ASTM C 231 - Air Content of Freshly

Mixed Concrete by the Pressure Method

 Determination of the air content of freshly mixed

concrete
 Intended for use with concretes and mortars made
with relatively dense aggregates

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 1

 ASTM C 231 - Air Content of Freshly
Mixed Concrete by the Pressure Method

 Not applicable to concretes made with:

 lightweight aggregates
 air cooled blast furnace slag
 aggregate with high porosity
 Not applicable also for non-plastic concrete
 Used in manufacturing of pipe and concrete masonry
units

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 2

 ASTM C 231
Apparatus
AIR
TAMPING
METER
ROD
TYPE - B

RUBBER
MALLET STRIKE
OFF PLATE

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 3

 ASTM C 231
Apparatus

 Air Meters (Type – A and Type – B)

 Type – B (Commonly used)
 Measuring bowl….
 Minimum diameter – 0.75 to 1.25 times the height
 A capacity of at least 0.20ft³ (5.7 L)
 Constructed to provide s pressure tight fit between the
measuring bowl and cover assembly

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 4

 ASTM C 231 PUMP

Apparatus PRESSURE
GAUGE
MAIN AIR
VALVE
AIR BLEEDER
VALVE

AIR
CHAMBER
PETCOCKS

CLAMP

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 5

 ASTM C 231
Apparatus

 Air Meters (Type – A and Type – B)

 Type – B (Commonly used)
 Cover Assembly
 Graduations ranges at least 8 %
 Readable to 0.1 %
 Air valves, air bleeders valves and petcocks
 Air pump with the cover assembly

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 6

 ASTM C 231
Apparatus

 Tamping rod
 5/8 in. [16 mm] ± 1/16 in. [2 mm] diameter
 Length - at least 4 in. [100 mm] > depth of measuring
bowl
 But not > 24 in. [600 mm] in overall length
 Length tolerance ± 1/8 in. [4 mm]
 Hemispherical tip of the same diameter of the rod

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 7

 ASTM C 231
Apparatus

 Rubber Mallet
 Weight approximately
 1.25 ± 0.50 lb [0.57 ± 0.23 kg] for 0.5 ft³ [14 L] measure or
smaller
 2.25 ± 0.50 lb [.02 ± 0.23 kg] for larger than 0.5 ft³ [14 L]
measure

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 8

 ASTM C 231
Apparatus

 Strike off bar

 Flat straight bar
 At least 1/18 in. [3 mm] thick
 ¾ in. [20 mm] by 12 in. [ 300 mm] wide
 Strike off plate
 Flat rectangular plate (steel or acrylic plate)
 ½ in. [12 mm] thick
 L & W = at least 2 in [50 mm] greater than the diameter of
the measure

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 9

 ASTM C 231
Apparatus

 Strike off plate…

 Edge of the plate shall be straight & smooth
 Tolerance of 1/16 in. [1.5 mm]
 Rubber syringe
 Vibrator (Practice c 192/C/192M)
 Hand scoop

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 10

 ASTM C 231
Apparatus

 Air Meters (Type – A and Type – B)

 Type – B (Commonly used)
 Cover Assembly
 Made of steel/hard metal or
 Any hard material not readily attached by cement paste
 Constructed to provide s pressure tight fit between the
measuring bowl and cover assembly
 Expansion factor not more than 0.1 % of air content

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 11

 ASTM C 231
Procedure:

 Obtain sample (C-172)

 Dampen the interior of the measure
 Place the composite sample in the measuring bowl
(no. of layers required by the consolidation method)
 Consolidate sample (Method of Consolidation)
 Strike off the top surface to finish smoothly

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 12

 ASTM C 231
Procedure:

Note:
 Measuring bowl must not contain excess/deficiency of
concrete
 Removal of 1/8 in. [3 mm] during strike off is optimum
 When using strike off plate, refer to C-138

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 13

 ASTM C 231
Procedure:

 Close the main air valve

 Open both petcocks
 Inject water through one petcock using a syringe until
it emerges to the opposite
 Jar the meter (expel air)
 Close the air bleeder valve
 Pump air into the air chamber until initial pressure line

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 14

 ASTM C 231
Procedure:

 Allow few seconds For the comp. air to cool

 Close both petcocks
 Open the main air valve
 Tap the sides of the bowl with a mallet
 Lightly tap the pressure gauge
 Read the percent of air on the dial gauge

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 15

 ASTM C 231
Procedure:

 Close the main air valve

 Release the pressure in the bowl by opening both
petcocks
NOTE:
 Open the petcocks one at a time
 Cover one petcock while opening the opposite petcock

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 16

 ASTM C 231
Aggregate Correction Factor
Fs = (S/B) x Fb

Cs = (S/B) x Cb

Where:
Fs = mass of fine aggregate of concrete under test, lb (kg.)
S = vol. of concrete sample (same as vol. of measure), ft³ (m³)
B = vol. of concrete produced per batch, ft³ (m³)
Fb = total mass fine aggregate in the moisture condition used in
batch (lb (kg.)
Cs = mass of coarse aggregate in concrete sample under test, lb (kg)
Cb = total mass coarse aggregate in the moisture condition used in
batch (lb (kg.)
Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 17
 ASTM C 231
Aggregate Correction Factor (G)

G = reading of the air content – vol. of water

removed for the measure

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 18

 ASTM C 231
Calculations:
Air content of sample tested (As)
As = A1 - G
Where:
As = air content of the sample tested, %
A1 = apparent air content of the sample tested, %
G = Aggregate correction factor, %

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 19

 ASTM C 231
Calculations:
Air content of Full Mixture (At)

At = 100 AsVc/ (100 Vt – As Va)

Where:
At = air content of the full mixture, %
Vc = absolute volume of the ingredients of the mixture
[passing a 1 ½ in. (37.5 mm) sieve, air free ft³ (m³)
Vt = absolute volume of all ingredients of the mixture, air
free, ft³ (m³) and
Va = absolute volume of the aggregate in the mixture
coarser than a 1 ½ in. (37.5 mm)
Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 20
sieve, ft³ (m³)
 ASTM C 231
Calculations:
Air content of Mortar Fraction (Am)

Am = 100 AsVc/ {(100 Vm + As (Vc - Vm)}

Where:
Am = air content of the mortar fraction, %, and
Vm = absolute volume of the ingredients of the mortar
fraction of the mixture, airfree, ft³ (m³)

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 21

 ASTM C 231
Report:

 Report the air content to the nearest 0.1 %

using the G
or to the nearest ½ scale div. if the scale
reading exceeds 8 %
 The date and time of the test
 When requested, the air content of the mortar
fraction of the mixture, nearest ¼ scale div.

Prepared by: Engr. Ronald C. Rabo 22