
ICOLD Bulletin **:  The Specification and Quality Control of Concrete for Dams 
 
Revision 7.0  A1-2 March 2006 
Table A1-2A Typical testing for medium size RCC dam 
 
S.No Activity Inspection / Test 
method
Instrument 
used
Acceptance Criteria Ref. Standard Sampling 
plan
Frequency Testing 
Agency
Quality 
record
Responsibility
Receiving Inspection and Testing
1 Cement
(a) Grade & Date of Manufacturer Visual Inspection Nil Cement should be greater than or 
equal to required grade & date of 
manufacture should be less than 
3 months.
IS:269-1976      
IS:1489-1989   
Part-ii
1 in 50 Every batch In- House GRN,Test 
Ceertificates
Store Incharge
(b) Weight Verification of weight Spring balance +/- 1.0 Kg nil 1 in 50 Every batch In- House GRN Store Incharge
(c) Std consistency of cement Vicats test V'cats apparatus 24 to 35 % of water by wt. of 
cement
IS:4031-1968 1 in 50 Every batch/ 
Week/per 500 MT
In- House Cement 
testing 
register
QC incharge
(d) Initial & final setting time Vicats test V'cats apparatus Initial time= >30min           Final 
time= <600 min
IS:12269-1987      
IS:4031-1968
1 in 50 Every week/per 
500MT
In- House Cement 
testing 
register
QC incharge
(e) Compressive Strength of Cement as per IS:4031-1968 Vibration, 
M/c,mould,comp.t
est machine
Table No.         IS:4031-1968        
IS:650-1966
IS:4031-1968     
IS:650-1966
1  in 50 Every batch/ 
Week/per 500 MT
External / in 
house
Test 
certificates/ 
Cement 
testing file
QC incharge
(f) Fine ness. of cement. Sieve analysis 90 micron 
sieve,weight,bala
nce
Residue left by wt of fines  < 10% IS:269-1976            1 in 100 Every batch/ 
Week/per 500 MT
In- House Cement 
testing file
QC incharge
(g) Soundness Test. Boiling test Le' chatelier 
apparatus
Expansion < 10mm IS:5514-1969 Random Monthly/Per 
500MT
In- House Cement 
testing file
QC incharge
(h) Specific gravity  Le' chatlier test Le' chatelier flask 3.1 to 3.15 IS: 4031-1968 1 in 50 Weekly or per 
500MT
In- House Cement 
testing file
QC incharge
(I) Fineness of cement Blain's test Blain's air 
permiabilty 
appartus
More than 2250 Sq.cm/gm IS: 4031-
1968,IS:269-1976
1 in 50 Weekly or per 500 
MT
In- House Cement 
testing file
QC incharge
2Sand
(a) Silt Content Sedimentation 
Method
Measuring 
Cylinder
Max 8%  in 10 min IS:2386-1963 part -
ii
Random Per Truck/ Weekly In- House Sand testing 
file & GRN
QC incharge
(b) Moisture Content Drying/Weighing or 
by visual inspection
Weight balance, 
hot plate or 
Aquameter
nil IS:2386-1963         Every Pour Per Truck/ Twice 
in a day while 
concreting
In- House Sand testing 
file
QC incharge
© Deletorious Substances as per IS:2386-1963 - 
Part-II
5% of by weight of F.A IS:2386 Random For change of 
source or six 
month
External         Test 
certificate
QC incharge
(d) Finenens Modulus Sieve analysis IS:sieves FM : 2.5 to 3.5 for N.sand & FM: 
2.2 to 3 for C.sand
IS:2386-1963/ 
Tech. Specification 
Vol-II
Random Weekly/ At the 
time of production 
from crusher
In- House Gradation 
File.
QC incharge
(f) Specific gravity & water absorption IS:2386-1963 Part-III Pycnometer -- IS:2386 part iii Random Monthly or Change 
of source.
In- House Sp. Gr. Of 
F.A. and C.A. 
file.
QC incharge
(h) 75 mic wash Washing test IS:sieves Not more than 15% Technical Sp.Vol.-
II
Random Monthly In- House Sand testing 
file
QC incharge