Characteristic strength of concrete

Characteristic strength of concrete is one of the important properties of concrete which indeed unanimously by design engineeror any other person involved in the construction sector.

The compressive strength of concrete is given in terms of the characteristic compressive strength of 150 mm size cubes tested at 28 days (fck)- as per Indian Standards (ACI standards use cylinder of diameter 150 mm and height 300 mm). The characteristic strength is defined as the strength of the concrete below which not more than 5% of the test results are expected to fall.

This concept assumes a normal distribution of the strengths of the samples of concrete.

                               

Normal Distribution curve on test specimens for      determining compressive strength

The above sketch shows an idealized distribution of the values of compressive strength for a certain number of test specimens. The horizontal axis represents the values of compressive strength in MPa. The vertical axis represents the number of test samples for a

particular compressive strength. This is also termed as frequency.

The average of the values of compressive strength (mean strength) from the graph is 40 MPa. The characteristic strength (fck) is the value in the x-axis below which 5% of the total area under the curve falls. From the graph we can clearly say that 30 MPa is the characteristic strength of the given concrete mix. The value of fck is lower than fcm (40 MPa- mean strength) by 1.64σ, where σ is the standard deviation of the normal distribution.

So we can say the given concrete mix has a characteristic strength of 30 MPa or it is a M30 grade mix.

   M- Mix

* Note: For a 95% confidence level k=1.64 , hence k value varies on the confidence level of the experiment

Definition:

Characteristic strength of concrete is the strength of concrete specimens casted and tested as per given code of practice and cured for a period of 28 days; 95% of tested cubes should not have a value less than this value.

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About piles

End Bearing Piles ::-

1:-In end bearing piles, the bottom end of the pile rests on a layer of especially strong soil or rock.

2:- The load of the building is transferred through the pile onto the strong layer.

3:-In a sense, this pile acts like a column.

4:-The key principle is that the bottom end rests on the surface which is the intersection of a weak and strong layer. The load therefore bypasses the weak layer and is safely transferred to the strong layer.

Friction Piles ::-

1:-Friction piles work on a different principle.

2:- The pile transfers the load of the building to the soil across the full height of the pile, by friction.

3:-In other words, the entire surface of the pile, which is cylindrical in shape, works to transfer the forces to the soil.

NOTE: In practice, however, each pile resists load by a combination of end bearing and friction

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POINTS TO REMEMBER FOR CIVIL SITE ENGINEERS

Following are few general points to remember for civil site engineers to make the construction work easier while maintaining quality of construction.

• Lapping is not allowed for the bars having diameters more than 36 mm.
• Chair spacing maximum spacing is 1.00 m (or) 1 No per 1m2.
• For dowels rod minimum of 12 mm diameter should be used.
• Chairs minimum of 12 mm diameter bars to be used.
• Longitudinal reinforcement not less than 0.8% and more than 6% of gross C/S.
• Minimum bars for square column is 4 No’s and 6 No’s for circular column.
• Main bars in the slabs shall not be less than 8 mm (HYSD) or 10 mm (Plain bars) and the distributors not less than 8 mm and not more than 1/8 of slab thickness.
• Minimum thickness of slab is 125 mm.
• Dimension tolerance for cubes + 2 mm.
• Free fall of concrete is allowed maximum to 1.50m.
• Lap slices not be used for bar larger than 36 mm.
• Water absorption of bricks should not be more than 15 %.
• PH value of the water should not be less than 6.
• Compressive strength of Bricks is 3.5 N / mm2.
• In steel reinforcement binding wire required is 8 kg per MT.
• In soil filling as per IS code, 3 samples should be taken for core cutting test for every 100m2.

Density of Materials:

Material	Density
Bricks	1600 – 1920 kg/m3
Concrete block	1920 kg/ m3
Reinforced concrete	2310 – 2700 kg/ m3

Curing time of RCC Members for different types of cement:

Super Sulphate cement: 7 days

Ordinary Portland cement OPC: 10 days

Minerals & Admixture added cement: 14 days

De-Shuttering time of different RCC Members

RCC Member	De-shuttering time
For columns, walls, vertical form works	16-24 hrs.
Soffit formwork to slabs	3 days (props to be refixed after removal)
Soffit to beams props	7 days (props to refixed after removal)
Beams spanning upto 4.5m	7 days
Beams spanning over 4.5m	14 days
Arches spanning up to 6m	14 days
Arches spanning over 6m	21 days

Cube samples required for different quantity of concrete:

Quantity of Concrete	No. of cubes required
1 – 5 m3	1 No’s
6 0 15 m3	2 No’s
16 – 30 m3	3 No’s
31 – 50 m3	4 No’s
Above 50 m3	4 + 1 No’s of addition of each 50 m3

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