Introduction:

Concrete is one of the most widely used construction materials due to

its strength, durability, and versatility. However, the quality and
performance of concrete can vary significantly depending on various
factors, such as materials used, mixing proportions, curing conditions,
and construction practices. To ensure the quality and durability of
concrete structures, rigorous testing procedures are carried out at
different stages of the construction process. This report aims to
provide an overview of the various concrete tests commonly
conducted and their significance in ensuring the structural integrity of
concrete.

There are two types of test for concrete :-

1- Destructive test .
2- Non-destructive test .

1- Destructive test

1. Compressive Strength Test:

The compressive strength test is one of the most crucial tests

performed on concrete. It determines the ability of concrete to
withstand compressive forces and is a measure of its overall strength.
The test involves applying a gradually increasing load to a cylindrical
or cube-shaped concrete specimen until failure occurs. The maximum
load sustained by the specimen is then divided by its cross-sectional
area to determine the compressive strength. This test helps in
assessing the quality of concrete, validating mix designs, and ensuring
compliance with specified strength requirements.

Compressive Strength Test Idea:

1- Concrete is poured in the mould and compacted properly to reduce the

amount of voids.
2- After 24 hours, moulds are removed and test specimens are then placed in
water for curing.

3- After the specified curing period [3, 7, 28, 56, or 91 days], specimens are
tested by the compression testing machine.

4- Load is applied gradually until specimen failure.

5- Divide failure load by cross-sectional area of specimen to get the compressive

strength of concrete.

Compressive Strength Test Procedure:

TOOLS/APPARATUS

Compression test machine, moulds, mixer, trowel, tamping rod (steel bar 16 mm
diameter and 60 cm long)

SAMPLE PREPARATION

Samples are taken from the concrete patches used in site or prepared with the
same mixture as used in the field.

Specimen size: 3 cylinders [15 cm x 30 cm] or 3 cubes [15 cm x 15cm x 15 cm]

Minimum three specimens should be tested at each selected age. The Average
of there specimens gives the strength of concrete.

Concrete Mixing:

 by laboratory batch mixer, or

 by hand: First, mix the cement and fine aggregate until the mixture is
thoroughly blended. Then, add the coarse aggregate and mix until the
coarse aggregate is uniformly distributed. Finally, add water and mix until
the concrete appears to be homogeneous and of the required
consistency.

Pouring Concrete into moulds :

1- Clean the moulds properly and finish it with oil so that concrete will not stick
into the mould and make latter cleaning difficult.
2- Put concrete in the moulds layer by by layer. Each layer is around 5 cm thick.
Each layer is compacted with a tamping rod [35 stroke]

3- Level the top surface with a trowel

Curing:

Test specimens are kept in the moulds and stored in moist air for 24 hours and
then, the specimens are removed from the moulds and submerged in fresh
water for the specified curing period.

TEST PROCEDURE

1- Get the specimen out of water after curing time and wipe out excessive water
from the surface.

2- Measure the dimensions of the specimen are that will be subjected to load.

3- Place the specimen in the appropriate location in the test machine. Note the
load will be applied to the face perpendicular to the direction of casting.

4- Align the specimen centrally on the base plate of the machine.

5- Make the movable portion of machine touches the specimen top surface.

6- Apply the load gradually at the rate of 140 kg/cm2/minute until the specimen
fails

7- Record the maximum load.

CALCULATION OF COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

Cube size =15 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm

Area of the specimen subjected to load=150 x 150 = 2250 mm2

Maximum load at failure at 7 or 28 days = ………. N

Characteristic compressive strength(f ck) at 7 or 28 days days = Failure Load /

Area = ………….. N/mm2
Average compressive strength of the 3 concrete cubes = [strength of cube 1 +
strength of cube 2 + strength of cube 3] / 3 = ………….N/ mm2 (at 7 or 28 days)

GUIDANCE

The following table gives the strength of concrete at different ages as a

percentage of the strength at 28 days in order to accept the test result.

age % of 28 day strength

1 %16

3 %40

7 %65

14 %90

28 %100

2. Slump Test:
The slump test is a simple and widely used test to determine the
workability of fresh concrete. It measures the consistency and
flowability of concrete, indicating its ability to be properly placed,
compacted, and finished. In this test, a slump cone is filled with
freshly mixed concrete, and the cone is then removed, allowing the
concrete to settle. The difference in height between the original and
settled concrete is measured, providing an indication of its
workability.

