BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

What is Concrete?
 Concrete is the most widely used construction
material, commonly made by mixing Portland
cement with sand, crushed rock, and water. In
many countries the ratio of concrete
consumption to steel consumption exceeds ten
to one.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

What is Concrete ?

 For a building structure to be durable, more strength and

also for aesthetic, accomplishing a quality concrete is of
supreme importance. This is because the vital factor which
determines or makes a building look elegant, gives a building
more strength and durability is the concrete’s quality.

 Low strength and low durable concrete structures have

damaged millions of lives and properties in the past decades.
So, in order to achieve a quality and a durable building
structure, maintaining the quality and standard of
concrete is paramount.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

Definitions

QUALITY CONCEPTS:

Quality is perceived differently by different

people. Yet, everyone understands what is meant
by “quality.” In a manufactured product, the
customer as a user recognizes the quality of fit,
finish, appearance, function, and performance.
The quality of service may be rated based on the
degree of satisfaction by the customer receiving
the service. The relevant dictionary meaning of
quality is “the degree of excellence.”
BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
 mechanical properties of the reinforcement to be used
 dimensions of the reinforcement
 location of the reinforcement in the construction before
concrete is poured
 location of pre-stressing ducts
 properties of the cement used in the concrete
 properties of the concrete mix designed for use in the
structure
 control of the aggregates and sand going into the concrete

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 mixing of the concrete
 transport of the concrete to the construction site
 slump of the concrete
 pouring of the concrete
 control of water additions
 vibration/compaction of the concrete
 preparation of areas where different concrete pours are
done
 control of compression test samples
 control of formwork removal.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

QUALITY CONTROL:
Quality control is a technical function that includes all
the scientific precautions, such as calibrations and
duplications, that are needed to acquire data of
known and adequate quality.

QUALITY ASSURANCE:
is a management or oversight function; it deals with
setting policy and running an administrative system
of management controls that cover planning,
implementation, and review of data collection
activities and the use of data in decision making.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 It begins in the production of materials used in
concrete (sampling and testing):
 Portland cement
 Pozzolan
 Coarse and fine aggregates
 Uniformity of concrete production will be no
greater than the uniformity of materials used
in that concrete

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 Handling and stockpiling
 Batching and mixing
 Sampling and testing fresh concrete
 Slump
 Air content
 Unit weight
 Temperature
 Transporting and placing the freshly mixed
concrete
BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
 The most common measurement is the
uniformity of the compressive strength
specimens determined from statistical
concepts (ACI 214)
 These same statistical concepts can also be
applied to test results on materials used in the
concrete, on the fresh concrete, and on other
properties of the hardened concrete.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

TO KNOW THE QUALITY OF
CONCRETE,
WE CAN DO SEVERAL TESTS

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

a) THE SLUMP TEST

KEY POINT:

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

  The mould for the
slump test has the
shape of frustum of a
cone, 300mm high.
 The diameter at the
base is 200mm and at
the top is 100mm

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

b) THE VEBE CONSISTOMETER TEST
Procedure to determine workability of fresh concrete
by Vee-Bee consistometer.

A conventional slump test is performed, placing the

slump cone inside the cylindrical part of the
consistometer.
ii) The glass disc attached to the swivel arm is turned
and placed on the top of the concrete in the pot.
iii) The electrical vibrator is switched on and a stop-
watch is started, simultaneously.
iv) Vibration is continued till the conical shape of the
concrete disappears and the concrete assumes a
cylindrical shape.
v) When the concrete fully assumes a cylindrical shape,
the stop-watch is switched off immediately. The time is
noted. The consistency of the concrete should be
expressed in VB-degrees, which is equal to the time in
seconds recorded above.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

c) THE COMPACTING FACTOR TEST

KEY POINT:

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

a) COMPRESSION TEST

KEY POINT:

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

b) Indirect Tensile Strength test

KEY POINT:

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

c) Flexural Strength Test

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

d) Shrinkage and Creep Tests

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 PRINCIPLE AND STANDARD OF QUALITY CONTROL

 Principal of quality control is a validity of diagnostic test

results produced in each laboratory is entirely dependent on
the measures employed before, during, and after each assay.
Consistency in the production of good results requires an
overall program that includes quality assurance, quality
control, and quality assessment.

