II.

Familiarization with Apparatus

& Equipment Used in Testing of
Materials
 LIST OF MATERIALS AND APPARATUS
1. Sieve Set 11. Tamping Rod 21. Hydraulic Jack
2. Balance 12. Thermometer 22. Steel Pan
3. Graduated Beaker 13. Vibrator 23. Shovel
4. Calculator 14. Vicat Apparatus 24. Trowel
5. Slump cone 15. Electric Oven 25. Wheel Barrows
6. Various Moulds 16. Stop Watch
7. Hydrometer 17. Electric Fans
8. Universal Testing Machine 18. Funnels
9. Concrete Mixer 19. Wire Basket
10. Pressure Gauge 20. Brushes
SIEVE SET
A sieve, or sifter, is a device for separating
wanted elements from unwanted material or
for characterizing the particle size
distribution of a sample of aggregates,
sand, and other soil particles.
A set of IS Sieves of sizes – 80mm, 63mm,
50mm, 40mm,31.5mm, 25mm, 20mm,
16mm, 12.5mm, 10mm, 6.3mm,4.75mm,
3.35mm, 2.36mm, 1.18mm, 600µm, 300µm,
150µm and 75µm.
Balance or scale with an accuracy to
measure 0.1 percent of the weight of the
test sample. The weight of sample
available should not be less than the weight
given on the next page.
SIEVE SET
The sample for sieving should be prepared
from the larger sample either by quartering
or by means of a sample divider.
Sieve Analysis
Sieve analysis helps to determine the
particle size distribution of the coarse and
fine aggregates. This is done by sieving the
aggregates as per IS: 2386 (Part I) – 1963.
In this we use different sieves as
standardized by the IS code and then pass
aggregates through them and thus collect
different sized particles left over different
sieves.
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Balance Graduated Beaker
SLUMP CONE
A metal mold in the form of a
truncated cone with a top diameter
of 4"(102mm), a bottom diameter of
8"(203mm), and a height of
12"(305mm), used to fabricate the
specimen for a slump test. A 2 ft (610
mm) long bullet nosed metal rod, 5’’
(16 mm) in diameter
CONCRETE SLUMP TEST
The concrete slump test is an empirical test that measures the workability of
fresh concrete.
More specifically, it measures the consistency of the concrete in that specific
batch. This test is performed to check the consistency of freshly made concrete.
Consistency is a term very closely related to workability. It is a term which
describes the state of fresh concrete. It refers to the ease with which the
concrete flows. It is used to indicate the degree of wetness. Workability of
concrete is mainly affected by consistency.
i.e. wetter mixes will be more workable than drier mixes, but concrete of the
same consistency may vary in workability.
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Calculator Various Moulds
VARIOUS MOULDS
Cube Moulds Cylinder Moulds Beam Moulds
150mm x150mm x 150mm 6 x 12 in. (15.2 x 30.5 cm) 100mm x 100mm x 400mm
100mm x100mm x 100 mm 4 x 8 in (10 x 20 cm 100mm x 100mm x 500mm
70.6mm x 70.6mm x 70.6mm 150mm x 150mm x 600mm
HYDROMETER
A hydrometer is an instrument used to measure the specific
gravity(or relative density) of liquids ; that is, the ratio of
the density of the liquid to the density of water
A hydrometer is usually made of glass and consists of a
cylindrical stem and a bulb weighted with mercury or lead
shot to make it float upright. The liquid to be tested is
poured into a tall container, often a graduated cylinder,
and the hydrometer is gently lowered into the liquid until it
floats freely. The point at which the surface of the liquid
touches the stem of the hydrometer is noted. Hydrometers
usually contain a scale inside the stem, so that the specific
gravity can be read directly. A variety of scales exist, and
are used depending on the context
UNIVERSAL TESTING MACHINE
An instrument so designed that it is
capable of exerting a tensile,
compressive, or transverse stress on a
specimen under test. Further, it can be
adapted for the determination of
Brinell hardness, ductility, cold bend,
and other properties. The machine
consists essentially of three systems:
loading, weighing, and indicating, the
loading being applied either
mechanically or hydraulically.
CONCRETE MIXER
A concrete mixer (also commonly called
a cement mixer) is a device that
homogeneously combines cement,
aggregate such as sand or gravel, and
water to form concrete. A typical
concrete mixer uses a revolving drum to
mix the components. For smaller volume
works portable concrete mixers are
often used so that the concrete can be
made at the construction site
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Pressure Gauge Tamping Rod
 EDJ

MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Thermometer Vibrator

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY DEPARMENT OF CIVL ENGINEERING

VICAT APPARATUS
is used to find out the consistency, initial setting time
and final setting time of the cement. In the normal
consistency test we have to find out the amount of
water to be added to the cement to form a cement
paste of normal consistency.
Vicat's apparatus consists of an arrangement to
hold the plunger of 10 mm diameter and two
other needles which are made to freely fall into a
mould filled with the cement paste and the amount
of penetration of the needles of plunder can can
be noted using the vertical graduations from 0
mm to 50 mm.
CONSISTENCY TEST
To find out the consistency of cement, you have to
take a sample of dried cement of about 400g
weight which must pass through the 90 micron IS
sieve. Then mix in it about 25% of water by weight
to form a uniform paste within 2 minutes of time.
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Oven Stop Watch
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Electric Fan Funnel
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Wire Basket Brush
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Hydraulic Jack Steel Pan
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Shovel Trowel
MATERIALS/APPARATUS
Wheel Barrow First Aid Box