California State University

Long Beach

Civil Engineering Department

Materials for Civil Engineering

Laboratory

CE 200L
Short-Form Lab Report

Report No: 3

Report Title: Slump and Strength of Portland Cement Concrete

Submitted By: Hayden Robbins, Daniel Gonzalez, Jordan Abernathy, Danny

Le, Denny Ng

Section: 01 Team No: 2

Date Due: 11/7/17 Date Submitted: 11/7/17
Grading
Distribution of the 10 Points Total Score for the Report
Item Criterion Max Points Earned Points
1 Use of Laboratory Equipment 2
2 Data Collection, Compilation, Reduction, and Interpretation 2
3 Technical Presentation — tables, graphs, sketches, etc. 2
4 Written Communication — results and discussion of results and
4
test procedures
Total

Please staple this cover sheet to the report in the designated place at the upper left corner only.
Please do not use a folder.
 CE 200L

Report No 3

Slump and Strength of Portland Cement Concrete

1. Object

a) To become familiar with the properties of freshly mixed portland cement concrete (PCC)

b) To prepare a PCC mix designed to meet pre-specified requirements, using the American
Concrete Institute (ACI) method of mix design

c) To learn how to perform the slump test for measuring the consistency of PCC

d) To prepare PCC compression and tensile splitting strength test cylinder specimens

e) To determine the compressive and tensile splitting strengths of the prepared PCC test cyl-
inders, and to compare the compressive strength to the design strength

f) To observe the relationship between the compressive strength of PCC on the one hand,
and the water/cement ratio and slump of the PCC, on the other

g) To compare the compressive and tensile splitting strengths of PCC

2. References

a) ASTM C 143 — Standard Test Method for Slump of Hydraulic-Cement Concrete

b) ASTM C 39 — Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete

Specimens

c) ASTM C 496 — Standard Test Methods for Splitting Tensile Strength of Cylindrical Con-
crete Specimens

d) CE 200 Student Notes and Workbook. Pages 14 – 25.

– 1/9 –
3. Procedure — Abridged
First Period — Designing the Desired Portland Cement Concrete Mix

a) Following the American Concrete Institute (ACI) method of portland cement concrete
(PCC) mix design, a PCC mix was designed to meet the requirements and conditions de-
scribed on the final page of this report.

b) The mix designed was scaled down from one cubic yard to a sufficient amount of PCC to
conduct the slump test.

Second Period — Batching and Mixing the Designed Portland Cement Concrete
(PCC) Mix, and Preparing the PCC Test Specimens

The above-listed references (ASTM C 143, ASTM C 39, ASTM C 496, and CE 200 Student Notes
and Workbook) were read, and, additionally, the instructions given during the briefing period
were adhered to when following the steps below:

a) The portland cement concrete (PCC) mix for the team was designed, using the American
Concrete Institute (ACI) method of PCC mix design.

b) The designed mix for the PCC was mixed in the laboratory.

c) The slump of the PCC was measured and recorded.

d) The PCC was molded into two cylinders, to be moist-cured for 28 days, and all equipment
used was washed and stored, work area was cleaned.

e) The data sheet was initialed by the instructor.

Third Period — Failing the Portland Cement Concrete Test Specimens

e) Twenty-eight days later, the cylinders were removed from their curing environment, their
diameter and height were measured and recorded.

f) One PCC cylinder was capped and tested in compression to determine the PCC ƒ′c , and the
other was tested in tensile splitting to determine the T.

g) The relevant results from the compression and tensile splitting tests were recorded.

h) The failed cylinders were sketched in order to show the failure modes.

i) The failed cylinders were discarded as instructed, and work areas were cleaned.

– 2/9 –
4. Data Recorded by Team
a) Team Information (Second Period) Instructor’s Initials: ____
Section: 01 Team: #2
Jordan Abernathy Hayden Robbins
Leader: Recorder:
Danny Le, Denny Ng, Daniel Gonzalez
Other members:
N/A
Member(s) absent:

b) Computed Water/Cement Ratios — Based on Design Strengths

Team No 1 2 3 4
ƒ′c (psi) 2,800 3,800 4,800 5,800
w/c Ratio 0.67 0.56 0.46 0.38

c) Quantities of PCC Ingredients Used

Aggregates: CA 20.11 lb, weighed on platform balance (Approx. 18 lb)
FA
13.38 lb, weighed on platform balance
PC
1397.06 g, weighed on electronic balance
Water 929.86 g, (quantity determined by team per assigned ƒ′c)
weighed on electronic balance)

d) Materials used for Making PCC Test Specimens

Weight (lb) or
Material Type Source
Mass (g)
Type II/V and Type I txi — Riverside 3.08
Cement low-alkali Portland Cement
portland cement Co.
Washed, all- 13.38
Sand (FA) purpose, ASTM C33 Quikrete
(concrete) sand
Crushed rock, 20.11
Gravel (CA) all-purpose grav- Quikrete
el
City of Long 2.05
Water Potable water
Beach

e) Test Data
09/26/17 Time of 11:00 Room 77 Relative 45
Date: AM °F humidity: %
day: temp.:
Slump (measured to the nearest ¼ in): 1/4 in Actual w/c: 0.665
Type of slump: True

