CEE 401: Properties and Behavior of Concrete

Lab 4: Fresh Concrete Properties Cont.

Purpose: In this lab you will be mixing pan through the grate in the top. Step 6: Mix
concrete with mineral and chemical the concrete for 2 minutes. Step 7: Stop the
admixtures and study their effect on the mixer and let the concrete rest for 1 minute.
fresh concrete properties. Step 8: Restart the mixer and let it run for
another minute. NOTE: The pan lid must be
References: ASTM C31, ASTM C138, raised prior to restarting the mixer.
ASTM C143, ASTM C192, ASTM C231,
ASTM C490, ASTM C494, ASTM C1702 ASTM C1702 Adiabatic Calorimetry

Test Matrix Groups will be assigned to Follow ASTM C1702 for the complete
each mix. The test matrix will contain the procedure. NOTE: The apparatus we use in
weights of the aggregates, water, and cement the lab is not up to the standard. Step 1:
that you need to mix. It will be provided to Record the time at which you add water to
you before lab. the cement. This is the time you will use for
the start of hydration.
For Lab 2, we will be mixing concrete,
measuring slump, unit weight and air-
content only. We will cast 4 cylinders
molds (4x8’’) and 1 beam for MOR.

Procedures

ASTM C192 Mixing Concrete in the Lab:

You will need coarse and fine aggregate,
mix water, cement. NOTE: these mix times
are shortened due to time constraints on lab Figure 2.1 Schematic Drawing of Heat Conduction
time. Step 1: Wet down the pan with water Calorimeter

and then use a towel to wipe out all excess Step 2: Immediately after you finish mixing
water. (NOTE: this is not per ASTM the concrete, take a small sample of the
standard. The standard calls for a paste (no coarse aggregate) and place it in
representative paste mix to prime the pan). the bottom of a thermos. Use a No. 8 sieve
Load the pan into the mixer. Step 2: Add the to remove the coarse aggregate. Collect 100
coarse and fine aggregate to the mix pan. ±10 g of paste. Step 3: Close the thermos
Pour a portion of the water over the and insert the temperature probe. A program
aggregate. Step 3: Turn on the mixer and will automatically collect and record the
mix it for 30 sec. Step 4: Stop the mixer and temperature over time. A reference
add the cement to the pan. Step 5: Restart specimen has been prepared prior to lab.
the mixer and add the remaining water to the NOTE: since we are not mixing the cement
and water in the thermos, we are supposed
to correct for the lost heat at the beginning
by mixing cement and water in the thermos
and recording the temperature for the first
10 minutes. For the purposes of lab, we will
assume that this loss is negligible and skip
this step (this is NOT an accurate
assumption).

