CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND METHOD OF

TESTING LABORATORY GUIDE

Number of Groups will be 6 making it 1 group = 1 side-row of the table in the laboratory for
physical distancing.

Week 1 – Orientation, Introduction to Construction Materials and Method of

Testing
Week 2 – Fineness and Normal Consistency of Portland Cement

Experiment #1: Fineness Test of Portland Cement

Apparatus:

Weighing Scales Also known as mass

scales, weight scales,
mass balances, and
weight balances, they
are used to measure
weight or mass.

Sieve Set (Sieve No. 200, Used for sieving

Sieve Pan, Sieve Lid) cement, fine
aggregates, and coarse
aggregate. For fineness
test of cement
75 micron

Other Apparatus: Mixing Bowl, Sampling Spoon, Brush

Material / Consumable: 100 grams of Cement

Procedures:

1. Prepare 100 g of cement to be placed on Sieve no. 200

2. Agitate the cement by swirling, planetary, and linear movements in 15 minutes on

Sieve no. 200

3. Weigh the residue of the cement

4. Use the formula in order to find the fineness of cement

𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑢𝑒 (𝑔)

𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠, % = 100 − [ × 100%]
ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 (𝑔)

5. Tabulate the data with result from the experiment.

Cement 1 Cement 2
Weight of sample (g)
Weight of residue (g)
Fineness percentage (%)
Experiment #2: Normal Consistency Test of Portland Cement

Apparatus:

Weighing Scales Also known as mass

scales, weight scales,
mass balances, and
weight balances, they
are used to measure
weight or mass.

Sieve Set (Sieve No. 200, Used for sieving

Sieve Pan, Sieve Lid) cement, fine
aggregates, and coarse
aggregate.

Vicat Apparatus It is used to determine

consistency and
initial/final set times of
cements and mortar
pastes.

Other Apparatus: Graduated Cylinder, Glass Plate, Mixing Bowl, Sampling Spoon, Spatula

Material / Consumable: 500 grams of Cement, Water (from Laboratory Room)

Procedures:

1. Weigh 500 grams of cement sieved through a No. 200 (75 microns) sieve.

2. Start by adding 125 mL of water (i.e. 25% by weight of cement) to the cement.

3. Mix thoroughly with a sampling spoon for 3 to 5 minutes till a uniform cement paste is
achieved.

4. Fill the paste in the Vicat mold and level with a spatula. Shake or tap to remove air bubbles.
5. Place the plunger in contact with the top of cement paste and lock. Set the indicator on the
scale to zero.

6. Release the plunger quickly and allow it to penetrate the paste.

7. Record the settlement of plunger in millimetres (mm) after 30 seconds then note the final
reading.

8. Repeat the procedure with a fresh cement paste varying from the water percentage from 25% (125
mL) to 33% (165 mL) until the needle penetrates to a depth 9 to 11 mm from the bottom of the Vicat

mold.

9. Record the volume of water (in mL) added to 500g of cement, when the plunger penetrates 10 +/- 1
mm (9mm to 11mm) in 30 seconds.

10. Plot the values for the Penetration of the Needle vs. The volume of the water used.

Then, identify the required volume of the water to obtain a penetration of 10 mm. This will be our
standard volume of water for making a cement with normal consistency.

11. Use the normal consistency formula,

Volume of Water at 10 +/− 1 mm penetration (mL)

Consistency, % = x 100%
𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐶𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 (𝑔)

12. Tabulate the data with result from the experiment.

TRIAL WT. OF SAMPLE % OF WATER VOLUME OF WATER PENETRATION

1 500 g
2 500 g
3 500 g
Week 3 – Time Setting and Soundness of Portland Cement

Experiment #3: Time Setting of Portland Cement

Apparatus:

Weighing Scales Also known as mass

scales, weight scales,
mass balances, and
weight balances, they
are used to measure
weight or mass.

Sieve Set (Sieve No. 200, Used for sieving

Sieve Pan, Sieve Lid) cement, fine
aggregates, and coarse
aggregate.

Gillmore Needle Apparatus Used to determine the

initial and final set
times of Portland
cement, masonry
cement, hydraulic
hydrated lime, and
certain mortars.

Other Apparatus: Graduated Cylinder, Glass Plate, Mixing Bowl, Sampling Spoon, Spatula

Material / Consumable: 500 grams of Cement, Water (from Laboratory Room)

Procedures:

1. Prepare the cement paste of normal consistency by mixing 500g of cement and water
2. Mix thoroughly with a sampling spoon for 3 to 5 minutes till a uniform cement paste is
achieved.