 Quality control standards provide the mathematical and

statistical procedures instrumental in the evaluation of
experiments and test methods. These procedures encompass
the information-gathering stage of an experiment where
variation is present, and includes the probability sampling
process, the determination of the precision and bias of an
experiment, and the measurement of the reliability and
degree of uncertainty of test results and data.
BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
Quality control of any manufactured product may be
achieved though the following stages :

 Specification of raw materials

 Testing of raw materials and use of the results to modify ( c )
below ;
 Specification of processing
 Testing at intermediate stages of production and use of the
results to modify ( c ) above, to modify the product at the
intermediate stage, or, if necessary, to reject the product at
this stage and avoid further financial loss
 Testing of the final product for pass/fail and use of results to
modify ( c ) above.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 QUALITY SCHEMES

 Quality assessment scheme in the laboratory

can be by an internal which can be used to
monitor the quality of the work more frequently
and accurately than EQA schemes,
 EQA samples are usually received infrequently
and they are usually treated differently from the
routine specimens.
 Experience at laboratories that have an internal
quality assessment scheme has generally been
that internal schemes are much better at
identifying quality problems in the laboratory
than external schemes.
BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
 THIRD PARTY CAPABILITY ASSESSEMENT

 Quality assessment (also known as proficiency testing) is a

means to determine the quality of the results generated by
the laboratory. It is usually an external evaluation of the
laboratory's performance. Internal quality assessment
programs can also be instituted.

 Quality assessment is a challenge to the effectiveness of

the QA and QC programs generated by the test are correct.
However, quality assurance is concerned with much more:
that the right test is carried out on the right specimen, and
that the right result and right interpretation is delivered to
the right person at the right time"

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 QUALITY ASSESSMENT SCHEMES FOR MATERIALS

Materials used in concrete:

 Cement
 Water
 Aggregates
 Admixture

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

1) Cement:
 A mixture of compounds made by burning limestone and
clay together at very high temperature ranging from 1400
to 1500°C. the production of Portland cement begins with
the quarrying of limestone, CaCO3. Then mixed with clay
(or shale), sand and iron ore and ground together to form
a homogenous powder.
 Portland cement

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

2) Water:
 It is the key ingredient.
 When mixed with cement, forms a paste that binds the aggregates
together
 Water causes the hardening of concrete through process call
hydration.
 The water needs to be pure in order to prevent side reaction from
occurring which may weaken the concrete or otherwise interfere
with hydration process.
 The ratio of cement and water is the most critical factor in the
production of ‘perfect’ concrete.
 Too much water can reduces concrete strength but high
workability
 Too little water will make the concrete unworkable but high
strength
BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
3) Aggregates:
 Chemically inert, solid bodies, held together by the cement.
 Come in various shapes, sizes and materials ranging from fine
particles of sand to large, coarse rock.
 Soft, porous aggregates can result in weak concrete with low wear
resistance.
 Hard aggregates can make strong concrete with high resistance to
abrasion
 Should be clean, hard and strong. Usually washed to remove any dust
silt, clay, organic matter.
 coarse aggregate

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

4) Admixtures:
 A material, other than aggregates, cement, or water, added
in small quantities to the mix in order to produce some
desired modifications, either to the physical or chemical
properties of the mix or of the hardened product.
 The most common admixtures affect plasticity, air
entrainment and curing time.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 READY MIX CONCRETE AND PRECAST CONCRETE

READY MIX CONCRETE:

 Ready-mix concrete is a type of concrete that is
manufactured in a factory or batching plant, according to a
set recipe, and then delivered to a worksite, by truck
mounted transit mixers .

