Evolution of penetration resistance in fresh concrete

The objective of this research was to examine the setting of concrete through its penetration resistance; an experimental device, especially developed for this purpose was used, which consists of a system that lets a sphere fall on concrete from a certain height and then measures the depth of the crater. Forty-five samples were made with four different types of cement varying its quantity, water–cement ratio, at ambient temperature and humidity. A semiempirical model which explains the penetration resistance evolution in fresh concrete was proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The results are compared with the consolidation curves for soils represented by the logarithmic method. The proposed setting time was defined as the elapsed time between the placement of the concrete and the time when the depth of the crater is 18% of the initial one.