What To Do When Cylinder Breaks Are Low
What To Do When Cylinder Breaks Are Low
What To Do When Cylinder Breaks Are Low
2. When investigation is indicated, how should it be per- Step 1: Verify testing accuracy
formed?
Sampling and testing of freshly mixed concrete in the
3. How should results of the investigation be translated field are often not in strict accord with the standard pro-
into action with respect to the structure and to the al- cedures prescribed for acceptance testing. In many or
location of costs? perhaps most cases, deviations from the standard
methods can occur in one or more important aspects
DECISION TO INVESTIGATE taking of samples, molding procedures and equipment
Nationally accepted specifications recognize the nor- protection during the first 24 hours, compliance with
mal variability of concrete strength tests and allow for the one-day limitation on field storage, inadequate cur-
some of them to measure below the specified level, usu- ing after the first day, deficient capping material or pro-
ally designated f c. The designers of concrete structures cedure, or inaccuracy of testing machine. Such viola-
allow for this inevitable variability as well as for the fact tions almost always cause the measured strength to be
that test specimens are generally cured under better reduced.
conditions than the concrete in the structure. They Stern measures should be taken whenever deviations
do this by specifying strength levels greatly in excess from standard procedures are discovered. Inaccuracies
of stresses to which the concrete will actually be may lead to expensive delays and supplementary inves-
subjected. tigation. The testing laboratory should be held responsi-
The ACI Building Code (ACI 318-77)1 has two require- ble for deficiencies in the testing procedures and ser-
ments for standard cylinder results: vices it is asked to provide.
If the testing of the concrete is found to have deviated
No individual strength test (average of two cylinders) from the standard methods, it may be possible to termi-
can be more than 500 psi below the required fc and nate the investigation at this point. If the testing has
been satisfactory, or if this phase of the findings is in-
the averages of all sets of three consecutive tests must conclusive, it may be necessary to continue with Step 2
equal or exceed fc. or Step 3, or possibly both simultaneously.
Step 3: Non-destructive tests 3. The smallest core used should have a diameter of 212
Se ve ral devices are available for obtaining estimates of inches or twice the maximum aggregate size, whichev-
concrete strength in place. Generally they do not provide er is greater. For usual structural concretes, 312- to 4-
values that can be translated directly into cylinder or inch core diameters are adequate, but 6-inch cores are
core strengths. Howe ve r, in the hands of a skilled opera- preferred by some agencies.
tor, they can yield useful information on the concrete in
place by comparing readings on portions of the struc- 4. The inclusion of reinforcing steel in the cores should
ture represented by the low strength tests with those on be avoided since correction for the resulting reduction
other portions considered acceptable. Such readings can in measured strength is uncertain.
indicate quite convincingly whether or not the ques-
tioned concrete differs appreciably from concrete 5. If possible, drill completely through the member to
judged acceptable. Three standard methods of deter- avoid having to break out the core. If the core must be
mining the strength of the concrete in place are de- broken out, use wooden wedges to minimize the like-
scribed in more detail in another article beginning on lihood of damage and allow 2 inches extra length at
page 571. the broken end to permit sawing off potentially dam-
The rebound hammer, ASTM Method C 805, measures aged concrete.
rebound of a steel missile, spring driven onto a plunger
held firmly against the face of the concrete being mea- 6. Saw broken ends to plane surfaces before capping.
sured. It can be used to indicate the difference between Use a length-to-diameter ratio of at least 1.5, but in
questionable and acceptable portions of a given struc- no case less than 1.0.
ture, but has only limited value as an indicator of nu-
merical values of compressive strength. 7. Correct strength for length-to-diameter ratios other
The penetration probe, ASTM Method C 308, depends than 2.0 by using the standard values in ASTM C 42.
upon measurement of the distance that a precision-
tooled steel pin can be driven into concrete from a spe- 8. Provide properly plane caps of acceptable material.
cial gun by a precisely measured powder charge. Careful Caps should be 1/8 inch thick or less, and made of a
measurement of the protrusion of the pin by microme- material having a strength of at least 5000 psi and nev-
ter is converted into an estimate of compressive er less than the strength of concrete being tested.
strength. Here again, reliance should be placed on com-
parisons between accepted and questioned portions of 9. Test the cores either after soaking 40 hours or after
the work rather than upon numerical strength levels. drying 7 days, depending upon the moisture condi-
Pulse velocity measurement in accordance with ASTM tions in the structure (see ACI 3181).
