CE-53A CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND TESTING LABORATORY

LABORATORY ACTIVITY # 2

Making, Testing and Curing of Test Specimen

GROUP # 2

SUBMITTED BY:
FRAYCO, JIREHMAE CATUBIG
OTHER MEMBERS:
CAHILES, JAIRE BAYOCA
DEIPARINE, LOVELLA GRACE TOLEDO
DUQUE, CARLO LAZATIN
HENOJALES, GLYDELLE KATE SEAL
VELUZ, EDEN JABONITE

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. RUBY G. ESPAOLA

DATE PERFORMED: September 23, 2016

I.

Introduction

Background
Curing is the maintenance of a satisfactory moisture content and temperature in
concrete for a period of time immediately following placing and finishing so that the
desired properties may develop. It has a strong influence on the properties of hardened
concrete; proper curing will increase durability, strength, watertightness, abrasion
resistance, volume stability, and resistance to freezing and thawing and deicers. The
most effective method for curing concrete depends on the materials used, method of
construction, and the intended use of the hardened concrete. For most jobs, curing
generally involves applying curing compounds, or covering the freshly placed and
finished concrete with impermeable sheets or wet burlap. In some cases, such as in hot
and cold weather, special care using other precautions is needed. (PCA Manual, n.d).
Most commonly, the compressive strength of concrete is measured to ensure that
concrete delivered to a project meets the requirements of the job specification and for
quality control (CIP 34- Making Concrete Cylinders in the field, n.d).

Theory
When portland cement is mixed with water, a chemical reaction called hydration takes
place. The extent to which this reaction is completed influences the strength and
durability of the concrete. Freshly mixed concrete normally contains more water than is
required for hydration of the cement; however, excessive loss of water by evaporation
can delay or prevent adequate hydration. The surface is particularly susceptible to
insufficient hydration because it dries first. If temperatures are favorable, hydration is
relatively rapid the first few days after concrete is placed; however, it is important for
water to be retained in the concrete during this period, that is, for evaporation to be
prevented or substantially reduced. With proper curing, concrete becomes stronger, more
impermeable, and more resistant to stress, abrasion, and freezing and thawing. The
improvement is rapid at early ages but continues more slowly thereafter for an indefinite
period. Fig. 1 shows the strength gain of concrete with age for different moist curing

periods and Fig. 2 shows the relative strength gain of concrete cured at different
temperatures (PCA Manual, n.d).
Fig. 1. Effect of moist curing time on strength gain of concrete.

Fig. 2. Effect of curing temperature on strength gain (top) relative to 28-day

strength and (bottom) relative to the strength of concrete at 23C (73F).

Concrete mixtures with high cement contents and low water-cement ratios (less than
0.40) may require special curing needs. As cement hydrates (chemically combining with
water) the internal relative humidity decreases causing the paste to self-desiccate (dry
out) if no external water is provided. Loss of water will also cause the concrete to shrink,

thus creating tensile stresses within the concrete. If these stresses develop before the
concrete has attained adequate tensile strength, surface cracking can result (PCA, n.d).

Objective
Its objective is to determine the compressive strength of the concrete sample and how
the number of curing days can affect its strength.

II.

Experimental
(Methodology)

Equipment/Materials

and

Procedure

a) Equipment/Materials:

16 kg of Fine Aggregate

32 kg of Course Aggregates
8 kg of Portland Cement
4.8 L of Water
Container
Weighing scale

Slump cone (height 300 mm,

bottom diam. 200 mm, upper

diam. 100 mm)

Tamping rod (diam.
height 600 mm)

25

mm,

Shovel
Pallet
Steel Ruler
Graduated Cylinder
Plain Sheet

3 of 6 x 12 (15 cm x 30.5 cm)

Cylinder Mold

Oil
Sponge
Plastic Cover
Rope
UTM

b) Procedure:

First the group prepared all the materials namely the fine sand, course aggregates,
cement, water, container, weighing scale, slump cone, tamping rod, shovel, pallet, steel
ruler, graduated cylinder, plain sheet, cylinder mold, oil, sponge, plastic cover and rope.
Then, the group measured the needed materials in the weighing scale which are 8 kg of
cement, 16kg of fine sand but the 32 kg of coarse aggregate was measured by the steel
ruler by ratio in the gathered height of the cement and all were placed in the plain
sheet. Then the group measured 4.8 liter which was assigned to them in the graduated
cylinder. After that, the group mixed the cement, fine sand and course aggregate and
formed it a volcano using the shovel and pallet (shown in Fig. 3).

Figure 3. Mixing of the cement, fine

sand and coarse aggregate.

Then, the water was poured and mixed to the concrete (shown in Fig. 4, 5 and 6).

Figure 4. Pouring
the water to the
mix.

Figure 5. Firmly
putting the side
mix to the center.

Figure 6. Totally
mixing it.

After that, the group performed slump test (shown in Fig. 7).

Figure 7.
Performing slump
test.

Then, the group placed one-third of the concrete sample using pallet in the first cylinder
which was wiped with oil at the inner sides of the cylinder, and used the tamping rod to
blow for 25 times. Again, another one-third with 25 blows was performed. Then, another
one-third with 25 blows was performed for the third time and smoothen the top (shown
in Fig. 8, 9 and 10).

Figure 8. Pouring
the concrete
sample to the
cylindrical mold
using pallet.

Figure 9. Tamping
the concrete
sample at the
cylindrical mold.

Figure 10.
Smoothen the top.

