Lab Report GIS and RS 2012-GE-56

LAB: 02

Statement:
To Determine The Uniaxial Compressive Strength Of Rocks Using L-Type & N-Type
Schmidt Rebound Hammer

Designation:
ASTM D5873 ISRM

What is The Uniaxial Compressive Strength?

The strength of rock or soil sample when crushed in one direction without lateral strain.

Scope:
To study how to determine the strength of hardened concrete using a Schmidt Rebound
Hammer and to study the internal mechanism of this hammer.

Principle:
Its principle is very easy; the stone sample is struck by the elastic energy stored in a spring.
The rebound of a steel mass, as the result of the propagation of the energy not absorbed by
the stone, is indicated in a scale.Its fast and inexpensive character allows the acquisition of a
large number of data; the values obtained in smooth surfaces are in general bigger than in
irregular surfaces.Results are more coherent in homogenous stones.

Apparatus:
Schmidt Rebound Hammer
Rock Samples
Calibration anvil
Steel base
Abrasion stone

Related Theory
Generally three types of test are used for measuring the uniaxial compressive strength.

UCS Test and Tri-axial

Point Load Index Test
Schmidt Rebound hammer

Tri-axial test is the most accurate test and then UCS is near to accuracy. Point load test is less
accurate then UCS test and Schmidt hammer have the lowest accuracy.

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Lab Report GIS and RS 2012-GE-56

Schmidt Hammer:
In 1948 Ernst Schmidt invented a device
which made nondestructive compressive
strength testing feasible. A Schmidt hammer
is a device to measure the elastic properties or
strength of concrete or rock. Today Schmidt
hammers are in use throughout the world for
estimating strength of concrete. The European
standard for Schmidt hammer testing is EN
12504-2. The test hammer hits the concrete
with a spring-driven pin at a defined energy,
and then measures the rebound (in rebound units). Its rebound is dependent on the hardness
of the concrete and is measured by test equipment. When conducting the test the hammer
should be held perpendicular to the surface which in turn should be flat and smooth. Note
that the Schmidt hammer does not work well for small samples and will make marks. By
reference to the conversion tables, the rebound value can be used to determine the
compressive strength. Schmidt hammers are available from their original manufacturers in
several different energy ranges.

Types of Hammer:
Schmidt hammers are available from their original manufacturers in several different energy
ranges. These include:
Type L-0.735 Nm impact energy:
Strength of rock near to 100MP we use this type.
It is used to measure UCS of rocks.
Type N-2.207 Nm impact energy:
Strength of the rock more than 100MP e.g 200MP or 250 MP
It is used to measure UCS of concrete.

Rebound Number:
It is the test menu which allows testing & storage & processing of results.

Calibration:
It is the calibration menu of the instrument.

Set curve:
It is the menu which allows the operator to define a correlation curve based on his needs &
experimental experience.

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Lab Report GIS and RS 2012-GE-56

Average Rebound No. Quality of Concrete

>40 Very good hard layer
30-40 Good layer
20-30 Fair
<20 Poor concrete
0 Delaminated

Uniaxial compressive Strength:

The strength or resistance shown by the material
up to the point of complete failure in action of the
stress applied in the specific single axis. The
compressive strength of a material is that value of
uniaxial compressive stress reached when the
material fails completely. Here uniaxial
compressive load is applied. As can be imagined,
the specimen (Usually cylindrical) is shortened as
well as spread laterally. A Stressstrain curve is
plotted by the instrument and would look similar
to the following.

Following is UCS scale from which quality of rocks can be finding:

UCS Quality
<60 Poor
60-90 Fair
90-150 Good
150-220 Very good
>220 excellent

Abrasion stone:
It is used to smooth the surface before we take the reading.

Procedure:
1) Hold the instrument firmly so that the plunger is perpendicular to the test surface.
2) Gradually push the instrument toward the test surface until the hammer impacts.
3) After impact, maintain pressure on the instrument and, if necessary,

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Lab Report GIS and RS 2012-GE-56

4) Depress the button on the side of the instrument to lock the plunger in its retracted
position.
5) Estimate the rebound number on the scale to the nearest whole number and record the
rebound number.
6) Take ten readings from each test area. No two impact tests shall be closer together than
25 mm (1 in.).
7) Examine the impression made on the surface after impact, and if the impact crushes or
breaks through a near-surface air void disregard the reading and take another reading.

