Assignment 10 : Quality control, Standards and specifications

1.
(a) State the PRINCIPAL requirements of a product conformity certification scheme for
concrete.
(b) Define conformity testing and identity testing and explain the differences between them.
(c) Concrete strength Class C32/40 was specified for the supporting frame of a water tower
and Class C28/35 for the tank. Both concretes are supplied by a local ready-mixed
concrete producer from a depot operating under continuous production and with product
control certification. The standard deviation of the concrete produced by the depot is
currently 4.0 MPa.
Tables 1 and 2 show the 28-day test results of conformity testing by the producer of the two
concretes and identity testing by a local testing laboratory chosen by the client. The testing
laboratory was also responsible for sampling the concrete and making and curing the cubes
for identity testing.
Comment on the results in relation to the conformity requirements for compressive strength
in BS EN 206-1.
Table 1. Results for supporting frame
concrete
Producers
Tes
Tes
Clients
Cube
t
t
test results
results
Ref
Ref.
(MPa)
(MPa)
1
37.0
A
39.0
2
42.0
B
46.0
3
40.0
C
41.5
4
48.0
D
38.0
5
46.0
6
39.5
7
39.0
8
45.0
9
51.0
10
47.0
11
50.0
12
46.5
13
53.0
14
55.0
15
54.0

Table 2. Results for water tank concrete

Tes
t
Ref.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15

Producers
Cube
results
(MPa)
41.0
33.0
34.0
43.5
47.0
42.0
31.0
48.0
35.0
45.0
46.0
44.5
48.0
41.0
39.0

Tes
t
Ref

Clients
tests results
(MPa)

A
B
C
D
E
F

39.0
33.0
35.5
40.0
37.5
35.0

2.
The data below show the results of compressive strength tests on cubes of concrete sampled
by the contractor at the point of delivery of ready-mixed concrete. The concrete is for a
reinforced concrete frame building under construction in the UK and the strength class is
C32/40.

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13

Sample
reference

Age
(days)

Mass of
cube (kg)

Compressive
strength
(MPa)

01a
01b
01c
02a
02b
02c
03a
03b
03c
04a
04b
04c
05a
05b
05c
06a
06b
06c
07a
07b
07c
08a
08b
08c
09a
09b
09c
10a
10b
10c
11a
11b
11c
12a
12b
12c
13a
13b

7
28
28
7
28
28
8
28
28
7
28
28
11
28
28
7
28
28
9
28
28
7
28
28
7
28
28
7
28
28
8
28
28
8
28
28
7
28

8.015
8.025
7.995
7.995
8.005
8.015
8.025
8.005
7.875
8.015
8.025
7.995
7.985
8.025
8.015
8.025
7.885
8.015
8.025
7.995
8.025
8.065
8.015
8.025
8.005
8.015
8.025
7.975
7.995
8.005
8.015
8.035
8.005
8.015
8.025
7.995
7.895
8.005

38.0
43.5
54.5
32.5
44.5
49.5
36.5
44.0
37.0
31.0
45.0
48.0
37.0
36.5
41.5
36.5
35.5
37.5
41.0
44.5
40.5
37.5
47.0
44.0
29.5
35.5
34.5
38.0
48.5
47.5
41.0
43.5
38.5
36.5
34.0
36.0
34.5
48.0
2

Day 14
Day 15

13c
14a
14b
14c
15a
15b
15c

28
7
29
29
9
28
28

8.015
8.025
8.005
8.045
8.025
8.055
7.985

47.0
38.5
46.5
48.5
35.0
42.0
42.0

The cubes have been retained after crushing. The client is concerned that some of the cube
results are low and has asked you, as an independent consultant, to recommend a plan of
action to establish the integrity of the concrete in the structure.
Provide a report containing an analysis of the results, recommendations for a suitable
investigation to explain the test results and a possible test programme on the structure. Justify
your recommendations and discuss the precautions that should be taken to ensure that any
results obtained during the investigation on the structure are of maximum effectiveness.

Overall maximum length 7,000 words (excluding report title page, contents, reference list
and appendices but including words in tables), with each diagram and figure etc. within the
main text to count as 150 words. Key tables, diagrams, figures etc. should not be relegated
to appendices. The number of words or word equivalents should be declared on the title
page.