QUALITY CONTROL OF

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

by

K. RAMESH

Research Officer,Engineering Materials Laboratory,

A.P. Engineering Research Laboratories,Himayatsagar, HYDERABAD-500030.

Construction materials

• Cement

• Aggregates (Fine & Coarse)

• Water

• Steel Reinforcement

• Cement Concrete

Categories of I.S. Codes

• Codes which give specifications• Codes which give methods of tests

Important I.S. Codes Material Specifications Methods of tests

1. Cement 269-1989, 8112-1989, 12269-1987, 1489(P.1&P.2)-1991

4031(P.1 to P.15)-1996,

4032-1985

2. Aggregates 383-1970 2386(P.1 to P.8)-1963

3. Water 456-2000 3025(P.1 to 32)-1987

4. Steel

Reinforcement

432(P.1 &P.2)-1982, 1786-2008

1608-1995, 1599-1985,

228(p.1 to 24)-1987

5. Cement

Concrete

456-2000 516-1959, 1199-1959

Tests on cement(Physical Tests)

• Standard consistency

• Setting times (Initial and Final )

• Compressive strength

• Fineness

• Soundness

• Specific Gravity

Tests on cement(Chemical Tests)

• Ratio of percentage of lime to percentages of silica, alumina and iron oxide

• Ratio of percentage of alumina to percentage of iron oxide

• Insoluble residue, percent by mass• Magnesia, percent by mass• Total sulphur content, percent by mass• Total loss on ignition• Total chloride content –

Tests on fine aggregate

• Sieve analysis

• Deleterious materials

• Soundness

• Specific Gravity

Tests on coarse aggregate

• Sieve analysis• Flakiness index • Elongation index• Deleterious materials• Impact value• Crushing value • Abrassion value• Soundness• Specific gravity• Alkali aggregate reactivity

Tests on water

• Neutralization

• Organic solids

• Inorganic solids

• Sulphates

• Chlorides

• Suspended matter

Tests on steel reinforcement(Physical Tests)

• Tensile test

• Bend test

• Rebend test

• Bond test

Tests on steel reinforcement(Chemical Tests)

• Chemical composition

(Carbon, Sulphur, Phosporous, Sulphur & Phosporous)

Tests on cement concrete (Strength Tests)

• Compressive strength

• Flexure strength

• Modulus of elasticity

Tests on cement concrete (Workability & Other Tests)

• Slump test• Compaction factor test• Vee-bee test• Analysis of freshly mixed concrete• Density• Yield• Air content• Cement content of hardened concrete• Drying shrinkage

• Moisture movement