My Final Year Project

Finally the days of hard and sweaty work in the lab has ended. So here's a post to show you what I've been up to:

PART 1 - Casting:
After all the calculation of the proportions of materials etc, the casting takes place:


Preparing of molds - applying oil on the inside so it's easier to remove the concrete later on


Preparing of materials - Coarse aggregates, sand, cement, fly ash and water


Mixing the concrete


Pouring it out into a wheel barrel


Slump test - to determine its workability


Placing the concrete into the molds


Removing of the molds 24 hours after casting


Placing the concrete into the curing tank for 28 days of curing

PART 2 - Testing
So... after 28 days, the concrete cylinders are ready to be tested:


Ultrasonic pulse velocity test - to determine how fast the pulse travels through each cylinders


Compression test - to determine how much load the concrete can withhold


Modulus of elasticity test

Working in the lab had been extremely tiring. Everything's so heavy that I wished I were a guy with muscles! Haha... Anyway, what's left of my final year project is the analysis, writing of my thesis and also the presentation.

By the way, what's my project about? It's partial replacement of fly ash in concrete in high volumes. Fly ash is basically what's left from burning coal to generate electricity. So instead of dumping it in the ground (this causes disposal problems and also, fly ash contains traces of heavy metal that could be hazardous to our health), we're exploring the effects of it in concrete with hopes that it can strengthen concrete.

I guess standing where I am now and looking back, I'm truly blessed that I did not get the title I initially wanted.


So, again I shall say - God always sees the bigger picture.