Mini_Unit 6 (Pt 2): CONCRETE Str

and Testing (Part 2)

Presentations
By
PV ESWAR

29-Sep-14

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FACTORS INFLUENCING
STR OF CONCRETE

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FACTORS
FACTORS affecting the Str of Concrete can be broadly grouped into
those Depending upon the Testing Methods and
the others Independent of the Testing Methods.

FACTORS Depending on Testing Methods are

Size of Test Specimen,

Size of Specimen relative to Max Size of Agg,
Moisture Condition of Specimen,
Rate of Loading adopted, and
type of Testing Machine used;

FACTORS Independent of Testing Method are

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Type of Cement and Age of Cement,

Type and Size of Agg,
Degree of Compaction,
W-C ratio,
Agg-Cement ratio,
Air Voids,
Curing Method and Curing Temp, and
Type of Stress Situation that may exist (Uniaxial, Biaxial and Triaxial).
Eswar/ BTech2/ BMCT/ U6_CCStrTestetc

Influence on Str: SIZE of TEST SPECIMEN

The form of Specimen which is most commonly

adopted is Cube. The Concrete Cubes of side 150 mm,
cured for 28 days are tested in the Moist Saturated
Condition in Compr.
For Brittle Materials such as Concrete which Rupture
on Planes inclined > 45 with the Horizontal,
Cube Test Specimen is NOT suitable;
since the Str is INCREASED by Frictional Restraint acting at
the Surfaces under Pressure.
Frictional Restraint from the Plates OPPOSES the Lateral
Expansion of the Specimen, and subjects its ends to Inward
Compressive Forces.
These Inward Compressive Forces DIMINISH with distance
from the ends, but a Cube is SO SHORT that their Effect
extends throughout its Volume.

A Cube is therefore tested under Non-Uniform Tri-Axial

Compr
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3. However, the Frictional

Restraint developed along
the contact with the PLATES
OPPOSES this
Lateral Expansion
creating INWARD
COMPRESSIVE FORCES

Compressive Load

1. Frictional Restraint
From the PLATES
Develops along the
SURFACE here

2. Under Compressive Load,

Specimen tries to expand
Laterally.

Concrete Specimen

Testing Platfrom

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Influence on Str: SIZE OF TEST SPECIMEN

Prisms or Cylinders with a Ht equal to Twice the least
Lateral Dimension are more suitable for such materials.
End Effects have Less Influence in these Specimens, and
the Cylinder Str of Concrete is a good estimate of the
Mono-Axial Compr Str

A Cube of Concrete is expected to have a Str 15% > a

Cylindrical Specimen.
Ht/Side ratio
If Ht/Side ratio is changed, the Compr Str of the Prisms
relative to Cube changes and is given in Table 10.4.
For Ht/Side > 4, it STABILISES.
The effect of Ht/ lateral Dimension ratio of Specimen on
Compr Str is shown in Fig. 10.20.

If Size of Cube is DECREASED

the Compr Str tends to INCREASE (Table 10.5),
whereas Modulus of Elasticity DECREASES
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Fig 10.20
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f
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Influence on Str: SIZE OF SPECIMEN

The Test Specimen, as regards the Size and
Shape, is different in different countries.
Gen.. 150 mm Cubes are specified irrespective
of size of Aggregate.
However, for Aggregate <19 mm, 100 mm
Cube is also allowed.

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Influence on Str: STRESS SITUATION

Concrete is supposed to be tested for Uni-Axial Compr
with the Line of Action of Load on a Cube Specimen at
90 deg to the Axis of Cube about which it is Cast.
However, Cube Specimens of Concrete tested are
under Non-Uniform Tri-Axial Compr.
Also, in actual structure, the Concrete at any point is in
a Complex Stress Condition and NOT in a Uni-Axial
Compr which forms a ground for the recommendation
of Cube Specimen.
Concrete under Tri-Axial State offers MORE Resistance
and Fails only after considerable Deformations giving
HIGHER Crushing Str than the Actual, which
JUSTIFIES Uni-Axial Compr Testing and the use of
Cylindrical Specimen.
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Influence on Str: MOISTURE CONTENT of SPECIMEN

Str of Dry Sample = (1.1 to 1.2) Str of Saturated
Sample
Str of Concrete depends upon Moisture Content at the
Time of Testing. Dry Cubes give Higher Str.
Str loss in Dry Cubes.
Due to Drying Shrinkage and Bond Failure leading to Smaller Str.

Str loss in Wet Cubes.

The Moisture Content in Concrete provides Lubrication Effect
and REDUCES the Str.
Due to Dilution of the Cement Gel by the Absorbed Water the
force of Cohesion between the Cement Particles is DECREASED.

However, Str LOSS in Dry Cubes < Str LOSS in Wet cubes
Dry Cubes give Higher Str.

For getting Uniformity in Results the Specimen

should be Tested immediately AFTER taking it out of
Curing Tank
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Influence on Str: AIR VOIDS

These are formed
because of the Evaporation of the Water used in
making Concrete and
by Entrained Air.

