Quality Control Testing

Mississippi Concrete Industries

Association
Robert Varner, P.E.
Testing Freshly Mixed
Concrete

 Sampling - ASTM C172

 Slump - ASTM C143
 Temperature - ASTM C1064
 Density - ASTM C138
 Air Content - ASTM C231/C173
 Strength Specimens - ASTM C31
Sampling - ASTM C 172

 1 ft3
 Composite sample
 Middle of truck
 Protect sample
Slump - ASTM C143

 Consistency: The
ability of freshly
mixed concrete to
flow as measured in
the slump test.
(expressed in
inches of slump)
 Temperature ASTM C1064
• Affects concrete behavior
• May be important in trouble-shooting problems
• May be a specification issue
 Density - ASTM C138
 Density (Unit
Weight)
– Weight of concrete
divided by a known
volume.
– Conventional concrete
has a unit weight in
the range of 137 to
150 pcf
 Lightweight: 15 pcf
 Heavyweight: 375 pcf

– Measured primarily to
compute yield
 Yield

Yield is the volume of concrete produced in a

batch (typically expressed in yd 3)

yield =  Batch weights (Cement,FA,CA,H 2O)

Unit Weight
 Air Content
ASTM C 173 - ASTM C231
 Measures entrained (tiny) and entrapped
(larger) air voids, expressed as a percentage
of the total volume of concrete
 Entrained: generally 0.0004” to 0.04” Ø
 Entrapped: 0.04” Ø and up
 Somewhat a function of aggregate
characteristics
– Non-air-entrained concrete w/ 1” coarse aggregate
has about 1-1/2% entrapped air
Volumetric Method
ASTM C173
Pressure Method ASTM C231
Strength Specimens
 Cylinders
– 6 X 12
– 4X8
 Beams
– 6 X 6 X 20

 Curing Specimens
– Standard curing
– Field curing
 Making & Curing
Concrete Test Specimens
ASTM C31 Field
ASTM C192 Lab

Compressive Strength of
Cylindrical Specimens
ASTM C39
Making & Curing Concrete
Test Specimens
ASTM C31 Field
ASTM C192 Lab

ASTM C 78
Flexural Strength -
Third Point Loading
Standard Curing
 Curing procedures required by ASTM
C 31 for strength specimens that are
made for:
– Acceptance testing
– Checking adequacy of mix proportions
– Quality control
 Includes 2 curing stages:
– Initial curing
– Final curing
Initial Curing

 Temperature
– < 6000 psi – 60 to
80 ° F
– ≥ 6000 psi – 68 to 78
°F
 Moisture
– Prevent moisture
loss
 Time
– Up to 48 hours
 Transportation of
Cylinders To Laboratory
 Wait 8 hours after final set
 Protect with suitable cushioning material
 Protect from freezing
 Prevent moisture loss
 Transportation time not to exceed 4 hours
 Final Curing

 Temperature
– 73° ± 3° F
 Moisture
– Free moisture on
surface at all times
 Time
– Within 30 minutes
after removing the
molds until testing
Field Curing
Temperature and moisture conditions as close
as possible to those of the in-place concrete
for curing specimens that are made for:
– Strength verification prior to putting the structure
or pavement into service
– Comparison with test results of standard cured
specimens or various in-place test methods
– Adequacy of curing and protection of concrete in
the structure
– Strength check for form or shoring removal
Questions?
Mississippi Concrete Industries
Association
Phone: (601) 957-5274
email:
rvarner@mississippiconcrete.com
website: mississippiconcrete.com