Determination of Early-Age

Compressive Strength of Shotcrete

T
by Roland Heere and here has long been a need for a reliable, true for accelerated shotcretes, where the shotcrete
Dudley R. Morgan simple-to-use means of determining the may have a measurable compressive strength as
early-age rate of strength gain in shotcrete. soon as 15 min after application. Frequently, it is
During approximately the first 24 hours after not realistic to extract core specimens from a
shotcrete has been placed, its compressive shotcrete test panel, ship them to a testing labor-
strength is typically too low to measure using atory, and condition and test them in such a short
standard core-extraction and testing procedures. time frame. Furthermore, the extraction of cores
Monitoring the rate of early-strength development from standard shotcrete test panels before the
in shotcrete is important in tunneling, mining, and shotcrete has reached a compressive strength of
other applications such as the underpinning of approximately 10 MPa (1450 psi) is not recom-
structures. Recent studies by the authors have mended, as cores tend to ravel, resulting in
demonstrated that there is a simple, direct unreliable strength-test data. Similarly, attempts
method for determining the early-age compressive to diamond saw-cut cubes from shotcrete test
strength development of shotcrete. It involves the panels are problematic, because of raveling and
shooting of a set of beams in a standard steel mold breaking during cutting.1-3
and testing the beams after stripping, using an A variety of different methods has been used
adaptation of ASTM C 1116, “Standard by the Europeans and others in an attempt to
Test Method for Compressive Strength of Concrete determine the rate of early-strength development
using Portions of Beams Broken in Flexure.” This in the range of 0.5 to 10 MPa (70 to 1450 psi).
“Technical Tip” describes a procedure for deter- These methods include the use of impact hammers,
mining the compressive strength of shotcrete penetrating pins, and pullout devices. All of these
beams and presents results of tests conducted with methods, however, provide only an indirect
plain and accelerated shotcretes produced by both measure of compressive strength and are thus only
the wet- and dry-mix shotcrete processes. as good as their calibration to compressive
strength measured by other means. As such, they
Background have their limitations.
In shotcrete, for ground support in tunneling In 1995, the first author observed compressive-
(particularly NATM), mining, and underpinning strength testing being done at the University of
of structures, it is necessary to know the rate of Innsbruck in Austria on dry-mix shotcrete shot
early-strength development. This is particularly into small, 25 x 25 x 100-mm (1 x 1 x 4 in.) wooden

Figure 1: Sketch of ganged three-beam steel mold.

28 Shotcrete • Spring 2002

Figure 2: Portable compression-testing machine.

beam molds. The authors decided to investigate A portable compression-testing machine was
whether this method could be adapted to full- used by the authors to field-test the specimens. It
scale testing of accelerated shotcrete in the field, consisted of a manual hydraulic pump, a calibrated
for shotcrete applied with either hand-nozzling pressure gage, a 10-ton hydraulic jack, a stiff
or remote-control, manipulator-arm nozzling for reaction frame, a spherical seat-loading head, and
both the wet- and dry-mix shotcrete processes. suitable hydraulic pressure hoses and connectors.
Research conducted in Canada, field studies on a If there is ready access to a testing laboratory,
tunneling project in Canada, and mining projects in a universal testing machine may be used in lieu
the USA and Australia have demonstrated the of the portable compression-testing machine.
suitability of this test method for determining Figure 2 provides a simplified view of the
the early-age compressive-strength development of testing apparatus.
shotcrete. Using this test method, the authors have During testing, the beam was supported on two
been able to reliably measure the compressive support plates as shown in Figure 3. A top-loading
strength of accelerated shotcrete when the plate with the dimensions 75 x 75 x 20 mm (3 x 3
compressive strength of the shotcrete varied x 3/4 in.) transmits the load from the loading head
from as low as 0.5 to as high as 20 MPa (70 to to the specimen. The loaded section of the beam
2900 psi), and higher, 24 hours later. A description specimen is supported by a 75-mm-long (3 in.),
of the test method, as adapted by the authors for the 80-mm-wide (3.2 in.), and 20-mm-deep (3/4 in.)
evaluation of various accelerated dry- and wet-mix bottom plate. The bottom plate has vertical guides
shotcretes, is given as follows. to enable easy alignment of the top and bottom
plates with the beam section to be tested. Figure 3
Description of Test shows the loading plates. Note the 75-mm (3 in.) gap
between the 75-mm-long (3 in.), 80-mm-wide
Equipment (3.2 in.), and 20-mm-deep (3/4 in.) bottom loading
The test method is suitable for use with standard plate and the 200-mm-long (7.9 in.), 80-mm-wide
shotcrete-placing equipment and shotcrete with a (3.2 in.), and 20-mm-deep (3/4 in.) bottom support
10-mm (3/8 in.) maximum aggregate size. For the plate. This gap is important in preventing failure
production of the beam specimens, a set of three in the beam during the compression test from the
ganged steel molds was mounted on a common base external load propagating outside the effective
plate. The internal dimensions of each individual mold 75-mm (3 in.) cube area and thus affecting the
are 75 x 75 x 350 mm (3 x 3 x 14 in [see Figure 1]). geometry of the fracture.

Figure 3: Beam support and loading plates.

