CE 24/L

CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS AND
TESTING

Engr. KEREN JOY P. ORILLOSA, CE, ME-I

College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology
Palawan State University
• Course Title: Construction Materials and Testing
• Course Code: CE 24/L
• Credit Units: 2 hours lecture and 3 hours laboratory per week
• Course Description: The course deals with the physical properties
of common construction materials primarily metals,
plastics, wood, concrete, coarse and fine aggregates,
asphalt and synthetic materials; examination of material
properties with respect to design and use of end product,
design and control of aggregates, concrete and asphalt
mixtures, principle of testing; characteristics of test;
properties of materials and materials testing equipment.
COURSE
OUTCOME
I. Describe the range of various materials and its testing for civil
engineering projects.
II. Explain relevant properties of common construction materials.
III. Apply local, international, and foreign standards on material
testing.
Course outline
• Introduction to Construction Materials & Testing
• Familiarization with Apparatus & Equipment Used in
Testing of Materials
• Timber , Testing of Wood
• Concrete Technology
• Asphalt Technology
• Iron and Steel
• Miscellaneous Construction Materials
 GRADING SYSTEM
- To pass this course, student must accumulate at least 60% through the course requirements.

75% Lecture 25% Laboratory

REQUIREMENT/ASSESSMENT TASK PERCENT (%) REQUIREMENT/ASSESSMENT TASK PERCENT (%)
Class Participation/Attendance 5 Class Participation/Attendance 10
Quizzes 30 Reports/Practicum 90
Midterm Exam 30
TOTAL 100
Final Exam 35
TOTAL 100
 INTRODUCTION TO
CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS AND TESTING
Role of
Testing
All branches of engineering especially those
dealing with structures and machines, are
concerned with materials, the properties of which
must be determined by tests.

In mass production, inspection and control of

quality of manufactured products are dependent
on sampling and testing.

Specifications and acceptability of material

purchased involved an understanding of methods
of testing and inspection.
 Basic Subjects in the Study of Material Testing:
Technique of testing - How do commonly used types of equipment operate? Is the apparatus in widespread use? What are the
common variants of ordinary apparatus? What limitations are imposed by the apparatus on the accuracy that can be obtained?
Lacking first-class equipment, how one can get rough but significant results from crude tests in the field?

Physical and mechanical principles involved in the testing apparatus and procedure - Are the assumed conditions satisfied? What is
most likely to go wrong or produce incorrect results? What refinements can be made to obtain greater accuracy?

Theory of measurements - What is the precision of the results? Which of the measurements involved control the precision of the final
results? Are the time and effort wasted securing needless precision in some of the measurements?

Variability of materials - How many tests are necessary to give a significant value? What range in strength (or other property) may be
expected from a given material as it is used under job conditions?

Interpretation of results - What is the significance of the test results? Can the numerical results be applied directly to design or similar
uses, or are they of value only for comparison with other results?
 Material testing
- refers to measurement of the characteristics and behavior
of materials to be used in specifying the suitability of
materials to various applications. (e.g. construction).
Examination of material properties with respect to design and
use of end pro duct.
Categories for • Mechanical Testing (Destructive)
• Non - destructive Testing

material • Material Characterization Testing

• Other Testing

testing
engineering materials
Classification of Materials

Nonmetallic - includes
Metallic - materials that
wood, stone, brick, cement,
exhibit electrical and
concrete, resins (plastic),
thermal conductivity plays
rubber, leather, ceramics,
an important role in
etc.
industrial operation.

Ferrous - includes steel, cast

iron, wrought iron, Non-ferrous - includes all
malleable cast iron other metals and their
combinations
 Chemical properties
- characteristics of a material that relate to its
behavior in chemical reactions particularly in

PROPERTIES OF
connection with corrosion and alloying.

Physical properties

engineering
- those distinguishing qualities or characteristics
that are used to describe a substance in the
absence of external forces.
(ex. color, thermal conductivity, coefficient of
expansion)

MATERIALS Mechanical properties - describe the behavior of

materials under the application of forces. (ex.
strength, hardness, ductility, machinability
necessary in design, fabrication or construction)
Mechanical properties

STRAIN – is the unit deformation to which a material may be subjected

– is a deformation caused by the application of an external force

STRESS – the externally distributed force which tend to resist deformation

Mechanical properties
STRESS – the externally distributed force which tend to resist deformation
• To supply routine information on the quality of a

Objectives of
product - commercial or control testing.
• To develop new or better information on known
materials or to develop new materials research

testing
and developmental work
• To obtain accurate measures of fundamental
properties or physical constants scientific
measurement
• To supply routine information on the quality of a product ----- commercial or
control testing.
– it checks the acceptability of materials under purchase
– it takes control of production or manufacture
– it requires accuracy but does not need high degree of refinement

• To develop new or better information on known materials or to develop new

Objectives of
materials ----- materials research and developmental work
– it obtains new understanding of known materials
– it discovers the properties of new materials
– it develops meaningful standards of quality or test procedures

testing
– it requires skill, ingenuity and resourcefulness

• To obtain accurate measures of fundamental properties or physical constants -----

scientific measurement
– it requires accumulation of an orderly and reliable store of information
– it needs precision, care and patience

• Experiments - outcome is uncertain and new insights are to be gained

• Tests - indicate a more or less established procedure with limits of the
results generally defined
 Construction Material
- an item, materials or supply consumed or used in a construction project and
incorporated in the constructed building or structure.
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Aggregates

Aggregate is a broad category of coarse to

medium-grained particulate material used
in construction including sand, gravel,
crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and
geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are
the most mined materials in the world.
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

Steel Bar

Steel reinforcement or steel bars that are

provided in combination with plain
cement concrete to make it reinforced
concrete.
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Cement

Cement is a finely milled mineral

powder, usually gray in color. Mixed with
water, cement serves as an adhesive to
bind sand, gravel, and hard rock in
concrete.
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Concrete

Concrete is a composite material

composed of fine and coarse
aggregate bonded together with
a fluid cement (cement paste)
that hardens (cures)overt time.
TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Bitumen

Bitumen is a black viscous mixture of

hydrocarbons obtained naturally or as a residue
from petroleum distillation. It is used for rd
surfacing and roofing.
Tests Carried Out on Different
Construction Materials
 AGGREGATES
• Sieve Analysis
• Water Absorption
• Aggregate Impact Value
• Aggregate Abrasion Value
• Aggregate Crushing Value
 BITUMEN
• Determining bitumen content
• Determining flash and fire point of bitumen
• Determining penetration of bitumen
• Determining softening point of bitumen
• Determining specific gravity of bitumen
• Determining ductility of bitumen
• Determining marshal stability of bitumen
 CEMENT
• Fineness Test
• Soundness Test
• Consistency Test
• Setting Time Test
 CONCRETE
Test of Fresh Concrete
• Slump Test
• Compacting Factor Test
• Vebe Test
• K-Slump Test
 CONCRETE
Test of Hardened Concrete
• Compression Strength Test
• Flexural Strength Test
• Rebound Hammer Test
• Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test
 STEEL
REINFORCEMENT
• Tensile Strength Test
• Bend Test
• Re-bendTest
• Shear Test
• Brinell Hardness Test
• Impact Test
• Torsion Test
Standard-setting AGENCIES
ASTM
- ASTM International, formerly known as American Society for Testing and
Materials

Numerical references to ASTM standards – for

example, ASTM C150 for Portland cement, used in
is a private organization that establishes specifications making concrete – are found throughout building
for materials and methods of construction accepted codes and construction specifications, where they are
as standards throughout the United States. used as a precise shorthand for describing the quality
of materials or the requirements of their installation
or application.
 AASHTO
- American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

- is a standards setting body which publishes specifications, test protocols,

and guidelines that are used in highway design and construction
throughout the United States.
 To know the sources of construction materials

Identify and know the properties of various construction materials

Importance
of Study of To know how the materials are tested as per ASTM standards

To know how to choose from commercially available construction materials depending on

Construction particular use

Materials To know common materials defects

To know various precautions to be taken when constructing for better ductility