Course 2: Compressive Strength.

Tensile Strength.

Lecturer - PhD.Eng. Radu OLAR

1. Purpose of the course

2. Objectives
3. Compressive strength of the concrete
4. Tensile strength of the concrete
5. Video files:
• compressive strengths of concrete – experimental test
• flexural tensile strength of concrete – experimental test
• splitting tensile strength of concrete – experimental test
6. Activity
7. Conclusions
8. References
 To introduce the necessary concepts that will

allow students to structure and correctly

define aspects related to compressive strength

and tensile strength of the concrete.

After completing the course the students will be

able to:
 to use appropriate terms to define the
aspects regarding the concrete strengths,
 to know adequate calculus notations and
relationships for this purpose,
 to identify the parameters that influence
concrete strengths,
 to resolve self-evaluation test in accordance
with the objectives.
controlled by the proportioning of:
• cement,
• coarse and fine aggregates,
• water (is the chief factor for determining
concrete strength, as shown in figure,
the lower is the water-cement ratio,
the higher is the compressive strength.),
• various admixtures.

Water:
• necessary for the proper chemical action
in the hardening of concrete,
• extra water increases the workability but reduces strength.

a. spliting
b. sliping
 The concrete of a given strength is identified by its “class”. A class C20/25
concrete, for example, has a characteristic cylinder crushing strength, at 28
days, fck = 20 N/mm2 and a characteristic cube crushing strength
fck,cube = 25N/mm2.

C20/25
fck fck,cube
(cylinder) (cube)

Video file

Compressive strength of concrete – experimental test [7]

• an important property that greatly affects the extent and size of cracking
in structures.
• is a more variable property than compressive strength, and is about 10 to
15% of it.
Video file

Flexural tensile strength of concrete - experiemental test [8]

Video file

Splitting tensile strength of concrete – experimental test [9]

 A1.
What are the reasons why the structural elements made of
concrete shall be reinforced with steel bars :

a) compressive strength of concrete ?

b) tensile strength of concrete ?
c) both compressive and tensile strength of concrete ?

Give three arguments :

1. Argument 1: _______________________
2. Argument 2: _______________________
3. Argument 3: _______________________

1. The strengths of concrete depends on many factors: notably the proportions of the ingredients
and the conditions of temperature and moisture under which it is placed and cured.
2. The strengths of concrete is controlled by the proportioning of cement, coarse and fine
aggregates, water, and various admixtures.
3. The ratio of water to cement is the chief factor for determining concrete strength. The lower the
water-cement ratio, the higher the compressive strength.
4. Actual strength of concrete in place in the structures is also greatly affected by quality control
procedures for placement and inspection.
5. When an assessment of the strength of in-placed concrete is desired procedures ranging from
tests of cylindrical cores cut from the structure to the use of nondestructive or destructive tests
are available.
6. Concrete generally increases its strength with age.
7. Usually, national codes do not permit the use of strength greater than the 28-day value in
calculations.
8. The strength of concrete in tension is an important property that greatly affects the extent and
size of cracking in structures.
9. Tensile strength is a more variable property than compressive strength, and is about 10 to 15%
of it.
10. The tensile strength of concrete is only about 10 per cent of the compressive strength. Because
of this, nearly all r.c. structures are designed on the assumption that the concrete does not resist
any tensile forces. Reinforcements are designed to carry these tensile forces, which are
transferred by bond between the interfaces of the two materials. 14
1. Oneţ T., Olar R.: “Reinforced Concrete – Handbook – Part 1”, Ed. U.T.Pres, Cluj-
Napoca 2010,
2. Oneţ T.: Reinforced Concrete, Ed.U.T.Pres, Cluj-Napoca 2001.
3. Kiss Z., Oneţ. T.: Proiectarea structurilor de beton după SR EN 1992-1. Ed. Abel,
Cluj-Napoca 2008.
4. * * * SR EN 1992-1-1:2004. Proiectarea structurilor de beton. Partea 1-1: Reguli
generale pentru clădiri. (ASRO)
5. Oneţ T., Olar R.: “Beton Armat”, Ed. U.T.Pres, Cluj-Napoca 2003, republished in
2004,
6. Oneţ T., Olar R.: “Beton Precomprimat”, Ed. U.T.Pres, Cluj-Napoca 2007,
7. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtvm7YNsSU0&feature=related]
8. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U1ZIb4c5oA&feature=related]
9. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c_vPBGi6lk]

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