Principle of Slump test

The slump value of concrete is just a principle of gravity flow of surface of the concrete cone
that indicates the amount of water added to it, which means how much this concrete mix is in
workable condition.

Apparatus for Slump test

Followings apparatus are used in the slump test of concrete:

 Metallic mould in the shape of a frustum of cone having bottom diameter 20 cm (8 in),
top diameter 10 cm (4 in) and height 30 cm (12in).
 Steel tamping rod having 16 mm (5/8 in) diameter, 0.6 m (2 ft.) long with bullet end.

Procedure of Slump test

During Slump test following steps are followed:

 First of all, the internal surface of the mould is cleaned and free from moisture and free
from other old sets of concrete.
 Then place the mould on the smooth horizontal, rigid, and non-absorbant surface.
 The mould is then filled with fresh concrete in four layers with taping each layer 25 times
by taping rod, and level the top surface with a trowel.
 Then the mould is slowly pulled in vertical and removed from concrete, so as not to
disturb the concrete cone.
 This free concrete deform all the surface to subside due to the effect of gravity.
 That subsidence of concrete in the periphery is a SLUMP of concrete.
 The height difference between the height of subsidence concrete and mould cone in mm
is ‘slump value of concrete’.

Recorded slump value of a sample is = ……… mm

 Degree of
Placing Conditions Slump(mm)
workability

Binding concrete (member of concrete by spreading, shallow

Compaction factor
Very Low sections, Pavements using pavers (mixer with spreading
0.75 – 0.8
arrangements)

Mass concrete, lightly reinforced slab, beam, wall, column

Low sections, canal lining, strip footing (ling wall with smaller 25 – 75
width )

Heavily reinforced sections in slab, beams, walls, columns.

Medium 50-100
Slip formwork (slope concrete), pumped concrete.

High Trench fill, in-situ piling 100-150

Tremie concrete (concreting in water by using water tight

Very high Flow test.
pipe to pour concrete.)

Slump test concrete - Apparatus

Table: Value of Slump at different degree of Workability

Shape of concrete slump

When the metal mould is removed from the concrete cone, the slump takes the following shapes:

 True Slump: True shape of a slump is only a verified slump. This shape is measure as
the difference between the top layer of the cone to the top of the slump concrete.
 Collapse Slump: It shows that due to a high water-cement ratio, the shape of a slump is
not a clear dimension. It means, concrete is very high workability, for which slump test
is not suitable.
  Shear Slump: This shape of slump is the same as shear failure of soil. This is an
indication of a lack of cohesion of the concrete mix ingredients. So, a fresh sample is
taken and the test is repeated.

Factors influencing Slump Cone:

Followings factors influence concrete Slump value:

1. Water –cement ratio of concrete.

2. The quality of coarse and fine aggregates, their shape, moisture content, texture, and
grading.
3. The use of plasticizer, superplasticizer admixture, and the sequence of their mixing.
4. The void ratio of concrete and air content of concrete.
5. The time of the test after mixing of concrete.

Standards for Slump test:

 US – standard: In the United States, this test is known as “ Standard Test Method for
Slump of Hydraulic – Cement Concrete” and flow the code ASTM C143 OR
(AASTO T119).

 United Kingdom & Europe: The older standard for British was first (BS 1881–102).
But, now they use European standars (BS EN 12350-2).

Shapes of Concrete Slump

3. Water Absorption Test:

The water absorption test assesses the porosity and permeability of

hardened concrete. It involves measuring the weight of a dry concrete
specimen, immersing it in water for a specific duration, and then re-
weighing it. The difference in weight before and after immersion
indicates the amount of water absorbed by the concrete. Excessive
water absorption can lead to durability issues, such as cracking,
spalling, and corrosion of embedded reinforcement.

