Concrete cube tests
In previous blogs we’ve discussed various aspects of acceptance testing of concrete. The standard concrete compressive strength specimen in North America is a cylinder, either 6 x 12 inches or 4 x 8 inches. In most […]
Testing
How to evaluate concrete core strengths
There are many reasons to take cores of in-place concrete. You might want to know the capacities of the footings and columns in an old building. Or maybe you’re conducting […]
ACI PRC-132.1 assigns responsibilities in caring for concrete test specimens
ACI PRC-132.1-22, “Responsibility for the Care of Test Specimens for Acceptance of Concrete“, describes who should do what to ensure accurate acceptance testing. As a TechNote rather than a standard […]
ASTM C1077
ASTM C1077 is the “Standard Practice for Agencies Testing Concrete and Concrete Aggregates for Use in Construction and Criteria for Testing Agency Evaluation.” As we’ve discussed previously, in the construction […]
Prescription to performance
As part of its Prescription to Performance (P2P) initiative, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association surveyed its members. They wanted to know which prescriptive requirements kept them from optimizing concrete. […]
Overdesign and sustainability
Acceptance of concrete delivered to the job site is usually on the basis of compressive strength tests in accordance with ASTM C31 and ASTM C39. To compensate for variability in […]
ASTM C31 and C39: the cost of bad testing
Previously we discussed acceptance testing of concrete according to ASTM C31, Standard Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field and ASTM C39, Standard Test Method for Compressive […]
ASTM C31 and C39: what could go wrong?
For quality assurance in concrete construction, the most common acceptance criterion is the compressive strength of the concrete. A field technician makes specimens according to ASTM C31, Standard Practice for […]
Evaluating aggregates using ASTM C1778
ASTM C1778, “Standard Guide for Reducing the Risk of Deleterious Alkali-Aggregate Reaction in Concrete,” can help you decide how best to mitigate expansions due to reactive aggregates. It covers both […]
ASTM C1074 predicts the strength of concrete in place
Despite our need for durability and high performance, the most common design criterion for concrete is compressive strength. Usually we specify the 28-day strength, that is, the compressive strength after […]