Since the early 20th century, the concrete industry has recognized the need to monitor concrete workability to ensure that concrete can be properly placed and can achieve adequate hardened strength. A myriad of test procedures for determining workability have been developed for research, mix proportioning, and field use. The vast majority of these test methods have never found any use beyond one or two initial studies. With the exception of the widely used slump test, the few methods that have been studied extensively have generally failed to gain widespread acceptance. Even with the increase in knowledge of concrete rheology, the slump test remains the predominately used test method for measuring concrete workability.
Modern concrete production systems have not eliminated the need to monitor concrete
workability in the field. To the contrary, the advent of new so-called high-performance concrete
mixes that are susceptible to small changes in mix proportions has made monitoring workability even more critical. Indeed, a National Ready-Mixed Concrete Association survey identified the need for a better method to characterize the workability of high performance concrete (Ferraris and Lobo 1998). After more than 80 years of efforts, the concrete industry is still faced with the challenge of developing a field test to measure the relevant rheological properties of concrete quickly and accurately.
This document describes 61 test methods for measuring concrete workability. Many more test methods have been developed for a single project or for a specific application and have been sparsely reported in the literature, if at all. Although many of the devices in this document will likely never be used in the future and have been scarcely used in the past, an examination of tests that have failed and tests that have been supplanted by better tests is instructive in recognizing trends in concrete workability research and in selecting key concepts for the development of a new test method.
This document first describes key principles and trends in the measurement of workability and then describes the 61 test methods. Based on the successes and failures of past test methods and the current needs of the concrete industry, requirements for new test methods are developed.
1 INTRODUCTION
2 PRINCIPLES OF MEASUREMENT
3 DESCRIPTIONS OF EXISTING TEST METHODS
—–3.1 Workability Test Methods for Concrete
———-3.1.1 Confined Flow Test Methods
———-3.1.1.1 Compaction Factor Test (Compacting Factor Test, Glanville Compaction Test)
———-3.1.1.2 Free Orifice Test (Orimet Test)
———-3.1.1.3 K-Slump Tester
———-3.1.2 Free Flow Test Methods
———-3.1.2.1 Slump Test
———-3.1.2.2 Modified Slump Test
———-3.1.2.3 SLump Rate Machine (SLRM)
———-3.1.2.4 Kelly Ball Test
———-3.1.2.5 Ring Penetration Test
———-3.1.2.6 Cone Penetration Test
———-3.1.2.7 Moving Sphere Viscometer
———-3.1.2.8 Flow Trough Test
———-3.1.2.9 Delivery-Chute Torque Meter
———-3.1.2.10 Delivery-Chute Depth Meter
———-3.1.2.11 Surface Settlement Test
———-3.1.3 Vibration Test Methods
———-3.1.3.1 Compaction Test (Walz Test, Compaction Index Test, Degree of Compaction Test)
———-3.1.3.2 Vebe Consistometer
———-3.1.3.3 Powers Remolding Test
———-3.1.3.4 Thaulow Tester
———-3.1.3.5 Flow Table Test (DIN Flow Table)
———-3.1.3.6 Angles Flow Box Test
———-3.1.3.7 LCL Flow Test
———-3.1.3.8 Wigmore Consistometer
———-3.1.3.9 Vibropenetrator
———-3.1.3.10 Inverted Slump Cone Test
———-3.1.3.11 Vertical Pipe Apparatus
———-3.1.3.12 Vibrating Slope Apparatus (VSA)
———-3.1.3.13 Settlement Column Segregation Test
———-3.1.3.14 Vibratory Flow Meter
———-3.1.4 Rotational Rheometers
———-3.1.4.1 Powers and Wiler Plastometer
———-3.1.4.2 Tattersall Two-Point Workability Device
———-3.1.4.3 BML Viscometer
———-3.1.4.4 IBB Rheometer
———-3.1.4.5 BTRHEOM Rheometer
———-3.1.4.6 Bertta Apparatus
———-3.1.4.7 FHPCM
———-3.1.4.8 CEMAGREF-IMG
———-3.1.4.9 Soil Direct Shear Test
———-3.1.4.10 Mixer Devices
———-3.1.4.11 Fresh Concrete Tester (FCT 101)
———-3.1.5 Test Methods for Very Low Slump Concrete
———-3.1.5.1 Proctor Test
———-3.1.5.2 Kango Hammer Test
———-3.1.5.3 Intensive Compaction Test
———-3.1.6 Other Test Methods
———-3.1.6.1 Trowel Test
———-3.1.6.2 Multiple Single-Point Tests
———-3.1.6.3 Soil Triaxial Test
———-3.1.6.4 System and Method for Controlling Concrete Production
3.2 Workability Test Methods for Self-Compacting Concrete
———-3.2.1 V-Funnel Test
———-3.2.2 Slump Flow Test
———-3.2.3 J-Ring Test
———-3.2.4 L-Box Test
———-3.2.5 U-Box Test
———-3.2.6 Fill Box Test (Simulated Filling Test, Filling Capacity Box, Kajima Test)
———-3.2.7 Wet Sieving Stability Test (GTM Screen Stability Test)
———-3.2.8 Penetration Test for Segregation
—–3.3 Workability Test Methods for Pastes and Grouts
———-3.3.1 Flow Cone Test
———-3.3.2 Turning Tube Viscometer
———-3.3.3 Wuerpel Device
———-3.3.4 Mini-Slump Test
———-3.3.5 Mini-Flow Test
———-3.3.6 Vicat Needle Test
———-3.3.7 ViscoCorder
4 COMMENTS ON EXISTING WORKABILITY TEST METHODS
5 CRITERIA FOR NEW WORKABILITY TEST METHODS
6 CONCLUSIONS