Test Procedure:

1. Remove the sample of asbestos from packaging/container and

either dry for a minimum of 12 hours at 50-110 °C or until the
difference between two consecutive weights made at an interval
of not less than 1 hour, is less than 1% of the mean of the two
measurements.
2. Before weighing, allow time for the sample to cool and condition.
3. If weighing outside the containment cabinet, place the sample in
a suitable pre-weighed sealable container (eg a sealable plastic
bag) and weigh to the nearest 0.01 g. Calculate the dry weight of
the sample by subtracting the weight of the container.
4. After weighing, remove the sample from any container and
completely immerse in water for a minimum of 15 minutes and
until no more visible signs of bubbles being formed are
observed.
5. If the sample is seen to start to disintegrate during immersion,
the test should be terminated and the sample reported as a
licensed asbestos material.
6. If intact, remove the sample from the water and place it on paper
towel for 1 minute per side (upper and lower surfaces) to remove
any excess surface water.
7. Place the sample in the pre-weighed sealable container and
reweigh. Calculate the wet weight of the sample by subtracting
the weight of the container.
8. Calculate the percentage of water absorbed by the sample using
the following equation: ((wet weight - dry weight)/dry weight) x
100.
9. If the percentage of water absorbed is <30% report as an
asbestos material for which a licence is not required to work on
(eg asbestos cement). If >30% report as an asbestos material for
which a licence is required to work on (eg asbestos insulating
board (AIB) or millboard).
4. Flexural Strength Test:
The flexural strength test evaluates the ability of concrete to resist bending or
flexural stresses. It is particularly important for concrete elements subjected to
bending, such as beams and slabs. In this test, a concrete beam is subjected to a
gradually increasing load until failure occurs. The maximum load sustained by
the beam is then used to calculate the flexural strength. This test helps in
assessing the structural adequacy of concrete members and ensuring compliance
with design requirements.
Apparatus for Flexural Test on Concrete
 Steel, iron cast, or other nonabsorbent material molds with size of (150mmX150mmX
750mm)
 Tamping rods: ASTM specify large rode (16mm diameter and 600mm long) and small
rode (10mm diameter and 300mm long)
 Testing machine capable of applying loads at a uniform rate without interruption of
shocks
 Scoop
 Trowel
 Balance with accuracy of 1g
 Power driven concrete mixer
 Table vibration in the case of using vibration to compact concrete in molds

Sample Preparation of Concrete

 Determine proportions of materials including cement, sand, aggregate and water.
 Mix the materials using either by hand or using suitable mixing machine in batches with
size of 10 percent greater than molding test specimen.
 Measure the slump of each concrete batch after blending.
 Place molds on horizontal surface and lubricate inside surface with proper lubricant
material and excessive lubrication should be prevented.
 Pour fresh concrete into the molds in three layers.
  Compact each layer with 16mm rode and apply 25 strokes for each layer or fill the mold
completely and compact concrete using vibration table.
 Remove excess concrete from the top of the mold and smoothen it without imposing
pressure on it.
 Cover top of specimens in the molds and store them in a temperature room for 24 hours.
 Remove the molds and moist cure specimens at 23+/-2 o C till the time of testing.
 The age of the test is 14 days and 28 days and three specimens for each test should be
prepared (according to Indian Code, the specimen is stored in water at 24-30 oC for
48hours and then tested)

Procedure of Flexural Test on Concrete

 The test should be conducted on the specimen immediately after taken out of the curing condition
so as to prevent surface drying which decline flexural strength.
 Place the specimen on the loading points. The hand finished surface of the specimen should not be
in contact with loading points. This will ensure an acceptable contact between the specimen and
loading points.
 Center the loading system in relation to the applied force.
 Bring the block applying force in contact with the specimen surface at the loading points.
 Applying loads between 2 to 6 percent of the computed ultimate load.
 Employing 0.10 mm and 0.38 mm leaf-type feeler gages, specify whether any space between the
specimen and the load-applying or support blocks is greater or less than each of the gages over a
length of 25 mm or more.
 Eliminate any gap greater than 0.10mm using leather shims (6.4mm thick and 25 to 50mm long)
and it should extend the full width of the specimen.
 Capping or grinding should be considered to remove gaps in excess of 0.38mm.
 Load the specimen continuously without shock till the point of failure at a constant rate (Indian
standard specified loading rate of 400 Kg/min for 150mm specimen and 180kg/min for 100mm
specimen, stress increase rate 0.06+/-0.04N/mm2.s according to British standard).
 The loading rate as per ASTM standard can be computed based on the following equation:

Where:
r: loading rate
S: rate of increase of extreme fiber
b: average specimen width
d: average specimen depth
L: span length

 Finally, measure the cross section of the tested specimen at each end and at center to
calculate average depth and height.

Computation of Modulus of Rupture

The following expression is used for estimation of modulus of rupture:

Where: MR: modulus of rupture

P: ultimate applied load indicated by testing machine
L: span length
b: average width of the specimen at the fracture
d: average depth of the specimen at the fracture

5. cement fineness test

Scope
This test method covers determination of the fineness of hydraulic cement by means
of the 150-μm (No. 100) and 75-μm (No. 200) sieves.

Apparatus
1 Sieves—Standard 150-μm (No. 100) or 75-μm (No. 200) sieves conforming to the
requirements of Specification E 11. Wire cloth for standard sieves for cement shall
be woven (not twilled) from brass, bronze, or other suitable wire, and mounted
without distortion on a frame about 50 mm (2 in.) below the top of the frame. The
joint between the cloth and frame shall be smoothly filled with solder to prevent
lodging of the cement. The sieve frame shall be circular, 203 mm (8 in.) in diameter
and provided with a pan and cover.
2 Balance—The analytical balance used in fineness determinations shall conform to
the requirements of 4.2.1 of Test Methods C 114.
3 Weights—The weights used in fineness determinations shall conform to the
requirements of 4.2.2 of Test Methods C 114.
4 Brush—A bristle brush will be required for use in cleaning the 150-μm (No. 100) or
75-μm (No. 200) sieve. A25 or 38-mm (1 or 11⁄2-in.) brush with a 250-mm (10-in.)
handle is a convenient size.

Procedure
Place a 50-g sample of the cement on the clean, dry 150-μm (No. 100) or 75-μm
(No. 200) sieve with the pan attached. Do not use washers, shot, slugs, or coins on
the sieve. While holding the sieve and uncovered pan in both hands, sieve with a
gentle wrist motion until most of the fine material has passed through and the
residue looks fairly clean. This operation usually requires only 3 or 4 min. When the
residue appears clean place the cover on the sieve and remove the pan. Then, with
the sieve and cover held firmly in one hand, gently tap the side of the sieve with the
handle of the brush used for cleaning the sieve. Dust adhering to the sieve will thus
be dislodged and the underside of the sieve may then be swept clean. Empty the
pan and thoroughly wipe it out with a cloth or waste, replace the sieve in the pan,
and carefully remove the cover. Return any coarser material that has been caught in
the cover during the tapping to the sieve. Continue the sieving without the cover as
described in 5.1 for 5 or 10 min, depending on the condition of the cement. The
gentle wrist motion involves no danger of spilling the residue, which shall be kept
well spread out on the sieve. Continuously rotate the sieve throughout the sieving.
This open sieving may usually be continued safely for 9 min or more, but take care
that it is not continued too long. Then replace the cover and clean, following the
same process as described in 5.1. If the cement is in proper condition, there should
now be no appreciable dust remaining in the residue nor adhering to the sieve or
pan.
Make 1-min tests as follows: Hold the sieve, with the pan and cover attached, in one
hand in a slightly inclined position and move it forward and backward in the plane of
inclination; at the same time gently strike the side about 150 times/min against the
palm of the other hand on the upstroke. Perform the sieving over a white paper.
Return any material escaping from the sieve or pan and collecting on the paper to
the sieve. After every 25 strokes, turn the sieve about one sixth of a revolution, in the
same direction (see Note). Continue the sieving operation until not more than 0.05 g
of the material passes through in 1 min of continuous sieving. Then transfer the
residue on the sieve to the balance pan, taking care to brush the sieve cloth
thoroughly from both sides to ensure the removal of all the residue from the sieve .