3. From the cement paste prepared, make a cement paste pat with a flat top and the sides tampering to
a thin edge on a glass plate, conforming to dimensions and tolerances. (Base Diameter = 3 inches, Top
Diameter = 2 inches, Thickness = 0.50 inch)

4. In determining the initial time of setting, hold the initial gillmore needle in a vertical position and
apply lightly to the surface of the cement paste pat.

5. Consider the cement paste to have acquired its initial set when the pat will bear the initial gillmore
needle without appreciable indentation.

6. In determing the final time of setting, hold the final gillmore needle in a vertical position and apply
lightly to the surface of the pat.

7. Consider the cement paste to have acquired its final set when the pat will bear the final gillmore
needle without appreciable indentation.

8. Calculate the initial and final setting time of cement,

Initial Set = Time of Making the Cement Pat – Time of Initial Setting

Final Set = Time of Making the Cement Pat – Time of Final Setting

12. Tabulate the data with result from the experiment.

Type of Cement Portland Cement

Weight of Cement (grams) 500 g
Volume of Water at Normal
Consistency (mL)
Time of Making the Cement (H:M)
Trial Number 1 2 3
Time of Initial Setting (H:M)
Time of Final Setting (H:M)
Initial Set (H:M)
Final Set (H:M)
Average Initial Set (H:M)
Average Final Set (H:M)
Experiment #4: Soundness Test of Portland Cement

Apparatus:

Weighing Scales Also known as mass

scales, weight scales,
mass balances, and
weight balances, they
are used to measure
weight or mass.

Sieve Set (Sieve No. 200, Used for sieving

Sieve Pan, Sieve Lid) cement, fine
aggregates, and coarse
aggregate.

Other Apparatus: Steamer, Graduated Cylinder, Glass Plate, Mixing Bowl, Sampling Spoon,
Spatula

Material / Consumable: 500 grams of Cement, Water (from Laboratory Room)

Procedures:

1. Prepare the cement paste of normal consistency by mixing 500g of cement and water

2. Mix thoroughly with a sampling spoon for 3 to 5 minutes till a uniform cement paste is
achieved.

3. From the cement paste prepared, make a cement paste pat with a flat top and the sides tampering to
a thin edge on a glass plate, conforming to dimensions and tolerances. (Base Diameter = 3 inches, Top
Diameter = 2 inches, Thickness = 0.50 inch)

4. Cure the specimen for 24 hours then steam the specimen for 5 hours.

5. Check for any signs of unsoundness including Distortion, Cracking, and Disintegration.
6. Tabulate the data with result from the experiment.

Type of Cement Portland Cement

Weight of Cement (grams) 500 g
Volume of Water at Normal
Consistency (mL)
Time of Making the Cement (H:M)
Trial Number 1 2 3
Checking
Cracking
Disintegration
Distortion
Conclusion (if suitable for
concrete use)
Week 4 – Specific Gravity Portland Cement and Compressive Strength of Cement
Mortar

Week 5 – Unit Weight of Fine and Coarse Aggregates

Experiment #5: Unit Weight Determination of Fine and Coarse Aggregates

Apparatus:

Weighing Scales Also known as mass

scales, weight scales,
mass balances, and
weight balances, they
are used to measure
weight or mass.

Sieve Set (Sieve No. 200, Used for sieving

Sieve Pan, Sieve Lid) cement, fine
aggregates, and coarse
aggregate.

Steel Unit Weight Buckets Used for the

determination of unit
weight of sand and
gravel.

Other Apparatus: Tamping Rod, Sampling Spoon, Scoop, Pan, Trowel

Material / Consumable: Approximately 1 cubic meter sand, 1 cubic meter gravel

Procedures:

1. Determine the diameter and height of unit weight steel bucket using ruler or meter stick and
solve for the volume using volume of cylinder.

2. Get the mass of the steel unit weight bucket measure.

 3. Get the mass of the steel unit weight bucket measure filled with water.

4. Fill the steel unit weight bucket measure with fine aggregates equally for three layers

5. Use the tamping rod and tamp the fine aggregates for every three layers, 25 times / strokes.
This will prevent air to penetrate the steel bucket.

6. On the topper most layer of the steel bucket, level the aggregate with trowel / tamping rod.
Remove the excess aggregate.

