Comprehensive Guide to Concrete Cube Testing | Learn How to Make Test Cubes
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You will need the following equipment – 1. Brush and mould oil 2. Buckets or wheelbarrow 3. Cloth 4. Cube moulds 5. Damp cloth and plastic sheet 6. Rubber Mallet 7. Mixing tray 8. Pen 9. Sampling scoop 10. Sampling/cube/storage certificates 11. Small scoop 12. Spanner 13. Square mouthed shovel 14. Steel float 15. Compacting bar Lightly re-oil cube moulds with release oil |
Step 1
· Check that the Moulds are clean and lightly oiled with bolts tightened
· Ensure that the correct halves of the mould are used and that the corner pins are correctly located
Step 2
· Thoroughly remix the sample shovelling into a heap
· Turn the heap over to form another
· Do this three times
· Flatten the final heap by repeatedly digging in the shovel vertically
· Lift the shovel clear each time
Step 3
· Fill the Mould with concrete in 50mm layers
· Using the special Compacting Bar, compact the concrete with no less than
25 tamps for each of the two layers in a 100mm Mould
35 tamps for each of the three layers in a 150mm Mould
For very high workability concrete you may not need the minimum number of tamps
Step 4
· Remove surplus concrete and smooth over with a float
· Wipe clean the Mould edges
· Number the Moulds for identification
Step 5
· Cover each Mould with a damp cloth and plastic sheet
· Store inside at normal room temperature (15 – 25oC)
· Protect the Cube Moulds at all times from high and low
temperatures (especially frost) and drying winds
· Complete the sampling and cube making certificates
