[PSUBS-MAILIST] concrete testing

[Sean T. Stevenson via Personal_Submersibles]

Hey Brian - Just catching up on weeks of email after a prolonged absence.

There are tests that you can do to concrete samples to establish their strength, but generally these are samples which are cast in a particular shape and cured to specification to validate the composition and cure of an intended pour. Anything can be tested, but you're really talking about a unique test for an already fabricated part, in which case the the test is not to an established protocol but rather tailored to what you want to get out of it. I could quote some testing for you, but I suspect that the quote will not be in the same order of magnitude that you're looking for. Do you know exactly what you're trying to determine?

Concrete is much stronger in compression than it is in tension, which is why we use steel reinforcement in concrete structures, and why "pre-tensioning" is a thing (actually pre-compressing the concrete, and tensioning the steel members, so that as a concrete beam is subject to tension, it actually is just reducing the compressive force but is still in compression). Concrete designs should strive to load concrete in pure compression and minimize tensional, torsional, and bending loads wherever possible.

What is your ferrocement layup?

Sean

-------- Original Message --------
On Dec 24, 2017, 20:28, Brian Cox via Personal_Submersibles wrote:

> Hey Sean,
>                           I have a number of sections of my ferro -cement hull  ( 12" x 16"  x 1 1/2")   .  Is there anyway to have a strength test done on these?   I don't know if the test could be extrapolated to larger sections or not .   Also I have ribs within the structure at 18" intervals so obviously it would not account for that.  I have the sections because I cut out access holes to enable me to better seal the inside.
>
> Brian
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