SURIGAO STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

Narciso St. 8400, Surigao City (Main Campus)

CE 113: CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS & TESTING

(Experiment No. 9)
Slump Test of Portland Cement Concrete
Submitted on: December 9, 2019

SUBMITTED BY:
WIN JAY C. MUSICA
BSCE-4B STUDENT

SUBMITTED TO:
ENGR. VIRNIE PORTUGUES
INSTRUCTOR
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Cover Page 1

Introduction 3

Procedure 3

List of Equipment (Apparatus and Materials) 4

Test Results 4

Discussion 5

Recommendation 5
INTRODUCTION:
The slump test is a means of assessing the consistency of fresh concrete. It is used, indirectly, as a
means of checking that the correct amount of water has been added to the mix. The test is carried
out in accordance with BS EN 12350-2, Testing fresh concrete. Slump test.
The steel slump cone is placed on a solid, impermeable, level base and filled with the fresh concrete
in three equal layers. Each layer is rodded 25 times to ensure compaction. The third layer is
finished off level with the top of the cone. The cone is carefully lifted up, leaving a heap of concrete
that settles or ‘slumps’ slightly. The upturned slump cone is placed on the base to act as a reference,
and the difference in level between its top and the top of the concrete is measured and recorded to
the nearest 10mm to give the slump of the concrete.
When the cone is removed, the slump may take one of three forms. In a true slump the concrete
simply subsides, keeping more or less to shape. In a shear slump the top portion of the concrete
shears off and slips sideways. In a collapse slump the concrete collapses completely. Only a true
slump is of any use in the test. If a shear or collapse slump is achieved, a fresh sample should be
taken and the test repeated. A collapse slump will generally mean that the mix is too wet or that it
is a high workability mix, for which the flow test (see separate entry) is more appropriate.

PROCEDURE:
1. Take a representative sample of aggregate, wash so that it will be free from silt and clay or
dry.
2. Using a proportion of 1:2:4 by weight, weigh equal amount of sand and gravel for total 12
kg a place them on the mixing box. Add 2 kg of cement, add water, using a water-cement
ratio of o.45, 0.55, 0.65. Keep precise record of the amount of the materials. It is convenient
to measure the water in a graduated cylinder (1000ml = 1kg). Mix them thoroughly.
3. Dampen the mold and place it on a flat, non-absorbent and rigid surface. The operator
standing on the two-foot pieces shall hold it firmly in place during filling.
4. Fill the mold in three layers, each layer should be approximately one-third the volume of
the mold.
5. Rod each layer with 25 strokes with a tamping rod. Uniformly distribute the stroke over
the cross-section of each layer by using approximately half the stroke near the perimeter
(outer edge) and progressing spirally toward the center.
6. Rod the bottom layer throughout its depth.
 7. Rod the second and the top layer each throughout its depth, so that the strokes just penetrate
into the underlying layer.
8. In filling and rodding the top layer, heap the concrete above the mold before rodding is
started. If the rodding operation results in a subsidence of the concrete below the top edge
of the mold, add additional concrete to keep excess at all times.
9. After the top layer has been rodded, strike off the surface of the concrete by means of
screeding and rolling motion of the tamping rod.
10. Remove the mold immediately from the concrete by raising it carefully in a vertical motion.
Raise the mold a distance of 12 inches (300 mm) in 5 ± 2 seconds by a steady upward lift
with no lateral or torsional motion. Complete the entire test from the start of filling through
removal of the mold without interruption and complete it within an elapsed time of 2 ½
minutes.
11. Place the meter stick horizontally across the inverted mold so that meter stick extends over
the slumped concrete. Immediately measure the distance from the bottom of the meter stick
to the original center of the top surface of the specimen.
12. If a decided falling away or shearing off of concrete from one side or portion of the mass
occurs, disregard the test and a new test on another portion of the sample.
13. Record the slump in terms of inches (mm) to the nearest ¼ inches (6mm) of a subsidence
of the specimen during the test.
Calculation = 12 inches – inches of height after subsidence
Apparatus:
Slump Cone
Tamping Rod
Spade
Container
Mixing Box
Graduated Cylinder (1000ml mineral bottle)
Meter Stick
TEST RESULTS:

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS:
The slump test is made by measuring the settle of a 12 in. (300 mm) high concrete, formed in a
mold that has a slope of the frustum cone. So in order for the slump test to be successful,

RECOMMENDATION / CONCLUSION: