Concrete Flow Table
Concrete Flow Table
Product Code
KBL
Concrete Flow Table
Standards
EN 12350-5
The Concrete Flow Table test is an essential method used to assess the workability and flowability of fresh concrete. This test measures how far a sample of the concrete spreads after having been dropped on the flow table, with valuable indications about the filling of forms and flow around any reinforcements without the need for extensive compaction. This is particularly significant in construction works where consistency is crucial, coupled with durability.
The test is used extensively in construction material testing and laboratory tests so that the concrete mix meets specific project requirements. This test is highly efficient for extremely workable or fluid concrete that would fail to retain their shape in slump tests. This test ensures that the quality of the concrete and whether it would apply for different construction works.
How Does the Concrete Flow Table Test Work?
The Concrete Flow Table test operate by testing the spread of concrete under dynamic conditions which are closely resembling actual scenarios where concrete has to flow into forms or around reinforcement. The test apparatus involves a flat table with a hinge as well as a slump cone-shaped mold, which is filled in two layers with fresh concrete, to which every layer is compacted by a tamping rod.
At the end of the filling, the mold is held upside down or raised vertically to enable the concrete to flow freely on the table of flow. Then, the table is vibrated by lifting it and allowing it to fall from 12.5 mm, doing so 15 times within 15 seconds. This enables the concrete to flow outwards thus simulating its behaviour under actual condition.
Once the spread concrete has attained shape, the diameter is measured in two perpendicular directions and an average is taken. This spread or flow value indicates the workability and consistency of the concrete mix. The greater the flow value will be an indication that the concrete mix shows more fluidity, but a lower value may well indicate that the concrete is stiff for effective placement
Applications of the Concrete Flow Table Test
Used widely for testing construction materials, this test on fresh concrete evaluation in a laboratory manufacturing process allows the Concrete Flow Table test on workability. Workability refers to the ease at which this concrete could be placed and spread for compaction. In projects that require high fluidity with minimum effort for compaction, this test is very important. For SCC applications, it is very crucial in filling forms and spaces without using mechanical vibration.
During concrete testing for the construction material, the test is utilized in checking the consistency and quality of concrete mixes before they leave the laboratory to be used on-site. The test relied upon by engineers and contractors to ensure that the concrete has a specific characteristic of having the appropriate flow without segregation or uniform compacting of the composite structure in bridges, tunnels, and high-rise buildings
In the laboratory, the flow table of concrete ensures that concrete has the needful workability and flow for specific usage, which follows industrial requirements including those stated in EN 12350-5. The value of the spread diameter is thus calculated during the test about the average spread diameter of the substance after it has been jolted on the table.
This flow value becomes very crucial in determining whether the mix can be able to fill molds or complex shapes in construction processes without leaving air pockets or excessive manual adjustment. When a concrete mix complies with the specification of the EN 12350-5 standard, the engineer is confident that the mix is uniform as well as suitable for any type of construction applications.