MAIN CAMPUS San Roque, Sogod, Southern

Leyte
Email: president@southernleytestateu.edu.ph
Website: www.southernleytestateu.edu.ph

Excellence | Service | Leadership and Good Governance | Innovation | Social Responsibility | Integrity | Professionalism | Spirituality

Name: Rodel E. Elicot Course, Yr. & Sec.: BSCE 2-A

REFLECTION on the CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND TESTING LABORATORY ACTIVITIES

According to Cesar Pelli, “Construction is a matter of optimism; it’s a matter of facing the
future with confidence.”. And the only profession that deals with various and enormous
constructions is the Civil Engineering. Indeed, as civil engineers, one must acquire confidence
and build optimism to establish triumphant constructions. However, before becoming a pro, a
master always comes after his noviceness. And that life-practical concept leads me to
understand why this subject, “Construction Materials and Testing”, was being part of the
learning curriculum. Testing of structural materials used to build new projects from the ground
up, materials and components used to build new additions, or testing of new components being
added to an existing facility are the main objectives of Construction Materials Testing (CMT).
And that is also why I was learning. Because before becoming an expert engineer, it is invariably
very necessary to learn significant things that revolve around the role of engineers in the society
- CONSTRUCTION.

While learning, I was able to experience and perform a series of activities that concerns
about relative testings and analysis of the construction materials. With my group mates, we
conducted the eight activities, but of course, with the supervision of our Laboratory Instructor,
Engr. Junnie Rasco, we fully-accomplished all of it eventually at an appropriate time. During the
first activity, the whole laboratory exercise was filled with excitement, as we will gonna be
working with and recognize the aggregates and some construction tools. And as we go on, with
the other activities, we can totally say that we, or I shall say, I was becoming half of a true
engineer. From the concepts of the first activity, which is understanding the properties of the
aggregates, up until to the activities that involve testing and analysis of aggregates and concrete
mixing and testing, I can definitely say and I was confident enough that I am constructing my
path in becoming an engineer. Those various lessons and generalizations are building my
expectations to be alive and true.

However, those activities aren’t that easy to overcome. And that is when the popular
saying of Simon Sinek speaks aloud, “Directions are instructions given to explain how. Direction is
a vision offered to explain why.”. And that only means, following the procedure means a lot to
every learners. Before becoming a confident conqueror, you must do what was given to
understand why it was given. In performing laboratory activities, there is a need of keen
personalities and skills to develop especially meticulousness in following procedures. A
laboratory activity consists a lot of steps and methods before being accomplished, which can be
considered a reason why following instructions is a good armor to mitigate errors while
performing activities. Unfortunately, time is not always favorable. There are always failures in a
test, and that is why the concept of trial and error are important, specifically, in experimental
activities. And also, regular practice makes perfect. But in the CMT Lab, a good failure is when
one learns from it and applies the knowledge learnt to be perfect.

Another focal point of my CMT Laboratory experience is building a circle of teamwork,

patience, quality-oriented, and determination. Being with other people when doing an
experimental activity is chaos and needs authority. However, this can be overcome through the

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 MAIN CAMPUS San Roque, Sogod, Southern
Leyte
Email: president@southernleytestateu.edu.ph
Website: www.southernleytestateu.edu.ph

Excellence | Service | Leadership and Good Governance | Innovation | Social Responsibility | Integrity | Professionalism | Spirituality

three most fundamental points I have jotted down earlier. The first one is Teamwork. I am
imperfect, just as my colleagues. Making a wrong move in one of activity puts the team to
rework. In our cases, careful and knowledgeable argumentation and discussions help us to
follow the real standard of the activities. When one has a heavier task, anybody should lend a
hand. All must be given equal task. And this individual opportunity leads to fulfilling knowledge
about the laboratory in each member and for the betterment of the group outcome. The next
one is Patience. A well-quality performance and output needs time and effort. In our CMT
activities, we are able to practice having patience to every errors we have committed while
conduct our activities. In the midst of our patience, we discovered to respect each member’s
opinion and develop strong personalities for the better results of our activity. The third point
that awaken me while performing the activities is the Quality-Oriented. I was taught not to
settle on less and obscurely do things. Making errors are inevitable, but re-calibrating the mind
to create a well-quality output is extraordinary. Most of the laboratory exercises are given to be
produced outside the laboratory room - in the society. Thus, the things that we must consider
when we are doing like those must be safety of users as well as durability and strength. Finally,
we were taught about Determination. Just like in the Slump Test (ASTM C143), we should
consider the workability of concrete depending on when it must be used. We should know
about when do everything that happens in our laboratory will be utilized. The laboratory
activities that we performed taught us to be determined enough just as when to peak. We have a
purpose in doing those experiment, that is why we are working on it.

Generally, every activity has a purpose. Either it is for personal growth or for communal
growth. But for me, it gives me generalizations on how to be a good engineer, especially in the
field of construction. Overcoming the basics of how engineers function is making me an
optimistic one. Being able to identify a good material to use in a concrete is also a good asset to
know about construction. Having the knowledge on sieve analysis or on how aggregates should
be tested according to its specific gravity to determine its strength is also a satisfaction. Most
importantly, it is a very high pleasure to know about the proper way of mixing concrete, either
by hand or by machine, or to know about the 1:2:3 ratio of cement, sand, and of gravel.
Furthermore, it is much more delightful to practice and experience the procedures in doing the
slump test and testing the flexural strength of sample beams and cylindrical concrete. These are
just some of my summary about the CMT laboratory activities. Because before becoming a
master, I must learn the basics. I must learn about aggregates and cements, and how should it be
worked out for concrete which will be used in construction sites. Subsequently, I am now. The
optimism is on my side now, and yes, I am much braver to face the future, and build it with the
concept of CONSTRUCTION.

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