Construction Technology and Site Management
Module 4
Inspection and Testing
Introduction
• The principal aim of conventional in-situ testing is to ensure that proper materials
are used in desired proportions and correct steps of workmanship are followed.
• There are three basic categories of concrete testing, namely -
1. Quality control: It is normally carried out by the contractor to indicate necessary
to ensure an acceptable supplied material.
2. Compliance testing: It is performed by, or for, the engineer according to an
agreed plan, to check compliance with the specifications.
3. Secondary testing: This test is performed on the hardened concrete in situations
where there is a doubt about the reliability of control and compliance results or they
are unavailable or inappropriate as in an old structure.
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INSPECTION TESTING OF FRESH CONCRETE
• The inspection testing of fresh concrete includes workability test, analysis of fresh
concrete, accelerated testing, and non-destructive testing.
• Analysis of Fresh Concrete.
• The field variations in the actual mix proportions of the concrete can be determined by
analyzing the composition of fresh concrete. The quality of concrete can be controlled if a
rapid analysis of fresh concrete is carried out allowing the engineer take the necessary
remedial measures, if required. The density and composition at in-place concrete may be
determined by analyzing the representative samples take from the forms.
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Testing of Durability Parameters of Hardened
Concrete
• Two major factors responsible for the loss of durability of concrete
structures are cracking of concrete and corrosion of reinforcement. There
is an intimate interaction between cracking and corrosion with each
promoting the other. The corrosion of reinforcement is significantly
influenced by the thickness of concrete cover. Similarly the permeability of
concrete plays an important role in lack of durability of concrete. The
permeability of concrete facilitates the transport of aggressive ions and
gases, thereby affecting durability of the structure.
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Partially Destructive Strength Tests
• The test methods used to assess in-situ concrete strength which cause some
localized damage sufficiently small to cause no loss in structural performance are
called partially destructive strength tests. These methods which involve
penetration, pull out and pull-off techniques and use correlation charts for the
estimation of strength, are not sensitive to as many variables as are rebound
hammer or pulse-velocity testing. A major advantage of this type of testing is that
strength can be estimated immediately as compared to core testing but the
estimate may not be as accurate.
• Concrete Core Tests - The examination and compressive strength testing of
cores drilled from hardened concrete enable the visual inspection of interior
regions of the structural member along with estimation of actual concrete
strength. The cores are also frequently used to measure density, water
absorption, indirect tensile strength, and finally as samples for chemical analysis.
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Factors Influencing Core Comprehensive
Strength
• The Significant factors are outlined below:
1. Moisture and voids The moisture condition of the core influences the measured
strength; a saturated specimen has a value of 10 to 15 per cent lower than
comparable dry specimen. It is therefore important that the relative moisture
conditions of core and in-situ concrete are taken into account while estimating the
actual in-situ concrete strengths. Voids in core will reduce the measured strength.
2. Length/diameter ratio of core As l/d ratio increases, the measured strength will
decrease due to the effect of specimen shape, and stress distribution during test.
3. Diameter of core The diameter of the core may influence the measured strength
and variability.
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Factors Influencing Core
Comprehensive Strength (Cont’d)
4. Direction of drilling As a result of layering effect the measured strength of
specimen drilled vertically relative to the direction of casting is likely to be
greater than that for a horizontally drilled specimen from the same concrete.
5. Reinforcement Due to the presence of reinforcement, the measured
strength of concrete is underestimated up to 10 per cent.
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Load Tests
• In the cases where member strength cannot be adequately determined
from the res of in-situ concrete strength tests, load testing may be
necessary.
• In-situ load testing The principal aim is to demonstrate satisfactory
performance under an overload above the service load conditions The
performance is usually judged by measurement of deflection under this
lead sustained for a specified period. Preliminary work is always required
to ensure safety in the event of a collapse under test conditions.
• The performance is based initially on the acceptability of the measured
deflection and cracking in terms of the design requirements coupled with
the examination of unexpected defects.
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