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 This results in a precise mixture, allowing specialty
concrete mixtures to be developed and implemented on
construction sites. The first ready-mix factory was built in
the 1930s, but the industry did not begin to expand
significantly until the 1960s, and it has continued to grow
since then Ready-mix concrete is sometimes preferred
over on-site concrete mixing because of the precision of
the mixture and reduced worksite confusion.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 HOW TO CONTROL THE QUALITY OF READY MIX / PRECAST
QUALITY?

Quality Control for Ready Mix Concrete:

Quality is optimum in the ready mix concrete for the following

reasons:

 The materials which are to be used for the concrete are subject to strict quality
requirement. (i.e. if the quality of the materials are not up to the standard level,
then the materials would not be accepted in carrying out a respective work.)

 Quality control is carried out throughout the manufacturing and delivery process;

 The formulation and manufacturing of the concrete are covered by the numerous
national quality standards.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 PRODUCT CONFORMITY

Precast Concrete Products

Agricultural Products : Products include bunker silos, cattle feed bunks, cattle
grid, agricultural fencing, H-bunks, J-bunks, livestock slats, livestock watering
troughs.
Building and Site Amenities : Precast concrete building components and site
amenities are used architecturally as cladding, trim products, accessories and
in structural applications such as foundations, beams, floors, walls and other
structural components.
Cemetery Products : Underground vaults or mausoleums - calls for quality
watertight structures that withstand the tests of time and the forces of nature.
Transportation and traffic related products : Products include: box culverts, 3-
sided culverts, bridge systems, railroad crossings, railroad ties, sound
walls/barriers, Jersey barriers, tunnel segments and other transportation
products

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 QUALITY OF MIXED CONCRETE

Concrete production :
The processes used vary dramatically, from hand tools to heavy
industry, but result in the concrete being placed where it cures
into a final form
 Mixing concrete: High-Energy Mixed Concrete (HEM concrete) is
produced by means of high-speed mixing of cement, water and sand
with net specific energy consumption at least 5 kilojoules per
kilogram of the mix.
 Workability: Workability is the ability of a fresh (plastic) concrete
mix to fill the form/mold properly with the desired work (vibration)
and without reducing the concrete's quality.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

OUTLINE OF PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN QUALITY
CONTROL

 Quality assurance is the process of verifying or

determining whether products or services
meet or exceed customer expectations. Quality
assurance is a process-driven approach with
specific steps to help define and attain goals

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 CONTROL TECHNIQUE :
Histograms
Check Sheets
• Pareto Charts
• Cause and Effect Diagrams
• Defect Concentration Diagrams
• Scatter Diagrams
• Control Charts

SELECTION OF TECHNIQUES:
 Specific inspection techniques
 Specific testing techniques
 Work process sampling
 Random product sampling
 Tick sheets – frequency by category
 Check list

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

 Concrete is the most rapidly used engineering
material in the world of construction business.
To achieve a high standard, high durability and
an attractive building structure, the key is to
obtain a quality concrete during a
construction project.
 Too much water occupies space in concrete
and on evaporation, voids are created in
concrete, which reduces the concrete’s
strength and durability.
BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY
 The volume change in concrete results in crack formation and the
factor which contributes the volume change is the permeability.
 Permeability is the contributing factor for volume change and
water-cement ratio is the fundamental cause of higher
permeability. Thus, the use of higher water-cement ratio –
permeability – volume change – cracks – disintegration – failure of
concrete is a cyclic process in concrete. Hence, for a durable and a
high strength concrete, use of lowest possible water-cement ratio
is the fundamental requirement to produce dense and
impermeable concrete.
 Quality control can be expressed as the application of the
operational techniques and activities, which sustain the quality of
a product or service to satisfy given needs.

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY

BEC 201 - CONCRETE TECHNOLOGY