MPI Laboratory

Mechanical and Physical Investigation (MPI) laboratory is the part of CDR department. It is a NABL accredited testing laboratory in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 procedures in the field of mechanical investigation (Test Certificate No.-5296). The Lab has structured quality management system (QMS) and frequent internal and external assessments, ensuring consistent reliable laboratory results. The lab has wide range specialized tests for conducting research. For R&D purpose, lab has been designed for the state of the art facility for the testing of hardened concrete behaviour.

State of the art facility

• Displacement Controlled Compression Testing Machine-3000kN
• Displacement Controlled Flexural Testing Machine- 300kN
• Chloride Ion Penetrability Testing Equipment
• Corrosion Rate Analyzer
• Universal Testing Machine – 1000kN
• Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry Equipment
• BET Apparatus for Surface Area Determination
• Tri-axial Shear Strength of Concrete-500kN
• Data Loggers for Recording Data Coming from various Sensors
• Water Permeability Equipment
• Carbonation Chambers
• Creep testing machine
• Electrochemical Impedance spectroscopy (EIS)
• Under water abrasion testing machine
• Long column testing compression machine

MPI Activities

• Mechanical Testing of Building Materials such as Hydraulic Cement, Aggregates, Fly Ash, Bricks, Steel Bar, Ceramic Tiles, Vitrified Tiles, Cement Concrete Flooring Tiles, Autoclaved Aerated Blocks, Corrosion Inhibitor, Fresh Concrete & Hardened Concrete.
• Determination of Alkali Aggregate Reactivity: Alkali Silica Reactivity & Alkali Carbonate Reactivity.
• Admixture Testing.
• Concrete Mix Design.
• Soil Testing includes Grading, Optimum Moisture Content, CBR Test, Liquid Limit & Plastic Limit Test.
• Fineness of cementitious and pozzolanic materials such as microfine OPC, ultrafine GGBFS, silica fume etc. by BET apparatus, etc.
• Steel fiber testing

Mechanical Tests

• Modulus of elasticity and Poisson’s ratio
• Stress-strain characteristics
• Fracture behaviour of beam
• Dry and wet abrasion of concrete
• Confined compression of concrete and rock
• Creep test
• Checking the behaviour of reinforced concrete by testing of beams and columns

Durability tests based upon transport mechanisms and other tests

• Migration/ Conduction: RCPT, NT Built 492, Florida method
• Diffusion: chloride diffusion/ ponding, accelerated carbonation
• Sorption: sorptivity
• Penetration: permeability, volume of permeable voids
• Microstructure: mercury intrusion porosimetery
• Chloride induced corrosion: polarizing resistance as per ASTM G3, LPR, EIS
• Ingress of sulphate: sulphate immersion test, mass loss test
• Various other corrosion related test such as long term chloride induced corrosion test for admixture as per ASTM G109/ ASTM C1582.

To enhance the experimental capability of the lab, several testing equipment related to study of cement and concrete characteristics and behavior have been added in the year 2020-2021 such as initial surface absorption test (ISAT) apparatus to evaluate the rate of water absorption by concrete samples, flexural testing machine to evaluate transverse strength of cement concrete tile. Apart from the testing facility, lab has provided demonstration and training to various groups from esteemed organization such as Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), DMRC, NHPC and many recognized academic institutions.