Exp No.

13 Tensile Strength Of Concrete

Introduction :
the tensile strength is obtained by the direct un axial tensile test. But the tensile test
is difficult and expensive for routine application. The splitting tensile test appears to
offer a desirable alternative, because it is much simpler and inexpensive.
Furthermore, engineers involved in rock mechanics design usually deal with
complicated stress fields, including various combinations of compressive and tensile
stress fields. Under such conditions, the tensile strength should be obtained with the
presence of compressive stresses to be representative of the field conditions. The
splitting tensile strength test is one of the simplest tests in which such stress fields
occur. Since it is widely used in practice, a uniform test method is needed for data to
be comparable. A uniform test is also needed to ensure that the disk specimens break
diameter due to tensile pulling along the loading diameter.

1. Objective:

• Determine the splitting tensile strength of cylindrical concrete

specimens.

2. Apparatus:-

• Compressive testing machine with :

o Two bearing plates of length greater than the specimen.
• Bearing Strips .
3. Procedures:-

A. Preparation of concrete:

• Add the coarse aggregate & some of mixing water ,then start the
mixer.
• Add the fine aggregate , cement & the rest of water with the mixer running

• Mixing for 3 minutes after adding all materials, then rest the mixer for 3
minutes & then mix for 2 minutes .

• Note: cover the mixer during the rest period .

Exp No.13 Tensile Strength Of Concrete

• Extract the mix concrete , put it into clean pan & remix it using a shovel to
eliminate segregation .

B. Preparation of cylinder :- (Fig(3))

i. Fill the cylinder on three layers.

ii. Fill the first layer of the cylinder (one third of the length of cylinder) & tamp it
25 strokes distributed uniformly on the whole surface of the cylinder by
using tamping rod it's diameter is 16 mm .

iii. Fill the second layer & the last layer as same as the first layer .

iv. Level the surface of the cylinder by using the trowel

v. Left the cylinder for 24 hours in wet place & away from the sun.

vi. But the specimen in the curing bowls until we do the test

vii. When we do the test exist it before15 minutes from making the test & dry it
surface .

30 cm

15
cm

C. Break the cylindrical :

i. Measure the average length (L) & the average diameter of the cylinder.
Exp No.13 Tensile Strength Of Concrete

ii. Put the cylinder horizontally on the compressive testing machine so the
compressive load will converted to tensile load on the cylinder.

iii. Record the max load when the cylinder split . (P splitting).

iv. Compute the splitting Tensile Strength of the concrete by using the following
equation :

v. Compute the Ratio between tensile & compression by the following relation :

Ratio =

Notes :-

• The ratio must be in the range of (7-14)% ≃10%

• We must convert one of these stress to be the stress of same mold by the following
relation :

ƒc cylinder = ƒ´c cube

ratio =

4. Measurements:-

• L(length) = 30 cm

• D(diameter)= 15 cm
Exp No.13 Tensile Strength Of Concrete

• P splitting = 187.2 KN

5. Calculations :-

 = 2.648 M Pa

 For cylinder :-

= ×31.7755 =25.4204 M Pa

ratio = = 9.60%

 For cube:-

= ×2.648 =3.310 M Pa

ratio = = 9.60%

6. Result:-

 = 2.648 M Pa

 Ratio = 9.60%

7. Comments :-

• The deference expected ratio between the two values of �com & �
splitting are due to the following :
Exp No.13 Tensile Strength Of Concrete

o We don’t finish all procedures in the standard time limit (2.5

minutes).

o The deference in filling the cylinder & cubes

o The deference in the way of tamping may affect on the ratio.

• The ratio between the two values of �com & � splitting is in the ASTM
range .

• The � splitting is low that mean the concrete are weak in tensile &
powerful in compression .

• To solve the problem of tensile in concrete we support it by using

steel as a reinforcement .

• This test is follows ASTM specification .