Woods

WO RK

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Explain what is
mortar is.
Mortar is a workable paste which hardens to bind
building blocks such as stones, bricks,
and concrete masonry units, to fill and seal the
irregular gaps between them, spread the weight
of them evenly, and sometimes to add decorative
colors or patterns to masonry walls. In its
broadest sense, mortar includes pitch, asphalt,
and soft mud or clay, as used between mud
bricks. The word "mortar" comes from Old
French mortier, "builder's mortar, plaster; bowl for
mixing.
 Define the term
concrete
• Concrete is a hard substance
made by mixing cement, sand,
and small stones. The floor was
made of solid concrete. Concrete is
a composite construction material
composed of cement, gravel, and
water.
 • Conventional mortar is a mixture of cement,
lime, and sand, with the proportion of
What are the cementitious materials to sand typically near 1:3.

components In some localities, a proprietary product called

of mortar? “masonry cement” is used to replace the Portland

cement and lime in the traditional mix.
 • To prepare cement mortar, cement and sand are
properly mixed in dry condition. Water is then

How mortar added gradually and mixed using a shovel. ...

Cement mortar can either be mixed manually
is prepared? (Hand Mixing) or mechanically (Machine Mixing).
For small construction, hand mixing is commonly
used.
Explain two method of testing concrete.

ASTM C805, “Standard Test Method for Rebound Number

of Hardened Concrete”, summarizes the procedure as “A
steel hammer impacts, with a predetermined amount of
energy, a steel plunger in contact with a surface of concrete,
and the distance that the hammer rebounds is measured.”

When a probe having a fixed amount of energy is driven into

the concrete, the depth of penetration depends on the
hardness of concrete. This modern system is capable of
measuring concrete with a maximum compressive strength of
110MPa. …
Explain the term compression and
tension as it relates to concrete.
• Compression: The compressive strength of concrete ranges from 15 MPa
(2200 psi) to 30 MPa (4400 psi) for residential concrete and is high in
commercial structures. Some applications use forces greater than 10,000 psi
(70 MPa).

• Tension: While concrete is strong in compression, it is weak in tension. Steel is

strong under forces of tension, so combining the two elements results in the
creation of very strong concrete components. Post-tensioning can help create
innovative concrete components that are thinner, longer, and stronger than
ever before.