Chittagong University of Engineering &

Technology

Department of Petroleum & Mining

Engineering

Name of the Experiment:

Creep Test Of Concrete or Rock in Compression

Course Code – PME 262

Course Title –Rock Mechanics Laboratory
Experiment No. – 04
Name – Md. Shakil Rahaman
ID – 1807022
Date of submission – 26-09-2021
Objective:
The main purpose of this experiment is to study the creep test of concrete or rock in
compression.
Theory:
Creep is the tendency of a material to change form over time after facing high temperature and
stress. Creep increases with temperature and it is more common when a material is exposed to
high temperatures for a long time or at the melting point of the material. Creep machines are
used to understand the creep of materials and determine which type can do the job better, which
is important when making and designing materials for everyday uses. They most commonly test
the creep of alloys and plastics for the understanding of their properties and advantages of one
material's use over another.
A creep-testing machine measures the alteration of a material after it has undergone stresses.
Engineers use Creep machines to determine the stability and behavior of a material when put
through ordinary stresses. They determine how much strain (load) an object can handle under
pressure, so engineers and researchers are able to determine what materials to use.
The device generates a creep time-dependent curve by calculating the steady rate of creep in
reference to the time it takes for the material to change.
Loading Age: If the aim of the test is to evaluate the creep potential of different concretes, load
the specimens at a 28-day age. If the entire creep behavior of a specific concrete is needed,
prepare specimens for initial loading at the following ages: 2, 7, 28, and 90 days, as well as one
year. If information for additional ages of loading is required, indicate the age in the report.
Loading Details: Determine the compressive strength of the strength specimens immediately
before loading the creep specimens using Test Method C 39/C 39M. Cover the ends of the
control cylinders while placing unsealed creep specimens in the loading frame to avoid moisture
loss (Note 4). Load the specimens at no more than 40% of their compressive strength at the time
of loading. Take strain readings immediately before and after loading, then every day for a week,
weekly until the end of the month, and monthly until the end of the year. Measure the load before
getting each strain reading. If the load deviates from the proper value by more than 2%, it must
be changed (Note 5). Strain readings on the control specimens should be taken on the same
schedule as the loaded specimens. [NOTE 4- When inserting creep specimens onto the frame, be
careful to position the specimens to minimize eccentric loading. When stacking cylinders and
using external gages, it may be useful to apply a small preload so that the resultant stress does
not exceed 200 psi (1380 kPa) and note the strain variation around each specimen, after which
the load can be removed and the specimens realigned for greater strain uniformity. NOTE 5-
When springs are utilized to sustain the load, the adjustment can be performed by providing the
appropriate load and tightening the nuts on the threaded reaction rods.]
Test Apparatus:
Loading Frame: It can apply and maintain the appropriate weight on the specimen despite
changes in the specimen's dimensions. In its most basic form, the loading frame is made up of
header plates that bear on the ends of the loaded specimens, a load-maintaining element that is
either a spring or a hydraulic capsule or ram, and threaded rods that take the response of the
loaded system. The bearing surfaces of the header plates must deviate from a plane by no more
than 0.001 in (0.025 mm). Stacking several specimens for simultaneous loading is not forbidden
in any loading frame. The distance between header plates must not be more than 70 inches (1780
mm).
When a hydraulic load-maintaining element is employed, many frames can be loaded at the
same time via a central hydraulic pressure-regulating unit that includes an accumulator, a
regulator, indicating gages, and a high-pressure source, such as a nitrogen cylinder or a high-
pressure pump. Springs, such as railroad car springs, can be used to keep the load in frames like
the ones mentioned above; the initial compression must be delivered using a portable jack or
testing machine. When using springs, be sure to include a spherical head or ball joint, as well as
end plates that are stiff enough to provide uniform loading of the cylinders. Figure 1 depicts a
suitable spring-loaded frame. Means for measuring the load to the nearest 2% of the total applied
load must be supplied. When applying or adjusting the load, it is not forbidden to utilize a
permanently installed hydraulic pressure gage or a hydraulic jack and a load cell placed in the
frame.
Figure1 : Load Cell
Strain-Measuring Device: A suitable instrument for measuring longitudinal strain in the
specimen to the closest 10 millionths must be provided (10-6 in). It is not forbidden to embed,
attach, or transport the apparatus. If a portable device is employed, gage points must be
positively connected to the specimen. Attached gages that rely on friction contact are not
permitted. If an embedded device is utilized, it must be positioned so that its strain movement
happens along the cylinder's longitudinal axis. If external devices are employed, stresses must be
measured on at least two gage lines spaced equally around the specimen's circumference. The
gages can be instrumented in such a way that the average strain on all gage lines can be read
directly. The effective gage length must be at least three times the aggregate size in the concrete.
The strain-measurement equipment must be capable of measuring stresses for at least one year
without calibration modification.
Test Procedure:

Figure 2
1. Prepare an appropriate number of spacers on the lower plate according to the size of the
sample;
2. Insert the specimen inside the chassis between the compression plates "A" and "B" and any
spacers;
3. Act on the intermediate plate "C" nuts to lower the plate itself until it reaches a distance
between plate "A" and sample "G" about 1 mm;
4. Act on the top plate "D" nuts until a distance of 3 to 5 mm is reached at point "E";
5. Tighten the top plate "D" nuts;
6. Zero set the readout of the datalogger;
7. Loosen the four "F" nuts until the top plate "A" is in contact with the "G" specimen, then
unscrew them at least
40-50 mm to allow for the next sample compression;
8. Load the sample with the required pressure acting on the external hydraulic pump;
9. At this point the sample is charged and it is possible to disconnect the hydraulic pump (eg in
the case of long-term maintenance); Tighten the 4 nuts "H" if the pump is disconnected;
10. If necessary (eg; the load measured by the data logger decreases over time), reconnect the
hydraulic pump to return the load to the desired value and then tighten the nuts "H";
11. At the end of the test, unscrew the "H" nuts, drain the hydraulic pressure and remove the
sample.

Calculation:

Calculate the total load-induced strain per pound per square inch (or kilopascal) at any time as
the difference between the average strain values of the loaded and control specimens divided by
the average stress. To determine creep strain per pound-force per square inch (or kilopascal) for
any age, subtract from the total load-induced strain per pound-force per square inch (or
kilopascal) at that age the strain per pound-force per square inch (or kilopascal) immediately
after loading. If desired, plot total strain per pound-force per square inch (or kilopascal) on
semilog coordinate paper, on which the logarithmic axis represents time, to determine the
constants 1/E and F (K) for the following equation:

ε =(1/E) + F(K)ln (t+1)

where;
ε = total strain psi (or kPa),
E = instantaneous elastic modulus, psi (or kPa),
 F(K) = creep rate, calculated as the slope of a straight line representing the creep curve on
the semilog plot,
t = time after loading, days.

The quantity 1/E is the initial elastic strain per pound per square inch (or kilopascal) and is
determined from the strain readings taken immediately before and after loading the specimen. If
loading was not accomplished expeditiously, some creep may have occurred before the after
loading strain was observed, in which event extrapolation to zero time by the method of least
squares may be used to determine this quantity.

Conclusion:
We successfully completed a creep test on the lead specimen. Because the creep diagram
mirrored typical creep behavior, we may assume that the results were quite accurate. The slope
rises in the tertiary creep because the specimen is ready to fail and internal cracking is
developing within the material.