusions: 7 days 1 2 3 Average 1 2 28 days 3 Average