The Concrete Technology (CON) Programme at the Centre for Construction Development & Research (CDR), NCB, provides comprehensive technical expertise and testing capabilities in the evaluation, design and performance assessment of concrete and its constituent materials. The Programme supports the construction and infrastructure sectors through science-based solutions aimed at achieving the required strength, durability, workability, service life and sustainability of concrete.
CON undertakes detailed characterization and performance evaluation of cementitious materials, aggregates, mineral and chemical admixtures, mixing and curing water, and other specialty materials used in concrete. Its capabilities include concrete mix design across a wide range of grades, from conventional concrete to high-strength and high-performance concrete, as well as specialized concretes such as self-compacting concrete, pavement quality concrete, roller-compacted concrete, dry lean concrete, shotcrete, fibre-reinforced concrete, geopolymer concrete and ultra-high-performance concrete.
The Programme has specialized expertise in advanced durability assessment and the evaluation of concrete exposed to aggressive environmental conditions. This includes studies on alkali-aggregate reactivity, chloride ingress, carbonation, sulphate attack, water permeability, corrosion of reinforcement, creep, thermal properties and other mechanisms affecting the long-term performance of concrete structures. NCB also undertakes performance evaluation of specialized products such as integral crystalline waterproofing compounds, corrosion-inhibiting admixtures and other advanced concrete technologies.
Through a combination of laboratory testing, experimental research, mix optimization, performance assessment and technical consultancy, the Programme supports the development and application of reliable, durable and resource-efficient concrete technologies. Its work also encompasses emerging areas such as sustainable concrete materials, industrial by-product utilization, carbon-sequestering aggregates, low-carbon concrete and advanced admixture technologies, contributing to the evolving needs of the construction industry.
Services offered:
Evaluation of Concrete Making Materials such as:
- Cement and cementitious Materials such as OPC, PPC, PSC, Fly ash, GGBS, Silica-fume, Ultrafine GGBS, Ultrafine Flyash, LD Slag etc. click here for details
- Aggregates - Complete physical and chemical analysis, Petrography, Soundness and Alkali-aggregate reactivity of Natural aggregates, crushed fine aggregate, recycled aggregate and manufactured aggregate like electric arc furnace slag aggregate etc. click here for details
- Chemical Admixture: Effectiveness and compatibility studies of Super-plasticizers, accelerators, VMA, Anti washout admixture, Anti shrinkage compounds, water proofing chemicals etc.click here for details
- Complete Evaluation of Corrosion inhibitors as per different Indian and international standards like JIS Z1535, ASTM G1, ASTM G3, AASTHO T259 etc. click here for details
- Mixing as well as curing water & curing compounds.
Special Concrete, Advanced Concrete Composite & Standard Concrete Mix Designs:
- Development of Special Concrete such as 3D printable concrete, High Performance Concrete, Pervious concrete, Plastic concrete, High Volume Fly Ash Concrete, Self-Compacting Concrete, Pavement Quality Concrete, Dry Lean Concrete, Roller Compacted Concrete, under water concrete, Fiber Reinforced Concrete, Controlled Low Strength Material (CLSM), Geopolymer concrete, Ultra high strength concrete (UHPC)etc.
- Shotcrete for tunnel lining.
- Fresh properties analysis, i.e., Rheological study of concrete mixes through concrete rheometer.
For design of concrete mixes and admixture testing, click here for details
Mechanical properties and Durability Studies of Concrete Through Accelerated Test:
- Accelerated Carbonation test and corrosion rate measurement of RC subjected to carbonation induced reinforcement corrosion.
- Time-dependent properties, such as Creep testing and coefficient of thermal expansion of concrete.
- Stress-strain behaviour of concrete and determination of Poisson’s ratio for concrete.
- Water permeability test of cement mortar and concrete.
- Chloride-induced reinforcement corrosion through tests like the chloride immersion test, impressed current voltage test, ASTM G 109, ASTM G1582.
- Abrasion resistance of concrete as per the revolving disk method and the underwater resistance test.
- Performance of concrete against sulphate attack.
- Performance assessment of concrete exposed to Alkali–Aggregate Reaction and other aggressive environment that causes deterioration of concrete.
List of test under the mechanical properties of concrete,click here for details
List of durability test of concrete, click here for details
Setting Time Test of concrete
Workability measurement using Vee Bee consistometer for Roller Compacted Concrete
Slump flow measurement for Self Compacting Concrete
Marsh cone Viscosity test
Los Angeles Abrasion Value Test on coarse aggregates
Water permeability Test on concrete
Initial surface absorption test (ISAT) apparatus to evaluate the rate of water absorption by concrete samples
MOE- Poisson’s Ratio Testing
Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) for corrosion rate measurement
Abrasion Resistance test for Concrete
Measurement of specific surface area by nitrogen gas adsorption using BET method
Triaxial Testing on Concrete samples
Accelerated carbonation testing on concrete samples in carbonation chamber
Rapid Chloride Ion Permeability Test on concrete
Studies Undertaken:
- Development & Design of high Abrasion resistance concrete in Laboratory & Quality assurance services at site for its production and placement for Maneri Dam Site, Uttarkashi & Ichari Dam site, Uttarakhand.
- Use of fly ash, copper slag, bottom ash and recycled aggregate in concrete
- Evaluation of Low Density Aggregates (LDA) and Structural Lightweight Concrete using LDA.
- Study on Use of ferrochrome slag as a fine aggregate (water cooled) and coarse aggregate (air cooled) in concrete
- Development of high abrasive strength materials for spillway and glacis
- Studies for Preparation of Specifications and Guidelines for use of Coal based Bottom Ash as Replacement of Fine Aggregate in Concrete.
- Evaluation of concrete making materials like cement, water, mineral/chemical admixtures & aggregates for alkali-aggregate reactivity and other properties for hydroelectric & thermal power plants.
- Concrete mix designs for various types and grades of concrete for different projects across the country.
- Investigation on application of Carbon Nanotubes for improving performance of cement concrete and concrete based precast building products.
- Durability Studies on PSC made using composite slag (mix of BF slag and LD slag).
- Development of Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) – Including use of Nano Technology for UHPC.
- Fresh hardened and durability performance evaluation of concrete made with Portland limestone cement (PLC).
- Studies on Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Mass Concrete including semi-adiabatic temperature rise measurements.
- Durability tests on hardened concrete to ascertain the suitability of aggregate to be used in concreting work of tunnel lining for hydroelectric project.
- Performance and durability assessment of crystalline water proofing compounds for structural use.
- Performance of CO2 sequestered sintered ash lightweight aggregate in concrete
- Performance evaluation of graphene based admixtures in concrete.
Measurement of temperature rise in concrete at Maneri Dam project site using embedded thermocouples and data logger
Accelerated Carbonation Induced Corrosion Study
Corrosion rate measurement on RCC specimens using Linear Polarisation Resistance Technique
Underwater abrasion test of hardened concrete V-Funnel Time Test for SCC
Study of Carbonation and Carbonation induced reinforcement corrosion in new cementitious system
Planetary mixer developed at NCB for preparation of Ultra High Performance Concrete
Analysis of Initial Surface Absorption of concrete specimens cast with copper slag as cementitious material
a-Pelletizer setup for producing aggregate pellets using ash based materials b & c - Aggregates before sintering, and sintered aggregates.
Casting of concrete blocks with mass concrete mixes and measurement of semi-adiabatic temperature rise using thermocouples and data logger
Testing of Roller Compacted Concrete Core Specimen for Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) in Tension
Testing of Roller Compacted Concrete Core Specimen for Direct Tensile Strength
Creep testing of high strength concrete specimens