7. Get the mass of the steel unit weight bucket measure filled with fine aggregates.

8. Determine the unit weight of fine aggregate using the formula,

(𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑡 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝐴𝑔𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒 − 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝐵𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑡) ∗ (9.81)

𝑈𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, 𝛾 =
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝐵𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑒𝑡

9. Repeat the procedure from steps 1 to 8 for coarse aggregates.

10. Tabulate the data with result from the experiment.

FINE AGGREGATES COARSE AGGREGATES

TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3 TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2 TRIAL 3
Mass of Steel Bucket, g
Mass of Steel Bucket filled with
Water, g
Mass of Steel Bucket filled with
aggregate, g
(Mass of Steel Bucket filled with
aggregate - Mass of Steel
Bucket), g
Volume of Steel Bucket, m3
Unit Weight of Aggregate, N/m3
Average Unit Weight of
Aggregate, N/m3

Week 6 – Specific Gravity of Fine and Coarse Aggregates

Week 7 – Absorption of Fine and Coarse Aggregates

Week 8 – Concrete Mix

Experiment #6: Concrete Mix Design

Apparatus:

Weighing Scales Also known as mass

scales, weight scales,
mass balances, and
weight balances, they
are used to measure
weight or mass.

Sieve Set (Sieve No. 200, Used for sieving

Sieve Pan, Sieve Lid) cement, fine
aggregates, and coarse
aggregate.

Slump Cone Slump Cones measure

the workability of a
fresh concrete mix.

Cylinder Molds Used to form

specimens for concrete
compressive strength
testing.

Other Apparatus: Graduated Cylinder, Mixing Bowl, Sampling Spoon, Shovel, Concrete Batching
Pan

Material / Consumable: Approximately 2 cement bags, 3 cubic meters sand, 3 cubic meters
gravel
Procedures:

A.C.I. Method (American Concrete Institute Method)

ACI method of concrete mix design is based on the estimated weight of the concrete per unit
volume. This method takes into consideration the requirements for economy, consistency,
workability, strength and durability.

1. Required material information - sieve analysis of both fine and coarse aggregates, unit
weight, specific gravities, and absorption capacities of aggregates.

2. Choice of Slump - It is generally specified for a particular job. The lowest slump that will
permit adequate placement should be selected.

3. Maximum Aggregate Size - The largest maximum aggregate size that will conform to the
following limitations:

- ⅕ the minimum dimension of structural members

- ⅓ the thickness of a slab

- ¾ the clearance between reinforcing rods and forms

4. Estimation of mixing water and air content - an estimation of the amount of water required
for air-entrained and non-entrained concretes can be obtained from values.

5. Water/Cement Ratio - The component is governed by strength and durability requirements.

6. Calculation of cement content - once the water content and the which ratio is determined,
the amount of cement per unit volume of the concrete is found by:

Weight of cement = Weight of Water / Water-Cement Ratio

7. Estimation of coarse aggregate content, fine aggregate content

8. Adjustment for moisture in the aggregate

9. Trial batch - A mix trial batch of concrete using as much water as is needed to reach the
desired slump. The fresh concrete should be tested for slump, unit weight, air content. And etc.

Tip: For the slump test, it must be true slump (refer to the figure below). In order to get a true
slump, the proper proportion between cement, water, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate
must be properly mixed.
Diagram of Collapsible Slump, Shear Slump, and True Slump
Week 9 - Tension Test of Steel

Experiment #7: Tension

Apparatus:

Weighing Scales Also known as mass

scales, weight scales,
mass balances, and
weight balances, they
are used to measure
weight or mass.

Meterstick Used for measuring the

length of rebar
Universal Testing Machine A universal testing
(UTM) machine is used to
assess the strength of
materials including the
tension test of steel

Material / Consumable: Steel Rod

Procedures:

1. Initially, the steel rod specimen is cleaned and gauge length is marked on it. The gauge length
is calculated by the formula 5.65√A.

2. Measure the initial length of the steel rod using the meter stick, and mark it with masking
tape. Label it correctly according to your group’s decision.

3. In placing the specimen, the technician will assist us. The handle is operated such that the
specimen firmly fits to the top base. The left valve is kept in fully closed position and the right
valve in a normal open position. Open the right valve and close it after the lower table is slightly
lifted. Adjust the load pointer to zero with the zero adjusting knobs.

4. In loading the steel rod, turn the right control valve slowly to open position to get the desired
loading rate. When the specimen is under load, slowly unclamp the locking handle. Note the
extension at a convenient load increment. Extensometer must be removed before reaching the
yield point.

5. With increase in load at some point, the load pointer remains stationary. Load corresponding
to this indicates the yield point. With further increase in load, the pointer goes backward and
specimen breaks. The load before this breaking is the ultimate load. The load at the breaking of
the specimen is called as the breaking load.