ASTM C231 Air Content Test and Unit

Weight: You will need the air meter, bucket,
5/8’’ rod, water dropper, container with
water, rubber mallet, trowel. Step 1: Mass
the empty bucket. Step 2: Fill the bucket 1/3
of the way full with fresh concrete. Step 3: Figure 2.2: Air Meter
Take the large rod (5/8’’) and rod the
Step 11: With both petcocks still open,
concrete 25 times. Make sure to distribute
slowly pump pressure into the air content
the rodding as evenly as possible. Use
meter. Each dial gauge is labeled with I.P. #.
enough force to reach the bottom, but not
Pump the gauge until the needle reaches that
enough to strike it forcefully. Step 4: Then
value in the small gauge at the far end of the
take the rubber mallet and hit the bucket 12
dial. Make sure to gently tap the gauge with
times. Hit the bucket all the way around.
your finger to make sure the needle is stable.
Attempt to strike the outside of the bucket
If you go too far, you can lower the pressure
approximately in the center of the lift you
by twisting the small valve next to the
just added. Step 5: Repeat steps 3-4 two
pump. Step 12: Close the petcocks. Step 13:
more times, until the bucket is filled to
Press the lever on the top of the housing
slightly above the top. Step 5: Use the
down. These releases pressure. Tap the
trowel to remove the excess concrete from
gauge again until it is stable. Record the
the top. Step 6: Record the weight of the full
value. NOTE: To get an accurate air content
bucket. Step 7: Take a paper towel and wipe
reading you need to apply a correction factor
the rim of the bucket clear of any concrete.
to account for the air in the aggregates. This
It is important it is clean to get a good seal.
correction factor is found by doing a
Step 8: Take the lid and place it on the full
separate test and is dependent upon the
bucket. Twist slightly to seat the lid well.
combination of aggregates used and the
Step 9: Secure the lid to the bucket by
duration of the mixing procedure. The
tightening opposite clamps at the same time.
procedure for finding this correction factor
Step 10: Make sure both petcocks are open.
is detailed in the standard. For the purposes
Use a dropper to add water to one of the
of this class, please assume the correction
open petcocks. Continue to add water until
factor is 0.7.
water comes out the opposite petcock.
ASTM C143 Slump: You will need an the depth the concrete has sagged. Measure
orange mat, slump cone, 5/8’’ rod, ruler, and from the center and record that number.
a trowel Step 1: Place the orange mat on the NOTE: If the concrete sags severely to one
floor of the concrete lab. NOTE: the side or slumps more than 10 in. the test is
standard requires this test be conducted on a considered a failure.
flat, level surface. This may or may not be
the case with the orange mats, but they aid ASTM C192 Making Cylinders Refer to the
in the clean-up process. Step 2: Dampen the standard for complete instructions. You will
slump cone and the orange mat with water to need seven 4x8”. cylinder molds, a small
prime them and set the cone upright on the tamping rod (3/8”), a concrete scoop, and a
mat. Step 3: Step on the footholds on the trowel. Three of the cylinders will be used
cone to secure it to the floor. Step 4: Fill the for compression testing, three for split
cone up 1/3 of the way by volume (2 5/8’’ tensile testing, and one is a spare. NOTE: it
high). is always faster to assembly line this
process—do step 1 for all seven molds, then
step 2 for all seven, etc.

