Term: Flow table test
– Application:
– Fresh concrete consistency must be checked before pouring into formwork.
– Inadequate consistency leads to reduced strength and quality post-setting.
– Pasty concrete can cause cavities, corrosion of rebar, and cracking.
– Cavities within concrete further weaken its strength.
– Equipment:
– Flow table with grip and hinge, 70cm square for testing consistency.
– Abrams cone, 30cm high, used to measure concrete flow.
– Water bucket and broom to wet the flow table.
– Tamping rod, 60cm long, for compacting concrete layers.
– Conducting the test:
– Wet the flow table before starting the test.
– Fill the cone with fresh concrete in two equal layers and tamp each layer 10 times.
– Lift the cone after a 30-second wait to allow concrete to flow.
– Lift the flow table 40mm and drop it 15 times to further encourage flow.
– Measure the diameter of the concrete flow after the test.
– See also:
– Concrete slump test for measuring the consistency of concrete.
– Duff Abrams, a notable figure in the field of concrete testing.
– Self-consolidating concrete, a type that can flow and fill formwork without vibration.
– References:
– Flow Table Test – TML Testing Wiki for detailed information on the test procedure.
– Archived source with information on flow table testing.
The flow table test or slump-flow test is a method to determine consistency of fresh concrete. Flow table test is also used to identify transportable moisture limit of solid bulk cargoes. It is used primarily for assessing concrete that is too fluid (workable) to be measured using the slump test, because the concrete will not retain its shape when the cone is removed.