6. Sieve analysis for aggregate.

SCOPE
The sieve analysis, commonly known as the gradation test, is a basic
essential test for all aggregate technicians. The sieve analysis determines the
gradation (the distribution of aggregate particles, by size, within a given
sample) in order to determine compliance with design, production control
requirements, and verification specifications. The gradation data may be used
to calculate relationships between various aggregate or aggregate blends, to
check compliance with such blends, and to predict trends during production
by plotting gradation curves graphically, to name just a few uses. Used in
conjunction with other tests, the sieve analysis is a very good quality control
and quality acceptance tool. NOTE: Accurate determination of material
passing the No. 200 (75 µm) sieve cannot be made with this test alone. This
test is recommended to be used in conjunction with AASHTO T 11 to
determine the amount of material finer than the No. 200 (75 µm) sieve.
SUMMARY OF TEST A known weight of material, the amount being
determined by the largest size of aggregate, is placed upon the top of a group
of nested sieves (the top sieve has the largest screen openings and the
screen opening sizes decrease with each sieve down to the bottom sieve
which has the smallest opening size screen for the type of material specified)
and shaken by mechanical means for a period of time. After shaking the
material through the nested sieves, the material retained on each of the
sieves is weighed. The cumulative method requires that each sieve beginning
at the top be placed in a previously weighed pan (known as the tare weight),
weighed, the next sieve's contents added to the pan, and the total weighed.
This is repeated until all sieves and the bottom pan have been added and
weighed. Apparatus Balance, general purpose class G2 (AASHTO M231).
Sieves, mounted on suitable frames, designed not to leak. Sieves shall
conform to AASHTO M92. Mechanical sieve shaker, if used, must provide a
vertical or lateral and vertical motion to the sieve, causing the particles
thereon to bounce and turn so as to present different orientations to the
sieving surface. Sieve shakers must provide sieving thoroughness within a
reasonable time. 2 Oven, capable of maintaining 230 ± 9°F (110 ± 5°C).
When tests are performed in the field where ovens are not available, test
samples may be dried in suitable containers over open flame or electric hot
plates with sufficient stirring to prevent overheating. Sample Preparation
Samples should be obtained in the field and reduced to test size in
accordance with AASHTO T 248. Samples are dried to a constant weight in
an oven set at 230 ± 9°F (110 ± 5°C), in an electric skillet, or over an open
flame.

Procedure
1. Weigh the sample to the nearest 0.1 g by total weight of sample. This
weight will be used to check for any loss of material after the sample has
been graded. Select suitable sieve sizes in accordance with the
specifications.
2. Nest the sieves in order of decreasing size from top to bottom and begin
agitating and shaking the sample for a sufficient amount of time. 3 For
coarse aggregate, the large tray shaker is most commonly used (Figure
1). This device provides a clamping mechanism which holds the sieve in
place during agitation. Shakers of this make need to be run 5 minutes for
size 9 or larger and 10 minutes for sizes smaller than size 9. For fine
aggregate, round 8" (203.2 mm) or 12" (304.8 mm) sieves are commonly
used (Figure 2). These sieves are self-nesting and supported in a
shaking mechanism at the top and bottom by a variety of clamping
and/or holding mechanisms. Small shakers of this type require shaking
times of 15 minutes to adequately grade the fine aggregate sample.

NOTE: Every effort should be made to avoid overloading the sieves.

AASHTO defines overloading large sieves as weight retained in excess
of 2.5 times the sieve opening in in. (mm), as expressed in gm/in.2
(kg/m2 ). For fine aggregate, no weight shall be in excess of 4 gm/in.2
(7 kg/m2 ).