Figure 2.3: Slump Cone

Step 5: Rod the cone 25 times. Step 6: Figure 2.4: 4x8 cylinder molds
Repeat Step 4 and Step 5 twice, filling the
cone to the top. The second lift will reach a Step 1: Oil the molds. Use form oil available
depth of 6 1/8’’. Step 7: Use a trowel to in the concrete lab and spray the bottom of
level the top of the slump cone. Clear any the mold several times. Use a paper towel to
excess or fallen concrete away from the wipe a thin layer of form oil over
bottom edge of the cone. Step 8: Grasp the everything—avoid having areas where the
slump cone by the handles. Press down as form oil pools, but make sure to cover the
you slowly take your feet off the foot holds. entire surface. NOTE: Check your molds
Step 9: In one motion, pull the slump cone before you use them. You want a small hole
directly upwards in 3-7 seconds. Flip the drilled in the bottom for demolding, but try
slump cone over and set it down next to the to choose molds that are clean and free of
fresh concrete. Place the rod on top of the cracks on the bottom. Step 2: Use a concrete
cone so the rod extends over the pile of the scoop to fill the molds slightly over halfway,
concrete. Step 10: Use the ruler to measure so after it consolidates it will be half full.
Step 3: Take the small tamping rod and rod Screw them in as far as they will go—this
the mold 25 times. Drive the rod to the may not be very far because the bolts
bottom of the mold, but do not use enough available in lab tend to be too long. NOTE:
force to risk damaging the bottom. NOTE: If the ASTM standard has a minimum length
the slump of your concrete mix is less than for how long the exposed gauge stud can be,
one inch, you are required to use the and the lab set-up may or may not meet this
vibration method of consolidating the molds standard. Step 3: Fill the mold 1/2 of the
and rodding them will not be sufficient. Step way full with concrete. Step 4: Rod the mold
4: Tap the outside of the molds 10 to 15 34 times with the small rod (3/8’’).
times—enough eliminate the holes cause by Distribute the rodding evenly across the
rodding. When using steel molds, you would surface. Take care to not strike the gauge
use a mallet. Since the concrete lab uses stud as you rod, but make sure that you take
plastic, disposable molds you can either tap extra care to consolidate the concrete around
the molds with your open hand or use the the stud. Step 5: Use the rubber mallet to
tamping rod. Step 5: Repeat steps 2-4, filling strike the sides of the mold 10-15 times,
the mold slightly over the top so the until the holes creating by the rodding are
consolidated concrete is flush or slightly eliminated. Step 6: Repeat steps 2-4, filling
higher than the mold. Step 6: Use the trowel the concrete to slightly above the edge of the
to finish the top of the mold. Use a circular mold. Step 7: Strike off the excess concrete
or sawing action to strike off an excess and finish the top surface of the mold. Use a
concrete and create a smooth finish for your circular or sawing motion with the saw to
cylinders. Step 7: Place the finished mold on achieve a nice finish. Step 8: Cover the mold
the black mat. Once you have finished will with plastic. NOTE: ASTM standard
all the molds you will need to cover them in requires they be placed upright on a flat,
plastic. NOTE: ASTM standard requires level surface and are cured at a temperature
they be placed upright on a flat, level 68 °F to 78 °F. After 24-48 h, the TA will
surface and are cured at a temperature 68 °F demold the beam and place it in the moist
to 78 °F. After 24-48 h, the TA will demold cure room. FYI: to demold the specimen,
the specimens and place them in the moist you first take apart the outer metal pieces
cure room. forming the walls and bottom of the mold.
Then you twist off the steel end caps that the
ASTM C490 Prism Molds for Shrinkage gauge studs were screwed into.
Please refer to the standard for the complete Concrete Mix Calculations and Fresh
procedure. You will need one rectangular Properties (In weekly worksheet): Make a
steel mold (3x3x11.25”), a rubber mallet, table containing the following information
the small tamping rod (3/8’’), a trowel, and a about each mix: Mix ID, water to
concrete scoop. Step 1: Oil the mold, cementitious ratio w/cm (do not forget to
following the steps described in the above account for the absorption of the
procedure. Step 2: Take 2 gauge studs and aggregates), fine to total aggregate ratio by
screw them into both ends of the mold. mass (except on the dense mix), paste
content (see below), slump, unit weight, LAB GROUPS AND MIXES FOR LAB
yield (see below), and corrected air content.
Do not forget to put sample calculations for Base Low Low High w/c
(G1) Paste w/c (G4)
this table in the appendix.
(G2) (G3)
Paste Content
Cement 37.44 34.44 37.44 37.44
𝑉𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 + 𝑉𝐻20 (lbs.)
%𝑃𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒 = × 100 Coarse 93.5 98.6 97.5 90.6
𝐵𝑎𝑡𝑐ℎ 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
Agg.
Where Vcement=volume of the cement (ft3), (lbs.)
VH20=volume of water (ft3), and batch size is Fine Agg. 59.7 62.9 62.2 57.8
in ft3. Assume the specific gravity of cement (lbs.)
is 3.15 and the density of water is 62.4 lb/ft3.
Corr. 20.34 17.76 17.87 22.11
Yield: Water
(lbs.)
∑ 𝑟𝑎𝑤 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑠 (𝑙𝑏𝑠)
𝑌𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑 =
𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 (𝑝𝑐𝑓)
Discussion (In weekly worksheet)`
Adiabatic Calorimetry: Graph the heat of
1. What deviations were there from the
hydration vs. time for each of the mixes on
ASTM standard?
This should
the same axis. This should not
be in
belog plot.plot.
in log
2. Discuss your experience in tamping and
Remember, you will be graphing ΔT (in
consolidating the concrete in relation
comparison to the reference specimen) and
with slump value.
not T. Use the trapezoid function in excel or
3. Discuss the relationship between slump,
Matlab (or another program) to estimate the
air content, aggregate content, and paste
area under the curve. In a table, list the peak
content of concrete.
heat, the area under the curve, and the
4. Discuss the relationship between
approximate time of first set (see Ch. 4 of
workability and water content, not
Mindess and Young) for each mix. NOTE:
simply the water to cement ratio.
this is not an ASTM standard way of
5. What is the range of recommended
determining time of set, but it is an
values for casting a column? And for a
appropriate method for an approximation
foundation with light reinforcement?
and to use for the purposes of comparison.
Why do you think these differ?
 Group Number:_____________________________

Date:_______________

Raw Data from Lab 2

Slump:_________________________________

Weight of bucket, empty:____________________

Weight of bucket, full:______________________

Air Content: ______________________________