What does Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of Compacted Material do?
Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) of Compacted Material (AS5101.4) is used to determine the unconfined compressive strength of compacted specimens of unbound, bond and self-cementing materials.
What types of projects can you utilise the UCS testing method in?
Road projects where a material to which a binder such as lime, cement, bitumen has been added to produce structural stiffness.
Airport runways, areas with a high clay content (lime to reduce the PI), floodways to minimise erosion and swelling are also suitable projects that this testing method can be used for.
What are the benefits of UCS?
To find the structural stiffness of unbound, bond and self-cementing materials.
How does the testing process work?
Samples are taken at the point of use as soon as practicable after completion of mixing.
The material is then sieved over a 19mm sieve and the sample that is passing the 19mm is then tested.
Two (2) specimens are them compacted and molded up via either a standard or modified compactive effort.
They are then cured (using humidity cabinet etc., conditions, how long etc.) depending on what type of binder or non-binder is added to the material.
Each specimen is then removed from the curing it has had and the diameter is determined.
Now each specimen is placed into a compression testing machine and is crushed at a certain load rate and is stopped once the specimen has hit the load of failure.
We then determine the moisture content of each specimen from what has been crushed.
How do you determine the UCS of compacted materials?
Via applying load at a constant rate to the specimen and stopping once the load of failure is achieved.
What is the difference between Unconfined Compressive Strength of Compacted Material and Uniaxial Compressive Strength testing?
Uniaxial compressive strength is the ultimate compressive stress of the rock specimen failure under uniaxial compression conditions.
Unconfined compressive strength means that the strength of a rock or soil sample when crushed in one direction in a triaxial test without any lateral restraint.
What results can you get from undertaking this type of specialty testing?
You will determine the MPa of compacted specimens of unbound, bond and self-cementing materials.
Do you need Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) Testing for your next project?
Get in touch with our Coffey Testing – Adelaide team to find out more and request a quote for our testing rates.