3. Coarse Aggregates After the material has been sieved, remove each
tray, weigh each size, and record each weight to the nearest 0.1 g. Be
sure to remove any aggregate trapped within the sieve openings by
gently working from either or both sides with a trowel or piece of flat
metal until the aggregate is freed. Banging the sieve on the floor or
hitting the sieve with a hammer will damage the sieve. The final total of
the weights retained on each sieve should be within 0.3% of the original
weight of the sample prior to grading. Particles larger than 3 in. (75 mm)
 should be handsieved. When passing large stones through sieves, do
not force the aggregate through the sieve openings.
4. Fine Aggregates Weigh the material retained on each sieve size to the
nearest 0.1 g. Ensure that all material entrapped within the openings of
the sieve are cleaned out and included in the weight retained. This may
be done using brushes to gently dislodge entrapped materials. The 8 in.
(203 mm) or 12 in. (304.8 mm) round sieves need to be handled with
special care due to the delicate nature of their screen sizes. As a general
rule, use coarse wire brushes to clean the sieves down through the No.
50 (300 µm) sieve (Figure 3). Any sieve with an opening size smaller
than the No. 50 (300 µm) should be cleaned with a softer cloth hair brush
(Figure 4). The final total of the weights retained on each sieve should be
within 0.3% of the original weight of the sample prior to grading.

7. Splitting test for concrete.

The tensile strength of concrete is one of the basic and important properties which greatly
affect the extent and size of cracking in structures. Moreover, the concrete is very weak in
tension due to its brittle nature. Hence. it is not expected to resist the direct tension. So,
concrete develops cracks when tensile forces exceed its tensile strength. Therefore, it is
necessary to determine the tensile strength of concrete to determine the load at which the
concrete members may crack. Furthermore, splitting tensile strength test on concrete
cylinder is a method to determine the tensile strength of concrete.The procedure based on
the ASTM C496 (Standard Test Method of Cylindrical Concrete Specimen) which similar
to other codes lik IS 5816 1999. Finally, different aspects split cylinder test of concrete
specimen will be discussed in the following sections.

Apparatus for Splitting Tensile Test of Concrete

Testing Machine
Testing machine shall meet the following requirements:

 Firstly, it shall conform to the requirements of Test Method C 39/C 39M.

 Secondly, testing machine should be able to apply the load continuously and without
shock.
 Thirdly, it should be able to apply loads at a constant rate within the range 0.7 to 1.4
MPa/min (1.2 to 2.4 MPa/min based on IS 5816 1999) splitting tensile stress until the
specimen fails.
Plate or Supplementary Bearing Bar
 It is employed when the diameter or the largest dimension of the upper bearing face or the
lower bearing block is less than the length of the cylinder to be tested.
 Plate width is 50mm
 it shall be used in such manner that the load will be applied over the entire length of the
specimen.

Bearing Strips
 Two bearing strips are used.
 bearing strip size is 3.2 mm thick, 25 mm wide, and of a length equal to, or slightly longer
than, that of the specimen
 The bearing strips placed between the specimen and both the upper and lower bearing
blocks of the testing machine or between the specimen and supplemental bars or plates if
needed.
Sampling of Concrete Cylinders
Concrete specimen moulds
 It shall be made of steel, and 3 mm thick.
 The mould shall be capable of being opened longitudinally to facilitate the removal of the
specimen and is provided with a means of keeping it closed while in use.
 The mean internal diameter of the mould is 15 cm ± 0.2 mm and the height is 30 +/- 0.1
cm.
 The moulds are provided with a metal base plate mould.
 Moulds need to be coated with a thin film of mould oil before use, in order to prevent
adhesion of concrete.

Tamping Rod
 Used for manual compaction of concrete specimen
 It shall be a round, straight steel rod with at least the tamping end rounded to a
hemispherical tip of the same diameter as the rod.
 Both ends rounded, if preferred.
 Tamping rod diameter is 16 mm and its length is 600 mm.
Concrete pouring and compaction
 After the mixture is prepared, it is poured into the oiled mould in layers approximately 5
cm deep.
 Then, each layer is compacted either by hand or by vibration.
 For manual compaction, use tamping bar.
 Distributed bar stroke uniformly in order to compact it properly.
 Minimum tamping bar stroke for each layer is 30.
 Penetrate strikes in to the underlying layer
 Apply the rode for the entire depth of bottom layer
 complete top layer compaction
 Lastly, the surface of the concrete should be finished level with the top of the
mould,using a trowel and covered with a glass or metal plate to prevent evaporation.