– 3/9 –
 f) Team Information (Third Period) Instructor’s Initials:____

Section: 01 Team: #2
Hayden Robbins Daniel Gonzalez
Leader: Recorder:
Denny Ng, Danny Le, Jordan Abernathy
Other members:
N/A
Member(s) absent:

g) Compressive Strength Test Data

10/24/17 Time of 10:46 Room 82 Relative 33
Date: AM °F humidity: %
day: temp.:
Cyl. dimensions (nearest 0.1 in) Failure load Time to failure
h: 6.4 in ∅: 3.0 in (nearest 5 lb):
6724 lb
(nearest 1 s):
73 s

h) Tensile Splitting Strength Test Data

10/24/17 Time of 10:28 Room 83 Relative 30
Date: AM °F humidity: %
day: temp.:
Cyl. dimensions (nearest 0.1 in) Failure load Time to failure
h: ∅: (nearest 5 lb): (nearest 1 s):
6.1 in 3.0 in 4801 lb 46 s

5. Sketch of Failed Cylinders

Sketch of Failed Compression Cylinder Sketch of Failed Tensile Splitting Cylinder

– 4/9 –
 6. Tabulated Data and Results (Typed)

a) PCC Cylinder Compressive Strength Test Data and Results

Specimen Failure
Team Cylinder Dimensions Design Actual
Data
Cyl. Time
No h ∅ Cross. Load to Slump w/c ƒ′c Slump ƒ′c
Area Failure
(in) (in) (in2) (lb) (s) (in) (lb/lb) (psi) (in) (psi)
Section

1 6.0 3.0 7.1 17,885 13 1 ¼ 0.67 2,800 ¼ 2,530

2 6.4 3.0 7.1 6,724 73 1 ¼ 0.56 3,800 ¼ 950

3 6.3 3.0 7.1 12,090 96 1 ¼ 0.46 4,800 ¼ 1,710

4 6.4 3.0 7.1 65,00 68 1 ¼ 0.38 5,800 ¼ 9,195

b) PCC Cylinder Tensile Splitting Strength Test Data and Results

Specimen Failure
Team Cylinder Dimensions Design Actual
Data
Cyl. Time
No h ∅ Cross. Load to Slump w/c Ts * Slump Ts
Area Failure
(in) (in) (in2) (lb) (s) (in) (lb/lb) (psi) (in) (psi)
Section

0.035
1 6.0 3.0 10,580 78 1 ¼ 0.67 300 ¾ 375
4
0.034
2 6.1 3.0 4,800 46 1 ¼ 0.56 365 ¼ 165
8
0.035
3 6.0 3.0 11,970 145 1 ¼ 0.46 425 ¼ 425
4
0.035
4 6.0 3.0 11,990 52 1 ¼ 0.38 475 ¼ 425
4

* The design T is calculated from the design ƒ′c by the following equation:

T = 6.7 × √ƒ′c
** The actual T is calculated by using the equation:
2P
T=
π×D×h

– 5/9 –
 7. Plotted Data
W/C Ratio

0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2

7,000 700

6,000 600
Unconfined Compressive Strength (psi)

Tensile Splitting Strength (psi)

5,000 500

4,000 400

3,000 300

2,000 200

1,000 100
0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2

W/C Ratio

PCC 28-Day Unconfined Compressive and Tensile Splitting Strengths vs. w/c Ratio

– 6/9 –
8. Results and Discussion (Typed)
Results

For results, using Standard American English and complete sentences,

please state:

a) What the slump of the portland cement concrete (PCC) was for your

team (as measured), and whether the type of the slump was true

slump, shear slump, or collapsed slump.

For this experiment, our team measured a Portland cement concrete

(PCC) slump of 0.25 inches, which also demonstrated to be a true

slump.

b) What the unconfined compressive strength was for your team.

After subjecting the cylinders to compression and tensile failure

tests, we determined that the unconfined compressive strength for

our team was 950 psi.

c) What the type of failure for the failure (fracture) was for the

cylinder tested by your team in compression; e.g., cone, cone and

split, cone and shear, etc.

The type of failure for the cylinder tested by our team in com-

pression is classified as a shear fracture.

d) What the tensile splitting strength for was your team.

Under the tensile splitting test, our team determined the

strength to be 165 psi.

– 7/9 –
Discussion

For discussion of test results, using Standard American English and

complete sentences, please state:

a) If the testing of 3″×6″ PCC cylinders in compression (as tested

in the CE 200L laboratory) yields 5 % higher strengths than test-

ing 6″×12″ PCC cylinders (as ordinarily tested in the field),

what the strength would be for your team, had your team tested

6″×12″ PCC cylinders in compression.