If the Water Used is > Optimum Water

required for Max Str, the Concrete becomes
Permeable and Susceptible to Deterioration.
The REDUCTION in Str with an INCREASE in %
Air Voids is shown in Fig. 10.21.
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Loss of Str (vs) % Air Voids

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Influence on Str: RATE OF LOADING

Str of Concrete INCREASES with the INCREASE
in Rate of Loading.
The influence of Rate of Loading on the Compr
Str is shown in Fig. 10.22.
Normally, in a Static Loading Test,
rate is such that the test is completed in 2 - 3 Min.
Within this range, the Effect is found to be NEGLIGIBLE
At LOW Rates of Loading there is MORE Time for
Creep to occur, so that the increase of Str with Rate of
Loading provides EVIDENCE for the theory that Failure
occurs at Limiting Values of Strain, rather than Stress.
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The relation between Observed Str and Rate of Loading is

given by

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Rate of appln of Load vs Str

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Influence on Str: TYPE OF TESTING MACHINE

Compr Str Tests of Concrete are made in Various
Machines either of the
Lever-Arm type or
Adoptions of Lever Presses as well as
Computerized.

Considerable Discrepancies have been found to occur

between the Results of Compr Str Test made with
different types of Machines. It may be up to even 20%.
It may be because of
Errors in Centering the Cubes,
Wear of the Lower Compr Plate,
Friction in the Spherical Seating of the Upper Compr Plate,
and
Inaccurate Calibration of the Machine itself.
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3. However, the Frictional

Restraint developed along
the contact with the PLATES
OPPOSES this
Lateral Expansion
creating INWARD
COMPRESSIVE FORCES

Compressive Load

INCORRECT,
ECCENTRIC
LOADING

UPPER
COMPR
PLATE

1. Frictional Restraint
From the PLATES
Develops along the
SURFACE here

2. Under Compressive Load,

Specimen tries to expand
Laterally.

Concrete Specimen

Lower Compr Plate

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Influence on Str: TYPE & AGE OF CEMENT

The effect of Type of Cement on the Rate of
Str Gain is shown in Fig. 10.23.
With Age, the Str of Cement REDUCES
since it will set by Absorption of Moisture
from the Atmosphere.
The Effect of Storage of Cement under
different conditions with Age is shown in Fig.
10.24.
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Different Types of Cement & Str

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Effect of Storage of Cement on Str

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GAIN IN STR WITH AGE

* Concrete GAINS Str with Age. Initially Strength developed is MORE.
* However, the RATE of gain in Str DIMINISHES with Age.
* It is customary to assume the 28 days Str as Full Str of CC.

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STR at EARLY AGES

28 day Str is known as Characteristic Str of Concrete.
Formulae for determining the Concrete Str at
1 day or 7 day are:
f28 = k2 (f7)k1
Where
f7, f28 are strengths at 7 and 28 days,
respectively
k1 = 0.30.8 (for different Cements)
k2 = 34 (for different Curing Conditions)
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Factors affecting Str: CEMENT-AGG RATIO

Provided other factors are kept constant, CementAggregate RATIO will greatly influence Concrete Str
With an INCREASE in Cement - Aggregate ratio the
Ultimate Str will INCREASE to some extent as shown in
Fig. 10.25.

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Str (vs) Aggregate-Cement Ratio

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Factors affecting Str: TYPE AND SIZE OF AGG

The extent to which an Aggregate will Pack Down and
produce a Min Void Content is DEPENDENT on its
Particle Shape.
Crushed Stone and Gravels give HIGHER Str.
REDUCTION in Void Content of the CA by BETTER PACKING
means amount of Mortar REDUCED and hence FA and
Cement REDUCED. Thus the CA to FA ratio is INCREASED;
and
although the Overall Mix may be Leaner, the Mortar may be
Richer,
and by virtue of REDUCTION in W/C ratio (which may thereby
be permitted), the Str of Concrete may be INCREASED.

A rounded Spherical or Cubical shaped Aggregate when

Compacted contains LESS Voids than an Irregular and
Flaky Aggregate of the same Nominal Size. Therefore, the
FORMER gives HIGHER Str.
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Factors affecting Str: TYPE AND SIZE OF AGG

A Common Belief has been that
the LARGER the Max Size of Agg the Denser and Stronger
will be the Concrete.
The Large Agg have LOWER Total Surface Area and require
Lower W/C ratio resulting in Higher Str.

In practice it is not so. It varies due to following reasons:

The Larger Agg give Lower Surface Area for development of Gel
Bonds leading to Lower Str.
Also, Large Agg give Heterogeneous Concrete causing
Non-Uniform Distribution of Load when Stressed.

The INFLUENCE of Max size of Aggregate on Compr Str of

Concrete with different Cement Contents is shown in Fig.
10.26, and that with different W/C ratios is shown in Fig.
10.27.
The Str of Aggregate does not affect that of Concrete
greatly as long as it is HIGHER than the Design Grade of
Concrete.
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* RICHER Concrete
(HIGH Cement Content)
* Str DECREASES as
Agg size INCREASES

* LEANER Concrete
(LOWER Cement Content)
Str INCREASES as
Agg size INCREASES

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Factors affecting Str: DEGREE OF COMPACTION

Inadequate Compaction leading to Air Void Contents
leads to LOSS of Str
5% 30%
10% 55%

Following equation may be used to find the Variation in Str.

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 The effect of Deg of Compaction on Str is shown

in Fig. 10.28

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Factors affecting Str: MIXING TIME

Str of Concrete (vs) Time of Mixing

Str of Concrete INCREASES with INCREASE in Time of Mixing, up to 2 Minutes

beyond which NO significant improvement is observed.

Fig 10.29 shows the RELATION

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Factors affecting Str:

CURING METHOD & CURING TEMP

The effect of Method of Curing on Str has

been discussed in Sec. 10.3.
The HIGHER the Temp the GREATER is the
Rate of Hardening of Concrete.
10 hrs curing at Temp of about 90C, Concrete
may attain 70% of its 28 day Str

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