Evaluation of compressive strength using novel in situ test method

Abstract

AbstractDouble shear test method (DSTM) proposed in the past is commonly used for the estimation of the in situ compressive strength of concrete. A novel in situ compressive testing method (IST), which can reduce core testing time from 2 to 3 days to 30 min using short cores tested in site is developed and proposed in this paper. The core samples with different diameters and lengths were tested using the in situ single shear test (IST) and then compared with DSTM. No significant difference exists in the core strength results obtained from the Student's t tests by IST and DSTM. A correction factor correlating the results obtained using IST methods was therefore provided. Experimental results indicate that an excellent correlation exists between concrete IST strength and cube compressive strength (10–60 MPa). Since no extraction of the core is needed, the specimens can be readily and quickly prepared in situ with less damage to the structure. The verification investigation shows that the IST can provide a more accurate estimate of in‐place cube strength than the core drilling method and can be performed easier than the core drilling method, with less time‐consuming than other methods.