VOL. 4, NO. 7, SEPTEMBER 2009 ISSN 1819-6608 ARPN Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences © 2006-2009 Asian Research Publishing Network (ARPN). All rights reserved. www.arpnjournals.com POINT LOAD TEST APPLICATION FOR ESTIMATING COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE STRUCTURES FROM SMALL CORE A. Zacoeb 1 and K. Ishibashi 2 1 Department of Civil Engineering, Brawijaya University, Indonesia 2 Department of Civil Engineering, Saga University, Japan E-Mail: zacoeb_a@yahoo.com ABSTRACT To estimate a compressive strength from existing concrete structures by core drilling are usually gathered with a diameter specimen of 100mm or three times of maximum coarse aggregate size and examined by uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) test as stated in JIS A1170. To get an alternative solution with smaller specimen, point load test (PLT) has been selected which is a simple test and widely accepted in rock materials research, but relatively new in concrete. The reliability of PLT is examined by extracting a lot of core drilled specimen from ready mixed concrete blocks with maximum coarse aggregate size, G max of 20mm in representative of architectural structures and 40mm in representative of civil structures on the range of concrete grade from 16 to 50. The reference of strength is resulted from concrete core diameter of 100 and 125mm with h/d ratio of 2.0, and examined by UCS test with compressive strength of concrete core of f’ cc in results. The core specimen diameters are 35 and 50mm with h/d ratio of 1.5 and 2.0, and examined by PLT with point load index of I S in results. The estimation of compressive strength is conducted by making a linear approximation for I S to f’ cc for each group of G max and h/d. This study also evaluates the reliability of test results for each core specimen and proposes a new geometric correction factor. Keywords: concrete structures, compressive strength, small core specimen, point load index, strength. INTRODUCTION Coring is usually the method ultimately chosen to determine in-situ compressive strength of concrete. In concrete structures with a lot of reinforcement bars, it may be impossible to obtain a core specimen from which compressive strength may be taken since reinforcing steel may be so prevalent in the concrete. The size of the core taken in diameter should be minimum three times of maximum size aggregate than used in the structure. In structures using larger aggregate, it may be practical to take cores larger in diameter, but costs increase rapidly and the large core usually cannot be taken deeper. Coring may prove expensive and the holes have to be backfilled, but the resulting data are usually accepted as the best evidence of the condition of the concrete in place. It is established in JIS A1107 (1993) that a core drilled specimen diameter of 100mm or three times of maximum coarse aggregate size from a concrete structure member should be taken for performing strength evaluation. Small cores are often used as substitutes for large cores to test concrete strength. They have the advantages of being easily drilled and cut, minimum damage to structures, and a lower capacity machine is needed (Ruijie, 1996). The PLT is intended as an index test for the strength classification of rock materials, but it may also be widely used to predict other material strength parameters with which is correlated. It is an attractive alternative method, because it can provide similar data at a lower cost its ease of testing, simplicity of sample preparation, and possible field application. Many research works had been conducted to acknowledge with regard to PLT and has resulted in widely used point load index and other parameters. However, more experimental works helps to substantiate the existing correlation. In order to estimate UCS indirectly, index-to-strength conversion factors are constructed (ISRM, 1985). Richardson (1989) conducted a point load tests of cast specimens with various diameters as 50.8, 76.2 and 101.6mm. The advantages of using the point load test relate to a smaller cost per unit test when compared to compressive strength testing of concrete cores and to the speed with which the test can be performed. Testing large numbers of replicate specimens is feasible because of the test’s speed and simplicity. The results showed a good relationship between the point load index of cast cylindrical specimens, I S and compressive strength of standard cylinders, f’ cs . Zacoeb et al. (2007) showed a strong correlation between point load index of core drilled specimen (I S ) and compressive strength of concrete core (f’ cc ) from small diameter of 35 and 50mm with maximum coarse aggregate size, G max of 20mm. It shows a linear approximation to estimate the compressive strength in the range of concrete grade from 16 to 50MPa. Compressive strength is considered as one of the key properties in characterization of concretes in engineering practice. As the standard laboratory test to determine it require standard specimens, so indirect test are often used to predict the strength. The maximum aggregate size is played as considerable role for affecting the properties of concrete (Ibragimov, 1989). Theoretical considerations The PLT method is based upon breaking off a cylindrical specimen. Broch, et al. (1972) started with a simple formula taking an idealized failure plane of diametric core sample as shown in Figure-1 into account 46