Material Testing Laboratory Equipment

The following are some of apparatuses/equipment used in construction material testing:

⮚ Sieve Set
⮚ Balance Beam
⮚ Graduated Beaker
⮚ Slump Cone
⮚ Various Molds
⮚ Hydrometer
⮚ Universal Testing Machine
⮚ Concrete Mixer
⮚ Pressure Gauge
⮚ Vicat Apparatus
⮚ Electric OveN

SIEVE SET

A sieve, or sifter, is a device for separating wanted elements from unwanted material or for
characterizing the particle size distribution of a sample (aggregates, sand, and other soil particles)

Test sieves should conform to current ASTM 11 or ISO 3310-1 Standards. For particle size analysis, the
test sieves remains cost effective and precise measuring instrument for dry non-agglomerated particles.
Generally sieves are constructed of brass and stainless steel components, common diameters are 3
inches, 8 inches and 12 inches or metric equivalents. Sieves are available in three (3) grades:

▪ Compliance
▪ Inspection
▪ Calibration

Test sieve analysis is widely used of quality control in many industries worldwide, the test sieve process
is a simple and common practice to measure particle size and dry relatively free flowing materials.

Particles size distribution data is then used to analyze material size. In principle, there are five basic
elements of importance:
 1. Test sieves
2. Test sieve shaker
3. Sample materials and preparation
4. Running the test
5. Recording results and analysis

BALANCE BEAM OR WEIGHING SCALE

A Beam balance (or Beam scale) is a device to measure weight or mass. These are also known as mass
scales, weight scales, mass balances, weight balances, or simply scales, balances, or balance scales.

The traditional scale consists of two plates or bowls suspended at equal distances from a fulcrum. One
plate holds an object of unknown mass (or weight), while known masses are added to the other plate
until static equilibrium is achieved and the plates level off, which happens when the masses on the two
plates are equal. The perfect scale rests at neutral. A spring scale will make use of a spring of known
stiffness to determine mass (or weight). Suspending a certain mass will extend the spring by a certain
amount depending on the spring's stiffness (or spring constant). The heavier the object, the more the
spring stretches, as described in Hooke's law. Other types of scales making use of different physical
principles also exist.

GRADUATED BEAKER

In laboratory equipment, a beaker is generally a cylindrical container with a flat bottom. Most also have a
small spout (or "beak") to aid pouring, as shown in the picture. Beakers are available in a wide range of
sizes, from one milliliter up to several liters. A beaker is distinguished from a flask by having straight
rather than sloping sides.
SLUMP CONE

A metal mold in the form of truncated cone with a top diameter of 102mm (4”), a bottom diameter of
203mm (8”) and a height of 305mm (12”). This is used to fabricate the specimen for a slump test.

The concrete slump test is an empirical test that measures the workability of fresh concrete. It measures
the consistency of the concrete in that specific batch. This test is performed to check the consistency of
freshly made concrete.

Workability of concrete is mainly affected by consistency, for example, wetter mixes will be more
workable than drier mixes, but concrete of the same consistency may vary in workability.

VARIOUS MOLDS

There are three (3) types of molds used in material testing lab for preparation of concrete specimen.

1. Cube Molds
Sizes:
150mm x 150mm x 150mm
100mm x 100mm x 1000mm
70.6mm x 70.6mm x 70.6mm
2. Cylinder Molds
Size of Cylinder Molds – 6 x 12 in. (15.2 x 30.5 cm), and 4 x 8 in (10 x 20 cm)
 3. Beam Molds
Sizes:
100x100x400 mm
100x100x500 mm
150x150x600 mm

HYDROMETER

A hydrometer is an instrument used to measure the specific gravity (or relative density) of liquids; that is,
the ratio of the density of liquid to the density of water.

UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINE

A Universal testing machine (UTM) is used to test the mechanical properties (tension, compression etc.)
of a given test specimen by exerting tensile, compressive or transverse stresses. The machine has been
named so because of the wide range of tests it can perform over different kind of materials.

CONCRETE MIXER

A concrete mixer (often colloquially called a cement mixer) is a device that homogeneously combines
cement, aggregate such as sand or gravel, and water to form concrete. A typical concrete mixer uses a
revolving drum to mix the components.
For smaller volume works, portable
concrete mixers are often used so that
the concrete can be made at the
construction site, giving the workers ample
time to use the concrete before it hardens.

PRESSURE GUAGE

Many techniques have been developed for the measurement of pressure. Instruments used to measure
pressure are called pressure gauges.

Types of Pressure Gauges

Simple Manometer

Simple manometer are very simple in construction they have a single glass tube with
one end open to atmosphere and second end is attached to gauge points whose
pressure is to be measured. By measuring the rise of liquid in simple manometer we can
easily calculate the pressure. Simple
manometer has three common types.

PIEZOMETER:

Piezometer is the simple type of manometer which is used to measure

the medium pressure range of liquids. A piezometer is a simple
glass tube which is open at the both ends. One end of the
piezometer is connected to the pipe line, vessel which
containing liquid where pressure is needed to be measure and
the other end kept open to the atmosphere. The glass tube
must be attached vertically upwards and the liquid can freely
rise in it without overflowing. The pressure of the liquid easily
measured by height of the liquid rise in the tube using scale
attached to it. Piezometer is used to measure gauge pressure
only because surface of liquid is in contact with atmospheric
 pressure. The drawback of piezometer is, it can’t be used to measure very high pressure
and gas pressure because one end is open.

U-TUBE MANOMETER:

Piezometer has some limitations these limitations are overcome by U-tube manometer
like piezometer cannot measure high pressure for that piezometer require very long
tubes which cannot provide easily and gas pressure is not measure by piezometers.

DIFFERENTIAL MANOMETER

It is used to measure the difference of pressure between two points in a pipeline or in

two separate pipes. Differential manometers consist of two bend glass tubes whose
ends are connected to gauge points between the pressure differencehas to be
measured. Following are the different types of differential manometers which are
commonly used.

BOURDON TUBE PRESSURE GAUGE:

Bourdon type is the most commonly type of pressure gauge. It is made up of steel or
bronze tube. This tube is known as pressure responsive element.
DIAPHRAGM PRESSURE GAUGE:

This device is used to measure generally low pressure intensity as compared to Bourdon
tube. Here elastic steel corrugated diaphragm is the pressure responsive element. Its
working is little bit similar to Bourdon tube the pressure is indicated by using needle
which is moved with the help of pinion arrangement with the diaphragm.

BELLOWS PRESSURE GAUGE:

In this device the pressure responsive elements is made up of thin metal tube with deep
circumferential corrugations when pressure changes the elastic elements expands or
contracts. A pointer is attached with it which indicates the reading on circular dial. When
pressure increases it expands and when pressure decreases the elastic elements in
bellows pressure gauges are contracts.
VICAT APPARATUS

A device for determining the normal consistency and time of setting of portland
cements that consists of a rod weighing 300 grams, having a needle in each end, and
supported in a frame with a graduated scale to measure the distance to which the
needle penetrates the cement.

ELECTRIC OVEN

Theses ovens have been designed for the drying asphalt, soil, rock, concrete, aggregate or similar
materials. Various litre capacity models are available.

*** END of LESSON 4***