UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS

ENCE 2311
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS LAB

Concrete Compression Tests

Submitted by: Ahmed Alshammari

Objective:
To prepare a batch of concrete from a premixed bag; perform a slump test; prepare 6 x 12 test
cylinders; perform compression tests on the cylinders at 7 and 28 days; determine and draw
stress/strain curves from test results; determine E and fc at 7 and 28 days.

Equipment:
Preparation of Concrete Cylinders
- Home Depot concrete mix
- Portland cement
- Water
- Three (3) cylindrical molds
- Wheelbarrow
- Shovel
- Slump cone
- Ruler
- Mallet
- tamping rod
- Trowel
- Scooper
7-Day Compression Test
- Tinius Olsen Universal Hydraulic Testing Machine (UHTM)
- Compressometer
- Plastic protective shield
- Swivel base
- One (1) concrete cylinder specimen hardened for seven (7) days
28-Day Compression Test
- Tinius Olsen Universal Hydraulic Testing Machine (UHTM)
- Compressometer
- Plastic protective shield
- Swivel base
- One (1) concrete cylinder specimens hardened for twenty-eight (28) days
Theory
Stress measures the force per unit of cross-sectional area exerted on a specimen under a given
load.
force , P ( lb )
P
stress , ( psi )=
= ( psi)
2
cross sectional area , A ( ) A
Strain measures the deformation of a specimen due to stress.
strain , =

deflection , L ()
L
=
(dimensionless)
original length, L() L

The modulus of elasticity, or Youngs Modulus, measures the stiffness of an elastic material. It is
a constant, its value dependent on the material being tested. For most materials, Youngs
Modulus is calculated in the linear elastic region of a materials stress-strain curve by calculating
the slope of the line resulting from the series of stress-strain values leading up to a materials
yield stress. Concrete, however, does not experience a yield stress; it simply fails at what is
called its ultimate breaking stress, or fc. Therefore, Youngs Modulus for concrete is found on
the materials stress-strain curve by calculating the slope of the line with endpoints located at the
1
origin and at one half of the specimens ultimate breaking stress, or
fc.
2
modulus of elasticity , E ( psi )=

stress , ( psi)
= ( psi)
strain ,

In practical applications, the modulus of elasticity for concrete is commonly found using the
formula provided by the American Concrete Institute (ACI).
modulus of elasticity , E ACI ( psi )=57000 ultimate breaking stress , f ' c (psi)
In this experiment, we will find the modulus of elasticity for each concrete cylinder using the
above two methods graphically and formulaically and then compare the resulting two values.

Procedure:
Preparation of Concrete Cylinders
1. We first followed the directions on the bag of concrete to mix the concrete.
a. We emptied the contents of the bag of concrete into the wheelbarrow.
b. We then added the water to the concrete mix in small batches, stirring
continuously with the shovel so as not to let the concrete harden.
c. Once all the water had been added and the concrete mixed thoroughly, we added a
small amount of Portland cement to the mix in an effort to obtain a stronger
finished product. We mixed the concrete/cement mixture until the cement had
been distributed evenly throughout the concrete.
2. Next, we carried out our slump test.
a. Using the scooper, we put some of the concrete/cement mixture into the slump
cone, filling it up one third (1/3) of the way.
b. Using the tamping rod, we tamped the mixture twenty-five (25) times around the
perimeter working our way inward towards the center, making sure to touch the
bottom of the cone each time.
c. After we finished tamping the mixture, we used the mallet to hit the side of the
cone a few times to both level out the mixture and to remove any large, latent
pockets of air.

