GENERAL OBJECTIVE

 To determine the behavior or response of a material while it

experiences a compressive load by measuring fundamental
variables, such as, strain, stress, and deformation.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

 To determine the quality of the concrete with its ratio

 To determine consistency in manufacture

 To ensure compliance with international and industry

standard

LABORATORY READINGS

Concrete mixtures can be designed to provide a wide range of

mechanical and durability properties to meet the design
requirements of a structure. The compressive strength of concrete
is the most common performance measure used by the engineer in
designing buildings and other structures. The compressive
strength is measured by breaking cylindrical concrete specimens
in a compression testing machine. The compressive strength is
calculated from the failure load divided by the cross-sectional
area resisting the load and reported in units of pound-force per
square inch (psi) in US Customary units or Mega Pascal’s (MPa) in
SI units. A sieve, fine mesh strainer, or sift, is a device for
separating wanted elements from unwanted material or for
controlling the particle size distribution of a sample, using a
screen such as a woven mesh or net or perforated sheet material.
The cylinder specimens are cast in steel, cast iron or any
mold made of non-absorbent material. Even under severe
conditions, the molds used must retain its original shape and
dimensions. The mold must hold the concrete without any leakage.
Before placing the concrete mix within the mold, the interior of
the mold must be properly greased to facilitate easy removal of
the hardened cylinder.

Age Strength percent

1 day 16%
3 days 40%
7 days 65%
14 days 90%
28 days 99%

Compressive stress is the opposite of tensile stress. An object

experiences a compressive stress when a squeezing force is
applied on the object. So, an object subjected to a compressive
stress is shortened. Compressive stress is also defined as the
force per unit area and denoted by the symbol σ. The compressive
stress (σ) that develops when an external compressive or
squeezing force (F) is applied on an object is given by σ = F/A.
Higher the compressive force, higher the compressive stress.

The ability of a material to withstand a higher compressive

stress is a very important mechanical property, especially in
engineering applications. Some materials such as steel are strong
under both tensile and compressive stresses. However, some
materials such as concrete are strong only under compressive
stresses. Concrete is relatively weak under tensile stresses.

Slump Test

A Slump test is a laboratory or site test that is used to measure

the consistency of concrete; a slump test shows signs of
uniformity of concrete in different batches, the shape of the
concrete slumps shows the information of the workability and
quality of the concrete.
The slump test is conducted to measure the consistency of
concrete in that specific batch. Here, consistency of concrete
refers to the workability or fluidity of freshly made concrete,
and therefore it is a measure of the ease with which concrete
flows. Therefore, the Concrete slump test also known as the
Workability Test of Concrete is used on-site to measure the
workability of concrete or the degree of fluidity in the concrete
mix.

Generally, loose wet mixes are more workable than drier mixes,
but concrete of the same consistency may vary in workability. The
Slump cone value of concrete just works on this principle of
gravity flow of the surface of the concrete cone which indicates
the amount of water added to it. That means how much this mixed
concrete is in a condition workable.

Slump Test Values:

Workability: Slump Value Test:

Very low workability 0-25mm or 0-1 inch.
Low workability 25-50mm or 1-2 inches.
Medium workability 50-100mm or 2-4 inch.
High workability 100-175mm or 4-7 inches.

LABORATORY SAFETY

 Before using the electronic universal testing machine, the

operator should carefully read the product manual and be
familiar with the technical indicators, usage methods, and
operating specifications of the equipment. The operation
process needs to be executed in strict accordance with the
operating specifications. The operator who uses the
equipment for the first time should be guided by a skilled
operator, and can only operate it alone after being
proficient.

LABORATORY EQUIPMENT/APPARATUS

 Vernier Caliper
 Universal Testing Machine (Compression Testing)
  Cement
 Sand
 Slump Tester
 Gravel (approximately 1 inch)
 Sieve (3/4 inch)
 Cylindrical mold

LABORATORY PROCEDURE

1. Mix the desired ratio of ingredients for the cement

(sand,cement,gravel)
2. Add water and continue mixing until the concrete appears
homogeneous and the desired quality is achieved.
3. Slump test the cement to achieve an acceptable amount of
slump
4. Pour the cement into the mold, compacting the mixture with a
steel rod
5. After 24 hours of storage in damp air, the specimens are
labelled and separated from the molds and held immersed in
transparent freshwater until removed prior to the
examination.
6. Place the specimen on the lower bearing block so the axis of
the specimen is aligned with the center of thrust of the
spherically seated bearing block.
7. Make sure the load indicator is set to zero prior to
starting the test.
8. Apply a compressive load of 35 ± 7 psi/s (0.25 ± 0.05 MPa/s)
continuously and without shock until failure or until the
operator is certain that the ultimate capacity has been
achieved.
9. Record the maximum load carried by the specimen during the
test and note the type of fracture pattern.

