Construction materials testing
Slump Cone (Abrams Cone)
A hollow metal frustum used on site and in the lab to measure the workability of fresh concrete by how much it slumps when the cone is lifted.
- Construction sites
- Ready-mix concrete plants
- Precast concrete
- Construction materials testing
- Academic labs
TROUBLESHOOTING
Common problems, causes and fixes
Repeated shear slump
Likely causes
- • Harsh, poorly graded mix
- • Lack of fines or cohesion
- • Cone lifted with a twist
What to do
- • Review mix proportions
- • Check sand grading and cement content
- • Train operators to lift vertically
Slump differs between two operators
Likely causes
- • Different rodding effort
- • Different lifting speed
- • Delay before testing
What to do
- • Standardise technique
- • Lift in the specified time
- • Test promptly after sampling
Concrete sticks in the cone
Likely causes
- • Cone not dampened
- • Hardened concrete or rust inside
What to do
- • Dampen before use
- • Clean thoroughly; replace if pitted
Slump much higher than design
Likely causes
- • Extra water added on site
- • Admixture overdose
- • Wrong mix delivered
What to do
- • Check the delivery ticket
- • Inform the supplier
- • Reject or investigate per the specification
In LimsPulse · Calibration Management
Keep every Slump cone in control: usage logs, calibration and maintenance schedules, and automatic blocking of overdue instruments.