Curing of Specimen
 Casted specimen should be stored in a place at a temperature of 27° +/- 2°C for 24 +/-
0.5 hrs from the time addition of water to the dry ingredients.
  After that, the specimen should be marked and removed from the mould and immediately
submerged in clean fresh water or saturated lime solution and kept there until taken out
just prior to the test.
 The water or solution in witch the specimens are kept should be renewed every seven
days and should be maintained at a temperature of 27° +/- 2°c.
 For design purpose, the specimen cured for 28 days.
 At last, for each reading, three specimen shall be casted and tested. Then, the average
tensile strength will be taken.

Procedure of Splitting Tensile Test

 Initially, take the wet specimen from water after 7, 28 of curing; or any desired age at
which tensile strength to be estimated.
 Then, wipe out water from the surface of specimen
 After that, draw diametrical lines on the two ends of the specimen to ensure that they are
on the same axial place.
 Next, record the weight and dimension of the specimen.
 Set the compression testing machine for the required range.
 Place plywood strip on the lower plate and place the specimen.
 Align the specimen so that the lines marked on the ends are vertical and centered over the
bottom plate.
 Place the other plywood strip above the specimen.
 Bring down the upper plate so that it just touch the plywood strip.
 Apply the load continuously without shock at a rate within the range 0.7 to 1.4 MPa/min
(1.2 to 2.4 MPa/min based on IS 5816 1999)
 Finally, note down the breaking load(P)

Calculations
Calculate the splitting tensile strength of the specimen as follows: T= 2P/ pi LD Where: T =
splitting tensile strength, MPa P: maximum applied load indicated by the testing machine,N D:
diameter of the specimen, mm L: length of the specimen,mm

Report
Report the following information:
  Identification number
 Diameter and length, mm
 Maximum load, N
 Splitting tensile strength calculated to the nearest 0.05 MPa
 Estimated proportion of coarse aggregate fractured during test
 Age of specimen
 Curing history
 Defects in specimen
 Type of fracture
 Lastly, type of specimen

Result
Splitting tensile strength of given concrete =...................N/mm²

2- Non-destructive test .
1- Rebound hummer test

rebound hammer test excels in the quick and effective collection of data
on the quality and homogeneity of concrete in newly constructed
buildings and those already built. A straightforward testing procedure
provides an overall image of the concrete’s condition, draws attention to
parts with reduced strength, and singles out regions that have been
damaged by freezing or fire. It is easier to get accurate values of
compressive strength using correlation data from laboratory
experiments.
By striking hardened concrete with the test hammer’s piston, a spring
mechanism is loaded until it trips, releasing the hammer mass. A
predetermined quantity of energy is transferred from the mass when it
hits the piston to the concrete. A simple linear scale records the rebound
number (R-value) as the hammer mass slides along an indicator. When
compared to findings from laboratory tests, Schmidt discovered that
these surface hardness values might reflect relative strength.
 2- Ultrasonic pulse velocity
Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) test means to assist the transit time of
ultrasonic pulses with 50–58 kHz, created by an electro acoustical
transducer and passing from one surface of the element to the other.
The transit time of ultrasonic pulses depends on the density and elastic
properties of the material tested. Previous studies demonstrated that
with the increase of the RPAs content, the UPV of RPAC was
significantly reduced as shown in Fig. 8.10. The porosity of concrete has
a considerable impact on the wave velocity of pulses. The addition of
RPAs makes the concrete matrix more porous; thus the velocity of
waves is decreased. It was also found that the pulse velocity of RPAC
decreased from 4500 m/s to 1900 m/s when the amount of RPAs
increased from 0% to 50% as partial substitution of FA. This condition
can reflect the poor quality of concrete in the presence of RPAs.