OBSERVATION/CONCLUSION

As observed the specimen in placed in the Universal Testing

Machine (UTM). Based on the theory that a full cure is at 99
percent strength, this test expects to surpass the previous
results which was tested at half cure which has a 90 percent
strength. The result was not in the expected range because the
result was seemingly lower than the result before, but the
diameter of the UTM played a vital role, the diameter of the UTM
is larger than the first machine and possibly has the better
surface area of spread to the concrete. The specimen still showed
a better result than the previous groups.

REFERRENCE:

Kuma, “Difference between tensile and compressive stress,”

Pediaa.Com, 07-May-2016. [Online]. Available:
https://pediaa.com/difference-between-tensile-and-
compressive-stress/. [Accessed: 09-Mar-2023].

G. Mishra, “Compressive strength of concrete cylinders,” The

Constructor, 05-Sep-2018. [Online]. Available:
https://theconstructor.org/concrete/concrete-cylinders-
compressive-strength/2234/. [Accessed: 12-Mar-2023].

“Home,” TestResources. [Online]. Available:

https://www.testresources.net/applications/test-types/compression
-test/#:~:text=The%20goal%20of%20compression%20testing%20is%20to
%20determine,fundamental%20variables%2C%20such%20as%2C%20strain
%2C%20stress%2C%20and%20deformation. [Accessed: 13-Mar-2023].
GENERAL OBJECTIVE

 To determine the effectiveness and behavior of a material when

a stretching force acts on it. These tests are done under
optimum temperature and pressure conditions and determine the
maximum strength or load that the material can withstand.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

 Select a material or item for an application

 Predict how a material will perform in use: normal and

extreme forces.

 Determine if, or verify that, the requirements of a

specification, regulation, or contract are met

 Decide if a new product development program is on track

 Demonstrate proof of concept

 Demonstrate the utility of a proposed patent

 Provide standard data for other scientific, engineering, and

quality assurance functions

 Provide a basis for Technical communication

 Provide a technical means of comparison of several options

 Provide evidence in legal proceedings

LABORATORY READINGS

Tensile stress is a quantity associated with stretching or

tensile forces. Usually, tensile stress is defined as the force
per unit area and denoted by the symbol σ. The tensile stress (σ)
that develops when an external stretching force (F) is applied on
an object is given by σ = F/A where A is the cross sectional area
of the object. Therefore, the SI unit of measuring tensile stress
is Nm-2 or Pa. Higher the load or tensile force, higher the
tensile stress. The tensile stress corresponding to
the force applied on an object is inversely proportional to the
cross sectional area of the object. An object is elongated when a
stretching force is applied on the object.

The shape of
the graph of
tensile stress vs. strain depends on the material. There are
three important stages of the tensile stress namely yield
strength, ultimate strength and the breaking strength (rupture
point). These values can be found by plotting the graph of
tensile stress vs. strain. The data required to plot the graph is
obtained performing a tensile test. The plot of the graph of
tensile stress vs. strain is linear up to a certain value of
tensile stress, and thereafter it deviates. The Hook’s law is
valid only up to that value.

The ultimate tensile strength of a material is the maximum

tensile stress that the material can withstand. It is a very
important quantity, especially in manufacturing and engineering
applications. The breaking strength of a material is the tensile
stress at the point of fracture. In some cases, the ultimate
tensile stress is equal to the breaking stress.
LABORATORY SAFETY

 Proper safety equipment are observed when dealing in a

laboratory, in this instance the people involved in the
testing must wear safety goggles, lab coat, gloves, etc.

LABORATORY EQUIPMENT/APPARATUS

 Vernier caliper
 Tensile test machine

LABORATORY PROCEDURE

1. Determine the initial dimension of the specimen (diameter,

gage length)
2. Prepare the tensile test machine.
3. Record the testing parameters (psi).
4. Put the specimen into the machine.
5. Test the material/specimen
6. Measure the force until the specimen reach failure

REFERRENCE:
Kuma, “Difference between tensile and compressive stress,”
Pediaa.Com, 07-May-2016. [Online]. Available:
https://pediaa.com/difference-between-tensile-and-
compressive-stress/. [Accessed: 09-Mar-2023].

Tensile Strength of Rebar. (n.d.). Structural Guide. Retrieved

March 12, 2023, from https://www.structuralguide.com/tensile-
strength-of-rebar/

A. Joseph, “Purpose of tensile test,” Bizfluent, 20-Nov-2021.

[Online]. Available: https://bizfluent.com/info-12146439-purpose-
tensile-test.html. [Accessed: 13-Mar-2023].