Faculty of Architecture BDesinArch Design Studies1B

DESA1102 Structures

Constructing the Environment

LAB 3 - Testing concrete

Before coming to the laboratory, you should have read through these instructions
and be familiar with the general nature of the work required.
Record the results as the work proceeds, and write-up on the report sheets
attached.
Objectives
1.

To teach the students how to do and interpret simple compressive loading tests.

To find out the strength of the concrete cylinders made in Experiment 1, and of bricks,
by tests.

To give the students an idea of the strength of concrete and brick, and some of the
factors that affect their strength.

PART A:

TESTING CONCRETE CYLINDERS

Apparatus
Theequipmenttobeusedisahydrauliccompressionmachinewithameasuringgauge.In
ordertoobtainconsistenttestresults,theloadshouldbeappliedatauniformspeedof
about4kNpersecond,withtheoilpressurebeingvariedasnecessarytoobtainthisspeed.
Thedialindicates the force thattheram applies tomaterials beingtested. Thisdial
indicatesforceinkiloNewtons(kN).

Take the cylinders of concrete made in the first experiment. Measure and note their
mass separately. Identify the concrete mix by the colour of the mould the cylinder was
cast in and the water/cement ratio.
Thecylindersshouldbefairlyconsistentinmass.Alightweightcylinderprobablymeans
itwasnotfullycompacted,andhasairvoidsinit.

Place each of the specimens vertically in the testing machine in turn, and load it to
destruction. Note the batch (red, blue or yellow), and the maximum force and sketch
the mode of failure in each case.
Operatingthepress
Thevalveatthebottomoftheoilreservoirandthevalvebehindthedialgaugeshouldbe
closedfingertightpriortoeachtest.Aftereachtestreleasethepressureonthesevalves
slowly.
Attach the safety screen before loading the test pieces. Sometimes a very
strong specimen will shatter on failure. Most failures will be gradual.

From the maximum force, calculate the crushing stress of each specimen.
Tocalculatethecrushingstress.
Stressisforceperunitarea.Theforceisgivendirectlybythegauge,inkN.

Faculty of Architecture

DESA 1102, Design Studies, Structures

Lab3

Theareaofconcreteonwhichitactsisthecrosssectionofthespecimen.Thespecimenis
150mmdiameter,sotheareaisD2/4=17671mm2.
Thereforefc=Px103/17671MPa.,where
fcisthecrushingstress,andPistheforceinkiloNewtons(soPx103istheforceinNewtons).
Newtonspermm2isthesameasMegaNewtonsperm2orMegaPascals.

RECORDALLTHERELEVANTINFORMATIONABOUTTHEDIFFERENTCONCRETES
ANDTESTSONTHEATTACHEDLABORATORYREPORTSHEETS.
Beforefillingoutthereport,makesureyouknowalltheresultsofyourgroupswork.Ask
yourcolleaguesifnecessary.

PART B: TESTING BRICKS AND BRICK PIERS

(a) Crushing tests.

Thecrushingstrengthofabrickistestedbylayingitflatbetweentheplatesofthetesting
machine,andloadingitatauniform,slowrate.

Carry out this crushing test:

(i)

on each of two single bricks, and

(ii)

on each of two already-made piers, each three bricks high.

Record the maximum crushing force, and observe the mode of failure in each case.
Make sketches showing how the test pieces failed. Compare the results of the bricks
and the walls. What can be the reason for the difference?

Determine the mean crushing strength in megapascals (MPa) in each case.

Thecrushingstrength(compressivestrength)isfoundbydividingtheforceneededto
causethebricktofail(P,themaximumforceitcanresist)bythecrosssectionalarea(A)
ofthebrickincontactwiththebearingplateofthemachinefb=P/A.
Note thatthesizeofthefaceofthebricksincontact withthebearingplatemustbe
measuredbeforethebricksaretested.
Before leaving the laboratory, properly clean all the equipment. Place the broken
concrete iand brick in the wheelbarrow and bins provided and deposit it in the
industrial waste bin outside.