Had our team tested 6”x12” PCC cylinders in compression, instead

of 3”x6” PCC cylinders, an unconfined compressive strength of 903

psi would have been yielded.

b) For your team, what the ratio was of the unconfined compressive

strength to the tensile splitting strength.

The ratio of the unconfined compressive strength to the tensile

splitting strength was 6:1, respectively.

c) If the direct tensile strength of PCC is 25 % less than its ten-

sile splitting strength, calculate for your team the:

(i) Direct tensile strength, and

The calculated direct tensile strength is roughly 124

psi.

(ii) Ratio of direct tensile strength to compressive strength

The ratio of direct tensile strength to compressive

strength was determined to be 1:8.

– 8/9 –
d) For your team:

(i) Whether or not there was any deviation from the proce-

dures prescribed in:

• ASTM C 143 — “Standard Test Method for Slump of Hydrau-

lic-Cement Concrete”

There was no deviation from the procedures during the

process of the standard test method for slump of hydrau-

lic-cement concrete. Our group followed the procedure of

filling up the mold ⅓ way up and then rod each layer 25

times with the tamping rod. Once the mold was filled, we

carefully raised the mold vertically and took the meas-

urement for the slump.

• ASTM C 39 — “Standard Test Method for Compressive

Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens”

Our group did not follow the step in this method which

states to keep the test specimen moist during the period

between removal and testing because as we waited to be

tested, out cylindrical concrete specimen likely lost

some water due to evaporation.

• ASTM C 496 — “Standard Test Method for Splitting Ten-

sile Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens”

Our group did not follow the procedure of drawing diame-

tral lines on the end of the specimen.

– 9/9 –
 (ii) If so, what those deviations were.

We did not use the standard 3” x 6” container but we

can bypass this by apply a 5% increase to our

strength. Also during our slump test, the cones we

used had residual materials on the side which prevent-

ed us from having smooth sides and causing friction.

For our tensile test, we did not use plywood which

prevented stress concentration at any specific point

on our concrete sample.

e) Address the acceptability of the test results by responding to:

(i) Whether or not such deviations affected test results

Yes, because for both experiments (Compressive and Tensile Strength

Test) our actual results did not reflect the psi strength that we

designed the mix to have. Our error may have been due to our large

water to cement ratio, but also could have been because of devia-

tions from the procedures. Such deviations include not correctly ap-

plying the sealing agent on the ends of our sample for compressive

strength test. Also, we may have also failed to perfectly align the

cardboard strips during our tensile strength test.

(ii) If yes, how such deviations affected test results

By not correctly applying the sealing agent we may have caused our

structure to have stress concentrations. During the tensile strength

test, if we failed to align the cardboard strips correctly we would

have uneven loads applied on our structure.

– 10/9 –
(iii) Reasons why the test results could be considered ac-

ceptable, or why they should be rejected

The test results should be rejected as the desired ASTM com-

pressible and tensile stress strengths were not achieved, nor

reflected by our data. The design compressive strength for our

PCC cylinder should be 3,800 psi, while our actual strength

measured to be 950 psi; this yields a percent error of 75% and

therefore must be rejected. A value of 365 psi should reflect

our design tensile splitting strength, but our actual cylinder

failed at 165 psi; this yields a percent error of roughly 55%

and therefore must also be rejected. Large percent errors re-

flect inaccurate experimental data which can be attributed to

errors that arose during the experiment.

– 11/9 –
 Report No 3

American Concrete Institute (ACI) Method of

Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) Mix Design
PCC Target Strength and Relevant Information
Design Requirements and Construction Data
Design Parameter Specification
Type of construction or structure Pavement (not reinforced)
Construction or structure member minimum dimension 3 in
Minimum space between form and reinforcing steel bar N/A
Exposure to moisture Yes, in air
Exposure to severe cycles of freezing and thawing None
Use of high-frequency vibrators for PCC compaction Yes
Unconfined compressive 28-day strength (ƒ′c): Team 1 2,800 psi
Team 2 3,800 psi
Team 3 4,800 psi
Team 4 5,800 psi

Ingredient Data
Ingredient Property Laboratory Test Result
PC Specific gravity (SG) 3.15
CA Type and/or source Natural
Shape Angular
Specific gravity (SG) 2.84
Dry-rodded unit weight 108 pcf
Saturated surface dry (SSD) moisture content 1.6 %
Field moisture content 1.4 %
Free moisture content in the field (—0.2) %
FA Type and/or source All-purpose, washed, conc. ASTM C33 sand
Fineness modulus (FM) 2.7
Specific gravity (SG) 2.76
Saturated surface dry (SSD) moisture content 4.2 %
Field moisture content 4.0 %
Free moisture content in the field (–0.2) %

Constants, Equalities, and/or Assumptions

1 gal of water weighs 8.33 lb 1 cu ft of water weighs 62.40 lb Air is weightless
1 sack (1 cu ft — bulk volume — ) of PC weighs 94 lb 1 cu yd = 27 cu ft

– 12/9 –