Topic 3 Safety Factors (II)

CIVL6060
Characteristic strength as determined from sample tests
Characteristic strength is taken as the value below which only 5% of all possible test results would
be expected to fall.
The characteristic strength as determined from sample tests should take account of the number of
samples tested.
The statistical expression for characteristic strength from N number of samples is:
Characteristic strength = Mean strength of the samples – k × sample standard deviation
The value k depends on the number of samples N and the confidence level. Values of k for
confidence levels of 90% and 95% are:
k k
90% 95% 90% 95%
N N
confidence confidence confidence confidence
level level level level
4 3.957 5.144 30 2.080 2.220
5 3.400 4.203 35 2.041 2.167
6 3.092 3.708 40 2.010 2.125
7 2.894 3.399 45 1.986 2.092
8 2.754 3.187 50 1.965 2.065
9 2.650 3.031 60 1.933 2.022
10 2.568 2.911 70 1.909 1.990
11 2.503 2.815 80 1.890 1.964
12 2.448 2.736 90 1.874 1.944
13 2.402 2.671 100 1.861 1.927
14 2.363 2.614 150 1.818 1.870
15 2.329 2.566 200 1.793 1.837
16 2.299 2.524 250 1.777 1.815
17 2.272 2.486 300 1.765 1.800
18 2.249 2.453 400 1.748 1.778
19 2.227 2.423 500 1.736 1.763
20 2.208 2.396 1000 1.709 1.727
Example:
When 10 samples of steel bars are tested and the mean strength is 360 MPa and the standard
deviation is 50 MPa, then the characteristic strength determined from the tests with a confidence
level of 90% is: 360 – 2.568 x 50 = 231.6 MPa
If a confidence level of 95% is required, the characteristic strength determined from the tests is:
360 – 2.911 x 50 = 214.5 MPa
Concrete core samples

Diameter: Cores shall preferably be of 100mm diameter and in no case be less than 75mm. The
ratio of diameter to the maximum aggregate size should not be less than 3.
Length: Length shall be sufficient to give the required length/diameter ratio after end preparation.
For compression strength testing the length/diameter ration shall be between 1.0 and 1.2.
End preparation: Preferred method of end preparation is by grinding. Alternative method is by
capping with standard capping compound. Caps should be as thin as possible and should not
exceed 10 mm at any point.
1
CIVL6060
Estimate of in-situ cube strength fce from compression test result of core fcore
f ce  k p ks kc  f core
kc is correction factor for cylinder
kp is correction factor for coring position
ks is correction factor for reinforcement in cores
2.5
kc 
1
1.5 

where  = ratio of cylinder length (after end preparation)/diameter
Cores drilled in in-situ elements:
kp = 1.0 for cores drilled horizontally ; kp = 0.92 for cores drilled vertically
Cores drilled in precast units:
kp = 1.0 for cores drilled perpendicular to height when cast; kp = 0.92 for cores drilled parallel to
height when cast
ks = 1.0 for cores free of reinforcement
k s  1.0  1.5
 s d s  for cores with reinforcement perpendicular to core axis
c L
where
c is diameter of core specimen
L is length of uncapped specimen
dia. = s
s is diameter of bar
ds is distance of bar axis from near end of uncapped specimen
(Note: if distance of two bars at their closest point is not greater than the ds
diameter of the larger bar, only the bar with higher value of sds needs to be
considered.)
The in-situ cube strength estimated from the above formula cannot be regarded as equivalent to the
standard 28-day strength on test cubes. The strength of cores is unlikely to exceed 70 to 85
percent of the 28-day strength of the standard test cubes made from the concrete. An allowance of
85% is normally adopted, that is, if the specified 28-day strength is 40 N/mm2 then an estimated
in-situ cube strength of 34 N/mm2 (0.85 x 40 = 34) from cores would be acceptable.
Example: Vertical core on slab
Core compression strength = 32.4 N/mm2 Length of uncapped specimen = 162 mm
Length of core after end preparation = 180 mm Diameter of core = 150 mm
One 16mm bar perpendicular to core, bar axis 25 mm from near end of uncapped specimen
 =180/150 = 1.2  Cylinder correction factor kc = 2.5 = 1.07
1
1.5 
1.2
Correction factor for coring position kp = 0.92 (vertically drilled)
16  25
Correction factor for reinforcement k s  1.0  1.5  = 1.024
150  162
 Estimated in-situ cube strength = 0.92 × 1.024 × 1.07 × 32.4 = 32.7 N/mm2

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CIVL6060

Characteristic strength as determined from sample tests

Concrete core samples

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