Description

Overview

     There is far more to concrete than just cement and water. Anyone working with concrete should be familiar with various mix designs, as well as their uses and limitations. There are numerous admixtures and other ingredients used to alter the properties of concrete to meet specific project needs and environmental conditions. After the specifications for a concrete structure have been developed, steps must be taken during the construction process to ensure the concrete placed meets the specifications. This is done through various forms of testing. In this module, trainees are introduced to the properties of concrete and the many tools at our disposal to change those properties.

Learning Objective 1 – Successful completion of this module prepares trainees to: Identify and describe the primary components of concrete.

• Describe portland cement and identify various types based on standardized designations.
• Describe the characteristics of aggregate and water used in a concrete mixture.

Learning Objective 2 – Successful completion of this module prepares trainees to: Identify other concrete components and describe special types of concrete.

• Describe chemical admixtures and how they influence concrete.
• Describe supplementary cementitious materials and how they influence concrete.
• Describe fiber-reinforced concrete and state related finishing considerations.
• Identify and describe special types of concrete and their applications.

Learning Objective 3 – Successful completion of this module prepares trainees to: Identify normal concrete mix ratios and describe various concrete testing methods.

• Identify normal concrete mix proportions and measurements.
• Identify standards related to concrete testing and describe field sampling practices.
• Explain how to conduct a field slump test.
• Explain how to prepare samples for concrete compression testing.

Performance Tasks

• Perform, or be able to identify the proper performance of, a proper concrete slump test.
• Prepare, or be able to identify the proper preparation of, a concrete compression-test sample cylinder.