6. Use the following formula to determine the modulus of elasticity, ultimate stress, and actual
breaking stress.

Modulus of Elasticity = "Stress" /"Strain"

Ultimate stress = "Ultimate Load" /"Original cross − sectional area"

Actual Breaking Stress = "Breaking Load" /"Neck area"

7. Repeat the procedure from steps 1 to 8 for coarse aggregates.

8. Tabulate the data with the result from the experiment.

TRIAL 1 TRIAL 2
DIAMETER, mm
ORIGINAL LENGTH, mm
FINAL LENGTH, mm
CHANGE IN LENGTH
ULTIMATE LOAD, N
BREAKING LOAD, N
AREA, mm2
MODULUS OF ELASTICITY
ULTIMATE STRESS, N/mm2
ACTUAL BREAKING STRESS,
N/mm2
Week 10 – Compressive Strength of the Concrete Mix (Universal Testing
Machine)

Experiment #8: Compressive Test of Concrete

Apparatus:

Universal Testing Machine A universal testing

(UTM) machine is used to
assess the strength of
materials.

Material / Consumable: Concrete Cylinder Specimen (to be tested after 7th day, 14th day, and
28th day of mixing concrete)

Procedures: (Based from ASTM Standard Test Method C39: Compressive Strength of Concrete
Cylinders)

1. Bring the cylinders out of the moisture room, keeping them covered with wet burlap to keep
them moist. Check the cylinders over for defects (holes, cracks, crumbliness) as you set them on
the table, use your straight edge and nail to check for planeness, and set the ones with ends
that are not plane aside to be saw cut. You will want to look at the perpendicularity of the
cylinder as well, to make sure it does not depart from a vertical axis by more than half a degree.
If you want to break cylinders uncapped, they must be plane within 0.002 inches. Most
cylinders don't meet this requirement, so you'll want to either cap them with sulfur or gypsum
paste (ASTM C17), or unbonded neoprene caps (ASTM C1231).

2. Measure the diameter of each cylinder twice, in the center of each cylinder at 90 degree
angles. Make sure that your two diameters are not off from each other by more than two
percent, or a test on that cylinder would be considered invalid. With the average diameter,
calculate the surface area of each cylinder, using pi to 5 significant digits (3.1416):

Diameter / 2 = Radius

Area of the cylinder face = Pi * Radius * Radius

3. Make sure that the bearing surfaces of the machine are clean and free of debris, and if you
are using unbonded caps, check the cleanliness of your neoprene caps. You should have a
record at your break station of the number of cylinders that have been broken on those
particular caps. Discard the caps and put new one in the retaining rings if there are large cracks
or gouges in them, or if you have broken over 100 cylinders on those caps. It is also
recommended that you flip the caps at 50 cylinders.

4. Put the neoprene caps on the ends of your cylinder, and check to make sure they fit right and
are plane and level. Place the specimen on the lower bearing block (or on a centered spacer, if
breaking a 4x8 cylinder) and align it with the upper bearing block, using the rings on the bottom
block to center it.

5. Zero out the machine, and then apply a load at full advance until you get to about 10% of the
estimated load. A good spot is around 11000 lbs for a 6x12 cylinder breaking at 4000 psi.
Remember that psi is load divided by the area, so you could calculate this for any size cylinder
and any specified strength. Put the machine on hold and check the cylinder's alignment with
your carpenter's square, making sure it doesn't depart from vertical by more than 0.5 degrees.
If everything is good, proceed to the next step, but if the cylinder is off center, remove the load
and readjust the position of the cylinder. A bubble level can help you tell if it's not aligned
properly.

6. You can now apply load to the cylinder. It is permissible to go faster than the recommended
rate of about 28-42 psi/second for the first half of loading. Switch to a metered advance around
50% of the estimated strength of the cylinder. This will look like an increase of 1000 lbs/second
for a 6x12 cylinder, and 500 lbs/second for a 4x8 cylinder.

7. Don't mess with the loading rate after the halfway point, as the cylinder approaches its peak
load. The cylinder will hit a peak, then drop. If it drops slightly, the load may begin to increase
again, so let it go until the load is decreasing steadily and you can see clear evidence of a
forming fracture pattern, and then turn the lever back to the off position.

8. Pull the cylinder out of the machine, and then remove the caps. Carry it over to your
wheelbarrow and remove the wrap, letting the pieces fall into the wheelbarrow. Determine the
type of fracture and then write down the load and the type of fracture. Calculate the strength
of the cylinder, reporting it to the nearest 10 psi:

Strength in psi = load in pounds / area in square inches

 9. Tabulate the data with result from the experiment.

Trial Diameter Length AREA WEIGHT AGE Ultimate Type of Ultimate Remarks
(m) (mm2) (kg) (days) Load, P Fracture Compressive
(mm) (kN) Strength
(MPa)
1 7
2 14
3 28