EXPERIMENT NO.

12
Slump Test
Reference Standard

Introduction

Concrete slump test is to determine the workability or consistency of

concrete mix prepared at the laboratory or the construction site during the
progress of the work. Concrete slump test is carried out from batch to batch to
check the uniform quality of concrete during construction.

The slump test is the simplest workability test for concrete, involves low
cost and provides immediate results. Due to this fact, it has been widely used for
workability tests since 1922. The slump is carried out as per procedures
mentioned in ASTM C143 in the United States, IS: 1199 – 1959 in India and EN
12350-2 in Europe.

Generally concrete slump value is used to find the workability, which

indicates water-cement ratio, but there are various factors including properties
of materials, mixing methods, dosage, admixtures etc. also affect the concrete
slump value.

Apparatus/Materials
Mold for slump test Measuring Scale
Non Porous Base Plate Tamping Rod

Procedure

1. Clean the internal surface of the mould and apply oil.

2. Place the mould on a smooth horizontal non- porous base plate.
3. Fill the mold with the prepared concrete mix in 4 approximately equal layers.
4. Tamp each layer with 25 strokes of the rounded end of the tamping rod in a
uniform manner over the cross section of the mold. For the subsequent
layers, the tamping should penetrate into the underlying layer.
5. Remove the excess concrete and level the surface with a trowel.
6. Clean away the mortar or water leaked out between the mold and the base
plate.
7. Raise the mould from the concrete immediately and slowly in vertical
direction.
8. Measure the slump as the difference between the height of the mould and
that of height point of the specimen being tested.
 Table 1. Relation Between Workability and Slump
Workability Compacting Factor Slump (mm)
Very Low 0.78 0-25
Low 0.85 25-50
Medium 0.92 50-100
High 0.95 100-175

Results

Desired Slump (mm) = ____75 – 100 mm_____

Actual Slump (mm) = 100 mm________

Discussion of Results

In this experiment, the slump test was performed to know whether

the concrete mix was workable or not yet. The test was only performed once
since it was successful because the slump passed the required height for the
slump.

Conclusion

When unsupported concrete after lifting mould, slumps uniformly all

around i.e. the area of top surface of mould is equal to top surface of unsupported
concrete after slump. This concrete is said to be truly slumped. Concrete mixes
having different workability show no variation at relatively dry range. Mixes
having stiff consistency show zero slumps. Rich mixes show satisfactory
behavior i.e. under slump test significant sensitivity found with variation of
workability. When lean mixes having significant harshness are tested different
slump values are found for different samples of the same mix. 
Documentation