The aim of the investigation described here is to verify the applicability of penetration resistance tests on high strength concrete as a way of estimating its compressive strength “in situ”. A relationship between compressive strength of a given concrete and its resistance to penetration by a steel probe fired into the concrete surface is presented to a compressive strength range varying from 50 MPa to 90 MPa using an alternative firing apparatus to the standard apparatus Windsor Probe Test System.

The existence of a relationship between the compressive strength of a given concrete and its resistance to penetration by a steel probe fired into the concrete is well known; the depth of penetration will be inversely proportional to the compressive strength. A test apparatus, designed for this purpose, using a special probe and standardised powder charge, was developed in the USA during the 1960s’ and is known as Windsor Probe Test and covered by the ASTM Standards (ASTM-C803-90). In Europe, similar standards are the British Standards (BS 1881: Part 207: 1992). The aim of this work is to perform studies concerning to a new apparatus application in comparison with the WPT System, which was called Alternative Firing Apparatus (AFA). Five different mix proportions were produced in order to obtain five sets of specimens with five different classes of compressive strength. The tests with the two described systems were performed at 28 days age for each set of specimens. The obtained results show that the Alternative Firing Apparatus could be a suitable mean for the assessment of in-place strength. The main physical limitation of penetration resistance tests is the surface damage and the danger of splitting of members, which limits the zones of testing. However, it was found that the Alternative Firing Apparatus causes less damage than WPT System. Consequently, minor distances between probes are possible.

The near-to-surface tests, as described by British Standard BS 1881: Part 207: 1992, comprises different techniques which were developed to evaluate in-situ strength of concrete, and it includes: internal fracture, pull-out, pull-off, penetration resistance and break-off tests. Since these tests measure only a property of concrete close to the surface, the evaluation of in-situ strength of concrete mass has to be obtain by a experimentally correlation between the near-to surface test results and the compressive strength of concrete mass. This paper discusses the reliability of two of this techniques, penetration resistance test and pull-out tests, as a construction tool for the evaluation of the in-place concrete strength both in normal and high strength concrete. For penetration resistance test applied to high-strength concrete an alternative firing apparatus to the standard apparatus, Windsor Probe Test System, is used. The obtained correlations are also presented and compared to those obtain by other research works.

One of the most important concrete properties for structural concrete design or re-design is the compressive strength. Furthermore, other important concrete properties can be derived from the compressive strength. This property is typically obtained by standardised crushing tests on cast cubes or cylinders. However, cast cubes or cylinders may not be available for testing and, therefore, alternative tests need to be considered. The most reliable alternative test is the core test, which needs specimens extracted from the structure. Obviously, this is a very destructive test and other less destructive tests have been developed and deserve some attention. Some of non-destructive or partially destructive tests were carried out by the authors on normal and high strength concrete and compared with cube/cylinder common tests and also with core tests. This paper presents results from this study. Test procedures and reliability of non-destructive tests are analysed and discussed. Conclusions are presented.

Concrete compressive strength of standard samples curing under standard conditions are of outmost importance for quality control of concrete as it is produced. However, those values can only be accepted as indicating the “potential strength” of concrete and may differ from the actual in-situ concrete compressive strength. The knowledge, as close as possible, of the in-situ concrete compressive strength is, in some situations, necessary in order to estimate, for instance: the time when precast concrete members can be moved and transported, the time of prestress, removal of moulds or propping, etc. Non-destructive tests (NDT) have been increasingly used in the last decades for this purpose, i. e., the assessment of in-situ quality and integrity of concrete elements, especially for estimation of the in-situ concrete compressive strength. The use of NDT methods on normal and high strength concrete elements will be evaluated on this paper qualitatively, taking as reference five different test methods, which imply the measurement of other five different properties. Such properties include the measurement of the surface hardness, ultra-sonic pulse velocity, penetration resistance, pull-out force and direct tensile strength (pull-off test).

Non-destructive tests (NDT) have been used in the last decades for the assessment of in-situ quality and integrity of concrete elements. An important step in the application of NDT methods concerns to the interpretation and validation of the test results. In general, interpretation of NDT results should involve three distinct phases leading to the development of conclusions: processing of collected data, analysis of within-test variability and quantitative evaluation of property under investigation. The analysis of within-test variability can provide valuable information, since this can be compared with that of within-test variability associated with the NDT method in use, either to provide a measure of the quality control or to detect the presence of abnormal circumstances during the in-situ application. This paper reports the analysis of the experimental results of within-test variability of NDT obtained for normal vibrated concrete and self-compacting concrete. The NDT reported includes the surface hardness test, ultrasonic pulse velocity test, penetration resistance test, pull-off test, pull-out test and maturity test. The obtained results are discussed and conclusions are presented.

Cement-based construction materials, commonly known as "cement concrete", result from the hydration reaction of cement, which releases heat. Numerous studies have examined the heat of cement hydration and other thermal properties of these materials. However, a significant gap in the literature is the assessment of the impact of the hydration temperature on the material's strength, particularly compressive strength. This work presents an experimental methodology that consistently estimates the temperature evolution of a mixture used to manufacture concrete or mortar during the first hours of Portland cement hydration. The methodology aims to ensure results that correspond to an infinite medium (adiabatic conditions), where there are no heat losses to the surroundings. Results obtained under adiabatic conditions (simulating an infinite medium) indicate that a ready-made mortar (Portland cement: sand: water; 1:2.5:0.5) can reach temperatures of approximately 100 °C after 48 h of hydration. Under these conditions, compressive strength decreases by up to 20%.

O artigo descreve a análise comparativa dos resultados obtidos em argamassas adequadas à produção de betões auto-compactáveis quando se utilizaram associações binárias e ternárias de materiais finos, que combinaram, em diferentes percentagens de substituição, dois cimentos e quatro adições: fíler calcário, cinzas volantes, sílica de fumo e fíler granítico. As misturas binárias de materiais finos combinaram os cimentos (CEM I 42,5R e CEM II/B-L32,5N) com as adições de cinzas volantes, fíler calcário e fíler granítico. As misturas ternárias de materiais finos combinaram a microssílica com cada uma das restantes adições e com o cimento (CEM I 42,5R). Para cada mistura de materiais finos foram produzidas argamassas com diferentes razões entre os volumes absolutos de materiais finos e de agregados finos (Vp/Vs). As dosagens de água (Vw/Vp) e de superplastificante (Sp/p%) foram ajustadas experimentalmente até que todas as argamassas apresentassem aproximadamente o mesmo comportamento reológico, avaliado em termos de área de espalhamento relativa (Gm) e velocidade relativa de escoamento (Rm). O estudo permitiu avaliar a influência das adições nas dosagens de água e superplastificante necessárias à obtenção das propriedades reológicas adequadas. Adicionalmente, foi possível correlacionar, para diferentes razões Vp/Vs, a resistência à compressão das argamassas com a razão água/cimento e a percentagem de substituição do cimento pela adição.

O artigo descreve a segunda etapa de um estudo mais alargado relativo à metodologia da composição de betões auto-compactáveis. Na primeira etapa produziu-se um número significativo de argamassas com propriedades reológicas adequadas à obtenção de BAC e resistências à compressão entre os 25 MPa e os 95 MPa. As argamassas diferiram entre si pelo facto de possuírem diferentes razões entre os volumes absolutos de materiais finos e de agregados finos (Vp/Vs) e por conterem misturas binárias de materiais finos que combinaram os cimentos (CEM I 42,5R e CEM II/B-L32,5N) com as adições (cinzas volantes, fíler calcário e fíler granítico) em diferentes percentagens de substituição. Em comum, as argamassas apresentavam aproximadamente o mesmo comportamento no estado fresco, avaliado em termos de área de espalhamento relativa (Gm) e velocidade relativa de escoamento (Rm). Na segunda etapa produziram-se 60 betões utilizando diferentes razões entre os volumes absolutos de argamassa e de agregados grossos (Vm/Vg) e foram avaliadas as suas propriedades no estado fresco e no estado endurecido. Os resultados obtidos permitiram avaliar a relação entre os parâmetros de cálculo da mistura, a reologia (avaliada pelos ensaios de espalhamento e de fluidez), a auto-compactabilidade (avaliada pela Caixa-L) e a resistência à compressão dos betões auto-compactáveis.

This paper details a comparative analysis of the results obtained in tests on mortars suitable for self-compacting concrete (SCC). The binary and ternary blends of powder materials used were combinations of two cements with four additions in different percentages: limestone powder, fly ash, granite filler and microsilica. The correlations between the mix design parameters of the mortar phase and the flow properties and compressive strength were evaluated. As a result of this evaluation, a simple methodology was proposed for the mix design of the mortar phase in binary blends of powder with the aim of simultaneously obtaining both adequate flow properties and the necessary compressive strength of the mortar.