Observations & Calculations:

For quartzite sample:
Mass of quartzite = 795gm
Weight in kN= 7.798910-3
Diameter of quartzite sample = 0.0546m
Length of quartzite sample = 0.1384m
Radius of Quartzite sample= 0.0273m
Volume of sample= V=x2 l
Putting values we get
V= (3.1416)(0.0273)2(0.1384)
V=3.210-4m3
So density= 7.798910-3/3.2410-4
So density = 24kN/m3
UCS will be equal to (by graph) = 41MPa

Serial no Rebound no

1 30
2 28
3 27
Average 28.33

For concrete sample:

Mass of concret= 8.860 kg
Length of concret = 0.1546 m
Weight of concret block= 0.0869kN

As concret sample was a perfect cube so all sides are equal in length

Radius of concret block= 0.773m

As Volume of sample= 13

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Lab Report GIS and RS 2012-GE-56

Volume= (0.1546) (0.1546) (0.1546)

Volume =3.6910-3m3

Density = 0.086/3.6910-3

Density = 23.5kN/m3

UCS will be equal to (by graph) = 43MPa.

Serial no. Rebound no.

1 36
2 32
3 20
4 30
5 37
6 32
7 29
8 37
9 30
10 32
Average 34.5

Result based on Rebound No:

The quartzite rock is of poor quality.
And concrete sample have good layer quality.
Precautions:
Keep the hammer vertically.
Carefully note the readings of weighing machine.
Cores should be of at least NX size (X54.7 mm) for the L-type hammer and preferably
T2 size (X84 mm) for the N-type.
Block specimens should be at least 100mm thick at the point of impact.
On the other hand, the test may be stopped when any ten subsequent readings differ only
by four (corresponding to SH repeatability range of 72).
Specimens should be intact (free of visible cracks), petrographically uniform and
representative of the rock mass domain (identified from cores or exposures) being
characterized.
Test surfaces, especially under the plunger tip (impact points), should be smooth and free
of dust and particles.

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Lab Report GIS and RS 2012-GE-56

If the concrete does not form part of a large mass any movement caused by the impact of
the hammer will result in a reduction in the rebound number. In such cases the member
has to be rigidly held or backed up by a heavy mass.

Comments:
Hold the button carefully after completely press the Schmidt hammer.
Schmidt hammer should be perpendicular to the rock; otherwise the reading will not be
correct.
Dont press the hammer again on the same place of sample, which we used before.

References:
http://www.astm.org/Standards/C805.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schmidt_hammer
http://www.google.com.pk/imgres?hl=en&client=firefox-
a&hs=ORc&sa=X&rls=org.mozilla:en-
US:official&biw=1366&bih=638&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=dWkNpxykCOhtgM:
&imgrefurl
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:DNUbNkqyqlIJ:www.tj-
jwdz.com/en/ASTM%2520C%2520805_C%2520805M%2520EN.pdf+Standard+Test+M
ethod+for+Rebound+Number+of+Hardened+Concrete+1&hl=en&gl=pk&pid=bl&srci
d=ADGEESgYtV286unTZOR1AfGk21vAsb2759d6uPFPSejuRqmvKbmUG4j3VYWbSCH
qsBAQQq69Y97vfOvHVE9T2tIbkEfhRNXX_ZfLt_b4CSLhkzq-
tzdr1BpomHo6rRlYtwoepy1xCJQE&sig=AHIEtbSLVC2eH2jKibq4DkI6KFilsj63sw
http://civil-online2010.blogspot.com/2010/09/schmidt-rebound-hammer-test.html
http://www.astm.org/Standards/D5873.htm
http://www.proceq.com/products/concrete-testing/concrete-test-hammer/original-
schmidt.html
http://www.humboldtmfg.com/test_hammers.html

Lab o2 completed

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