EXTRACTION PROCEDURE

OF DIAMOND CORE

1 .- SCOPE:
The extracted cores can be used to:
- Determination of compressive strength (f'c)
- Measure the depth of carbonation.
- Tests of chlorides, sulfates and total soluble salts of reference.
- Density, absorption and voids test in hardened concrete.
- Measure the thickness of structural elements.
- Indirect tensile strength.
- Among others.

2 .- RESOURCES:
2.1. - Suggested materials:
▪ Structural repair mortar (SIKA REP - 500).
▪ Epoxy (SIKADUR – 32 Gel).

2.2. - General equipment and tools:

▪ 01 Diamond drill, includes: Column + Motor + Water tank.
▪ 02 Diamond drill bits.
▪ 01 Diamond holder box.
▪ 01 Steel sensor.
▪ 01 Rotary hammer drill.
▪ 01 2x14 AWG vulcanized cable electrical extension.
▪ 01 Roll of stretch film.
▪ Industrial rags or sponges.
▪ Plastics
▪ Empty 20L buckets.
▪ Badilejo, ladle, plastic jug and pasting plate, etc.

c c c EXTRACTION PROCEDURE
CONCRETE QUALITY CONTROL
SAC
OF DIAMOND CORE

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 2.3. - Individual protective equipment – PPE
▪ Jeans.
▪ Long sleeve shirt/polo.
▪ Vest with reflective tapes.
▪ Safety helmet.
▪ Chinstrap.
▪ Hearing protector.
▪ Safety glasses.
▪ Safety shoes with steel toe.
▪ Mask with dust filter (as appropriate).
▪ Leather/thread/nitrile/rubber gloves (as appropriate).

3 .- GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS:
▪ Work will only begin when the conditions in the work area are adequate
for the personnel (ventilation, lighting, state of the structures, vehicle
traffic, pollution, etc.)

▪ No type of work will be carried out in the presence of rain, electric

shock, snow or any other phenomenon that represents a danger to
personnel, unless tents, umbrellas or elements are placed that prevent
the equipment from getting wet.

▪ In some cases it will be necessary to suspend the electrical fluid in the

work area.
The client must provide all support to guarantee the health and integrity
of the staff.

▪ When drilling raised slabs/ceilings, it is necessary that the environment

below the drilling be free of people, equipment, vehicles, documents or
valuables.

4 .- CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT SAMPLING:

▪ The Technical Specifications of the tests are provided by the CLIENT,
under their responsibility.
The exact location, diameter, quantity, depth, etc. It is defined by the
client.

▪ Concrete samples should NOT be extracted in areas close to corners,

edges, over joints, cold joints, crabs, cracks or any other obvious defect in
the concrete; unless requested by the client.

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 EXTRACTION PROCEDURE
OF DIAMOND CORE

▪ Diamonds will not be extracted until the concrete to be drilled is strong enough
to allow extraction without altering the adhesion between the mortar and the aggregates.

▪ The diamond cores extracted and that present defects such as: voids, crabs, cracks, that contain reinforcing steel
or some foreign element inside, will be previously evaluated to determine if they can be used for the pertinent
purposes.
▪ The diameter of the diamond core to be extracted is a function of the thickness of the element, congestion of steel

and pipes, TMN of the coarse aggregate, evaluation of the damage caused to the structural element or as indicated
by the client.

▪ The diameter of the diamond cores for determining compressive strength must be at least 94 mm (3.70 in) or at
least 2 times the nominal maximum size of the coarse aggregate to be drilled, whichever is greater. In all cases, it is
suggested that the minimum diameter of the extracted core be at least 2 inches.

▪ If the thickness of the members is limited which makes it impossible to obtain diamond cores with
length/diameter (L/D) ratios greater than or equal to 1, or if the free distance between the reinforcement is limited,
the diameters of the smaller diamond cores that 94 mm are NOT prohibited. However, the reason must be
indicated in the report.

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 c c c EXTRACTION PROCEDURE
CONCRETE QUALITY CONTROL
SAC
OF DIAMOND CORE

5.- PROCEDURE:

A) Revision:
5.1. - Before starting work, the condition of the equipment, tools, PPE, etc. is reviewed/verified. replacing those
that are in poor condition.

B) Mounting:
5.2. - With the help of the steel sensor, the location of the steel inside the concrete to be drilled is made.
The sensor is dragged across the concrete surface and the location of the steel obtained is marked with chalk.

Consider that the sensor does NOT detect PVC pipes, steel elements with a diameter less than 6mm, steel with
more than 5cm of coating. Likewise, in case of high steel congestion (spacing less than 10cm) the location indicated
by the sensor is only a reference.

5.3. - With the help of a drill, make a Ø ½'' x 2'' deep hole, perpendicular to the surface of the concrete to be
drilled, where an anchor plug will be inserted.

5.4. - The dust resulting from drilling is removed manually or with the help of a manual blower.

5.5. - With a rope and a punch, the anchor plug is activated through moderate intensity blows. Subsequently, the
anchor plug is lubricated and the anchor bolt is inserted.

5.6. - Very carefully the diamond drill is placed on the anchor bolt and secured with the anchor nut provisionally.

5.7. - With great care, the exact location where the drilling will be carried out is regulated and the anchor nut is
secured definitively.

C) Drilling:
5.8. - The diamond equipment for electrical energy and water is enabled. Likewise, the appropriate drilling speed
is chosen depending on the diameter of the drilling to be performed.

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 CONCRETE QUALITY CONTROL
SAC
OF DIAMOND CORE

5.9. - Turn on the equipment and drill slowly, maintaining adequate pressure to ensure that the number of engine
revolutions does not decrease excessively.

At all times you must be alert to the depth of the drilling, which must be at least 02 times the diameter of the
diamond core to be extracted.

5.10. - If during drilling it is detected that contact is being made with reinforcing steel or some foreign element
within the concrete, the drilling is stopped and this is reviewed/verified.

If it is confirmed that there is steel, drilling will not continue at that point and another point will be chosen for
extraction.

D) Disassembly:
5.11. - One person firmly holds the diamond drill, while another releases the anchor nut to dismantle it.

5.12. - With the help of a punch, the extracted core is removed. Once the core is removed, it is superficially dried
with the help of rags.

5.13. - The extracted core is reviewed to determine its compliance.

If there is any observation that causes the nucleus to be discarded; Another adjacent sample will be extracted in the
same extraction area or as indicated by the client.

5.14. - The extracted core is identified on its outer surface with the help of a thick-tipped indelible marker. The
samples are left in the environment for approximately 30 minutes so that the surface water evaporates.

5.15. - After this time, the extracted cores are wrapped with stretch film type plastic (to avoid moisture loss) and
placed in the sample holder box if necessary. It is worth mentioning that the box is conditioned to prevent the
diamond cores from being hit during transport.

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 EXTRACTION PROCEDURE
OF DIAMOND CORE
E) Repair:
5.16.

- The holes generated are cleaned internally with the help of rags.

5.17. - The repair and epoxy mortar is prepared, following the manufacturer's recommendations.
Mixing the repair mortar can be manual or mechanical until a uniform consistency is obtained.

5.18. - The inner surface of the hole is impregnated with epoxy with the help of a brush.

5.19. - While the epoxy is still fresh to the touch, it should be filled with repair mortar (with a dense, plastic and
moldable consistency), to prevent it from flowing.

5.20. - The exterior surface is rubbed.

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 c c c EXTRACTION PROCEDURE
CONCRETE QUALITY CONTROL
SAC
OF DIAMOND CORE

5.21. - Finally, care must be taken for adequate transportation to prevent the samples from being damaged. At
CCC we have a special box for this.

6.- REFERENCES:
▪ ASTM C42/42M – 18 : Standard test method for obtaining and testing drilled cores and sawed beams of
concrete.

▪ NTP 339,059 - 2017

: Method for obtaining and testing diamond cores and cut concrete beams.

Luis Gutierrez Barahona

General manager

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