The group placed a plastic cover above and was tied with rope. The group repeated this
to the second and third cylinder. The group transferred the three cylinders with concrete
specimen to E108 for initial curing. After 24 hr. * 8 hr., the group removed the
cylinders with concrete specimen from the molds and placed them at the tab filled with
water with 73.4F 3(23C 1.7) of temperature and were covered final curing
(shown in Fig. 12).

Figure 11. Putting

the concrete
specimen to the
tab for final curing.

After the assigned number of curing days was finished, the group removed the cylinders
test specimens and brought to the testing room. Then, the group measured the mass of
each concrete specimen. Then, the group tested each of the test specimens at the UTM
by the technician and our instructor (shown in Fig. 13). The group tabulated all the
results.

Figure 12. Testing the compressive strength concrete specimen.

III.

Results/Findings/Summary

After conducting the laboratory activity each group attained the following results, shown
in table 1.
The formulas used are the following:
Density = mass/volume
Compressive strength = max. load/cross-sectional area of cylinder
Table 1. Tabulated Results of Each Group
Grou
p#
1

No.
of
days
3

14

21

28

Diameter(cm
)

Height(c
m)

Mass(k
g)

14.80

30.10

12.5

216.5

2413.96

14.50

30.00

12

291.5

2422.33

14.50

30.00

13

238

2624.20

Averag
e
1
2
3
Averag
e
1
2
3
Averag
e
1
2
3
Averag
e
1
2
3
Averag
e

14.6

30.03

12.5

248.67

2486.83

14.61
14.45
14.29
14.45

30.48
30.48
30.48
30.48

11.8
11.5
11.5
11.6

277.1
331
247.3
285.13

2309.28
2329.73
2352.49
2330.50

14.22
14.22
14.22
14.22

30.23
30.10
30.23
30.19

11.6
11.5
12
11.7

376
338
310
341.33

2416.19
2405.70
2499.51
2440.25

14.5
14.5
14.2
14.4

30.48
30.48
30.48
30.48

12.5
12.5
12
12.33

231.2
249.7
209.12
230.01

2483.53
2483.53
2485.99
2483.99

14.3
14.4
14.3
14.33

30.30
30.00
30.20
30.17

12.4
12.2
12.2
12.27

395.9
359.0
292.5
349.13

2548.10
2497.03
2515.31
2520.15

Test

Table 2. Compressive Strength Results of Each Group

Compressive Strength (MPa)

Load(k
N)

Density
(kg/m3)

Concrete

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

Group 4

Group 5

12.585

16.529

23.675

14.001

24.65

17.653

20.184

21.283

15.121

22.099

14.413

15.419

19.52

13.205

18.212

14.884

17.377

21.493

14.109

21.654

Cylinder 1
Concrete
Cylinder 2
Concrete
Cylinder 3
Average

Through the tables above, the compressive strength curve for each group will be attained
are shown in Graph 1.

Graph 1. Compressive Strength Curve of Each Group

Compressive Strength Curve

25
20
15
Average Compressive Strength (MPa)

10
5
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

Curing Period (Days)

Based on Graph 1 above, it shows that, as the number of days increases, the
compressive strength also increases. But for the 21 days of curing, from 21.493 MPa, it
decreases instead of increasing into 14.109 MPa which was also the lowest of all the
compressive strength attained. It can be due to errors by the group assigned. It may be
due to not able to properly seal the mold. But all in all, we can conclude that compressive

strength really increases as curing day increases that can be seen to 28 days of curing
which were 21.654 MPa and this was the highest among them all.

Through the data obtained by our group, the comparisons between the three cylinders
are shown in Graph 2.

Graph 2. Density VS Compressive Strength of Group 2

Density VS Compressive Strength

25
20
15
Compressive Strength (MPa)

10
5
0
2300

2310

2320

2330

2340

2350

2360

Density (kg/m3)

Table 2 shows that the highest compressive and density is cylinder 2 which has the value
of 20.184 MPa and 2329.73 kg/m3. The second was cylinder 1 which has the value of
16.529 MPa and 2309.28 kg/m3. And the third was cylinder 3 which has the value of
15.419 MPa and 2352.49 kg/m3.

Graph 3. Average Density VS Curing Period of Each Group

Density VS Curing Period

30
25
20
Curing Period (Days)

15
10
5
0
2300

2350

2400

2450

2500

2550

Density (kg/m3)

Graph 3 shows that the highest density is on 28 days of curing of 2520.15 kg/m 3, so this
implies that the longer the curing day, the higher the density becomes. Except with the 3
days of curing which has the second to the highest density of 2486.83 kg/m 3. It may be
due to how the group assigned handled and conducted the test.
In conclusion, the compressive strength and the density increase as the number of days
increases.

References

PCA

Manual.

(n.d).

Retrieved

on

October

28,

2016

at

http://www.ce.memphis.edu/1101/notes/concrete/PCA_manual/Chap12.pdf&sa=U&ved=0
ahUKEwi8oauP1_rPAhXmq1QKHUY7BnoQFgghMAc&usg=AFQjCNFAUSkzsBkVL_wl0R85uXj
1TuYIlA.
CIP 34- Making Concrete Cylinders in the field. (n.d). Retrieved on October 28, 2016 at
http://www.nrmca.org/aboutconcrete/cips/34p.pdf&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwi8oauP1_rPAhXm
q1QKHUY7BnoQFggRMAA&usg=AFQjCNFgHPEOPMfoOICr0VAXtI1KKP1NoA.