Shotcrete • Spring 2002 29

 Procedure The beams should be loaded at a rate of
One set of three ganged beam molds per shotcrete approximately 1 to 2 kN (224 to 448 lbƒ) per
mixture was assembled and oiled slightly. The second and tested to destruction. Conduct the tests
mold is then securely placed in a near-upright after final set has occurred, at ages suitable for
position (about 70 ± 5 degrees inclined from the demonstrating the rate of strength development
horizontal). Shotcrete is applied using standard of the particular shotcrete mixture. Typically,
nozzling procedures. Take care to employ the X-shaped fracture modes similar to those found
same shooting technique and equipment settings in testing conventional concrete cube specimens
as would be used in regular shotcrete work. The are observed on the broken specimens. Two tests
bottom end of the molds needs to be filled first to should be conducted for each mixture and age.
avoid entrapment of the rebound. The molds The test can be used to measure strengths up to
should be slightly overfilled. In addition to the approximately 20 MPa (2900 psi) (depending on
molds, one standard test panel per mixture should the capacity of the testing machine), but is best
be shot to determine the setting time. Immediately suited to testing shotcretes with compressive
after shooting, the molds were brought into a horizontal strengths in the 1 to 10-MPa (145 to 1450 psi)
position and struck off with a trowel to remove the range—that is, when strengths are too low for
excessive material. The exposed surface was then extraction and testing of cores.
finished to a plane, smooth condition.
Determine the setting time of the separate test Examples of Field Test Results
panels according to ASTM C 1117, “Standard Test Figures 4 and 5 shows the results of some early-
Method for Time of Set of Shotcrete Mixtures by age compressive-strength tests on wet- and
Penetration Resistance.” After the final set occurs, dry-mix shotcretes, respectively. The rate of
the beams can be demolded and placed on a stiff, strength development varied considerably
flat surface in a secure area where they are exposed depending on the mixture design, accelerator
to the same curing conditions as the in-situ shotcrete. types, and addition rates used. Strength differ-
At suitable times after demolding, place a test entials were most pronounced at early ages (up
beam in the testing machine. Turn the beam at to approximately 10 hours). By 24 hours, the
90 degrees to the direction as shot about the differences in strengths between the different
longitudinal axis, so that the smooth sides come in shotcretes were much less pronounced.
contact with the loading plates. The top and bottom Extensive testing in the field using this test
platen should be aligned carefully with the beam, method has demonstrated that the rate of early-
leaving a minimum of 25 mm (1 in.) of any beam strength development is strongly influenced by:
end protruding to avoid testing any flawed material 1. The mixture design, including the particular
that is more likely to be found near the beam ends. type and brand of cement used;
The guide plates by the bottom platen enable easy 2. Whether supplementary cementing materials, such
centering of the beam. as fly ash, silica fume, or blast-furnace slag are used;

Figure 4: Early-strength development of accelerated wet-mix shotcrete.

30 Shotcrete • Spring 2002

Figure 5: Early-strength development of accelerated dry-mix shotcrete.

3. The type and dosage of accelerator used; Editorial Comment

4. Compatibility between the particular cement This paper was selected for the readers’ interest
and accelerator used. (Some accelerators do by the editors. It is based on a paper by D. R.
not work well with certain types—or even Morgan, N. McAskill, and R. Heere titled,
brands—of cements); and “Determination of Early-Age Compressive
5. The shotcrete ambient and substrate tempera- Strength of Shotcrete,” which was presented at
tures at cooler temperatures, particularly as the Third International Symposium on Sprayed
temperatures reach 5 ºC (40 ºF) or lower. Some Concrete in Gol, Norway, in September 1999.
accelerated shotcretes can be very slow in setting,
hardening, and gaining strength, remaining in
a state of green-set for days.
Roland Heere is a Materials Engineer with
Summary AMEC Earth & Environmental Ltd. He graduated
In general, shotcrete exceeding 10 MPa (1450 psi) with a Master’s Degree in civil engineering
in compressive strength can be diamond-cored; from the University of British Columbia. He
thus, the beam-test method is considered best has 7 years of experience in the field of shotcrete
suited for testing shotcrete at lower compressive technology. His professional interests include
strengths, or when timely access to coring equipment fiber shotcrete, concrete technology, and
and a compression-testing machine is not available. materials testing.
The test method has the advantage of being
robust, simple, low in cost, and readily adaptable
for use in the underground environment as well Dudley R. (Rusty) Morgan is Chief Materials
as in the laboratory. It also has the advantage over Engineer with AMEC Earth & Environmental
other indirect, early-age shotcrete test methods Ltd. He is a civil engineer with over 35
(such as penetrating probes or pins, and pullout years’ experience in concrete and shotcrete
tests) of directly measuring compressive strength, technology and the evaluation and rehabili-
and thus not requiring calibration to produce tation of infrastructures. Dr. Morgan is a Fellow
compressive-strength results. of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and
the American Concrete Institute (ACI), and is
Secretary of ACI Committee 506, Shotcreting. He is a member of
References several ACI, ASTM, and Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
1. Austrian Concrete Society, “Sprayed Concrete Guideline,”
technical committees, and is a founding member and former
Mar. 1999, 83 pp.
2. Testor, M., “Alkaliarme Spritzbetontechnologie,” secretary of the American Shotcrete Association. Dr. Morgan has
Doktor der Technischen Wissenschaften thesis, Vorbereitung, provided consulting services on concrete and shotcrete projects
University of Innsbruck, Austria, Dec. 1997. throughout North America and around the world.
3. Eickschen, E., and Grube, H., “Ermittlung der
Frühfestigkeit von Spritzbeton,” Beton, No. 2, 1996, pp. 86-88.

Shotcrete • Spring 2002 31