d. We then added some more of the concrete/cement mixture into the cone, filling it
another one third (1/3) of the way up so the cone would be two thirds (2/3) full.
e. Using the tamping rod, we tamped the mixture twenty-five (25) times around the
perimeter working our way inward towards the center, making sure to reach all
the way to the bottom of the current layer and not penetrate the previous layer of
the mixture.
f. After we finished tamping the mixture, we used the mallet to hit the side of the
cone a few times to both level out the mixture and to remove any large, latent
pockets of air.
g. We then added some more of the concrete/cement mixture into the cone, filling it
up to the top of the cone.
h. Using the tamping rod, we tamped the mixture twenty-five (25) times around the
perimeter working our way inward towards the center, making sure to reach all
the way to the bottom of the current layer and not penetrate the previous layers of
the mixture.
i. After we finished tamping the mixture, we used the mallet to hit the side of the
cone a few times to both level out the mixture and to remove any large, latent
pockets of air. We also smoothed out the top surface of the mixture in the cone
with the trowel.
j. Lastly, we quickly removed the slump cone from the concrete/cement mixture and
measured the slump exhibited by the mixture by measuring its height with a ruler
and comparing it to the cones original height. The difference between these two
values is the slump of the mixture.
3. After performing the slump test, we filled each of the three (3) cylindrical molds with the
concrete/cement mixture using the same tamping method detailed above. The
concrete/cement test cylinders were then left to harden.
7-Day Compression Test
1. We allowed the concrete/cement test cylinders to harden for seven (7) days.
2. We removed one (1) test cylinder from its mold and put sulphur caps on its ends to even
out the planar surface and fill in any small crevices, valleys, or holes which may have
appeared during hardening. This is necessary to ensure that the load is evenly distributed
across the cylinder.
3. We attached the compressometer to the test cylinder.
4. We then placed the test cylinder into the UHTM, setting it on top of the swivel base to
ensure that the load is evenly distributed across the cylinder.
5. We began to load the test cylinder in compression, recording the force as read on the
UHTM for every one thousandth of an inch the dial in the compressometer moved.
6. Once the deformation as read on the compressometer reached 0.01 inches, we stopped
testing and removed the load from the cylinder. We then took the compressometer off the
cylinder.
7. We placed the test cylinder back into the UHTM.
8. Lastly, we loaded the test cylinder until it failed, and we recorded the maximum force as
shown on the UHTM at this point.

28-Day Compression Test

1. We allowed the concrete/cement test cylinder to harden for twenty-eight (28) days.
2. We then repeated steps 2-8 of the 7-day test procedure.

Data and Results:

Table 1 Test Cylinder Dimensions
Diameter, D (in)
6.0

Gauge Length, L (in)

8.0

Surface Area, A (in2)

28.30

Table 1 shows the concrete/cement test cylinder dimensions used in our calculations.
Table 2 Day 7 Compression Test Results
Deflection, L (in)
0
0.001
0.002
0.003
0.004
0.005
0.006
0.007
0.008
0.009
0.01

Force, P (lbs)
0
6959
12913
18000
23118
24431
31503
34752
38041
40776
43254

Strain,
0
0.000125
0.000250
0.000375
0.000500
0.000625
0.000750
0.000875
0.001000
0.001125
0.001250

Stress, (psi)
0
245.90
456.29
636.04
816.89
863.29
1113.18
1227.99
1344.20
1440.85
1528.41

Pmax

52537

max or f'c

1856.43

0.5f'c

928.22

1856.43

928.22

Strain,

Figure 1 Day 7 Stress-Strain Curve

Table 3 Day 28 Compression Test Results

Deflection, L (in)
0
0.001
0.002
0.003
0.004
0.005
0.006
0.007
0.008
0.009
0.01

Force, P (lbs)
0
7819
14926
21043
27582
33331
39189
44804
49991
54721
58699

Strain,
0
0.000125
0.000250
0.000375
0.000500
0.000625
0.000750
0.000875
0.001000
0.001125
0.001250

Stress, (psi)
0
276.29
527.42
743.57
974.63
1177.77
1384.77
1583.18
1766.47
1933.60
2074.17

Pmax

78403

max or f'c

2770.42

0.5f'c

1385.21

3000
2770.42
2500
2000
Stress, (psi) 1500

1385.21

1000
500
0

Figure 2 Day 28 Stress-Strain Curve

Figures 1-2 show the stress-strain curves for each concrete/cement test cylinder after the
specified hardening time. The ultimate breaking stress, fc, is denoted by an orange square on
each figure. One half (1/2) of the ultimate breaking stress, 0.5fc, is denoted by a gray triangle
on each figure. The slope of the line along the stress-strain curve with endpoints at the origin
and at 0.5fc is taken to be the materials modulus of elasticity as explained in the Theory
section of this report.

The graphical modulus of elasticity and ACI modulus of elasticity for each test cylinder is given
beneath each figure.

Day 7

Day 28, Cylinder 1

Discussion and Conclusions:

After performing this experiment, we found that the concrete/cement test cylinders which were
allowed to harden for twenty-eight (28) days were able to withstand more load than the
concrete/cement test cylinder which only hardened for seven (7) days. This is supported in both
the values for ultimate breaking stress and modulus of elasticity for the test cylinders. The
ultimate breaking stress of test cylinders hardened for twenty-eight (28) days was 1385.21 psi
more than that of the test cylinder hardened for seven (7) days. The same increase in strength
and hardness is reflected in the values for modulus of elasticity, which was higher for the
cylinder hardened for twenty-eight (28) days as opposed to the cylinder hardened for seven (7)
days. Tables 2-3 also show that the concrete/cement test cylinders hardened for twenty-eight
(28) days required more force than did the test cylinder hardened for seven (7) days to deform
the same amount. From this information, we can conclude that the longer concrete is allowed to
harden, the stronger it will be.