Surface treatment of concrete test specimens subjected to compression

The technological control of concrete can only be considered a quality control procedure when all its steps are followed properly. Compressive strength testing plays a critical role in the technological control of concrete structures and in the technological development of concrete. The aim of this study is to select the most suitable preparation technique for conventional and high-strength concrete by analyzing mean strength, standard deviation and coefficients of variation. Test specimens with compressive strength ranging from 20 to 120 MPa were prepared in a laboratory and were then subjected to seven different types of surface treatment, using bonded, unbonded and mechanical wear (grinding) systems. Results show that the most effective technique is grinding using a rigid head. The performance of unbonded system was also suitable for use with conventional and high strength concrete.