Method C 597 is applicable strictly for checking the con-
stancy of concrete properties in different portions of the 10. Be absolutely sure that specimens are accurately
work. centered in the testing machine to avoid eccentricity
If evaluations by one or more of these methods fail to of applied load.
alleviate concern over structural adequacy, the direct
measurement of concrete strength may be considered In evaluating core tests results, the fact that core
necessary. strengths may not equal the strength specified for mold-
ed cylinders should not be cause for concern. As men-
Step 4: Core tests tioned earlier, specified cylinder strengths allow a large
Compressive strength tests of cores drilled from the margin for the unknowns of placement and curing con-
s t ru c t u re provide a measure of concrete strength in ditions in the field as well as for normal variability. For
place, but not one that can be equated to or translated cores actually taken from the structure, the unknowns
into an equivalent strength for molded cylinders. The have already exerted their effect, and the margin of mea-
testing of cores requires great care in the operation itself sured strength above expected working stresses can log-
and in the interpretation of the results. Details of the ically be reduced.
procedure are given in Standard Method of Obtaining The ACI Code states that the concrete will be consid-
and Testing Drilled Cores and Sawed Beams of Con- ered structurally adequate if the average strength of
crete, ASTM C 42, but the following precautions should three cores is at least 85 percent of that specified, with no
be observed. core less than 75 percent. Conserva t i ve l y, the concrete
can be considered unconditionally acceptable from the
1. Preferably, the test of the questioned area should be standpoint of strength if the core test results for a given
location meet these requirements. 2. If the testing of the concrete as delivered is found to
The structural engineer should examine cases where have been properly performed, the costs of additional
core strength values are less than 85 percent to deter- testing required to verify the acceptability of the struc-
mine if there is cause for concern over structural ade- ture should be borne by the producer.
quacy. If the results of properly made core tests are so
low as to leave structural integrity in doubt, further ac- Where direct negotiation does not provide a solution,
tion may be required as described in Steps 5 and 6. a panel or arbitration referee may be needed to assign
responsibility for these and other related costs.
Step 5: Load tests
As a last resort, load tests may be required to check the CONCLUSIONS
capacity of structural members whose strength is seri- These recommendations provide guidelines for action
ously in doubt. Generally such tests are suited only to to be taken when tests indicate a possible deficiency in
flexural membersfloors, beams and the likebut they concrete strength. Circumstances will vary and the steps
may sometimes be applied to other types. In any event, must, therefore, be applied with judgment. Clear-cut es-
load testing is a highly specialized science which should tablishment of responsibility is not always possible, and
be performed and interpreted only by an engineer fully compromise may be the appropriate solution. The en-
qualified in the techniques. gineer has a responsibility to prepare lucid, non-contra-
Load testing procedures and criteria for their inter- dictory specifications and to apply sound judgment in
pretation are given in ACI 318. their application and interpretation. This factor should
be taken into account in the assignment of responsibili-
Step 6: Corrective measures ty for costs resulting from questioned strength. In doubt-
In those rare cases where a structural element fails ful situations, the guidelines of ASTM C 94 for adjudica-
the load test or where structural analysis of untestable tion of controversies can be applied, with necessary
members indicates an inadequacy, appropriate correc- adjustments of the personnel on the panel to include
tive measure must be taken. The alternatives, depending representation of all parties to the dispute.
on individual circumstances, are: