Cube & Cylinder Compression Test
(Concrete Compressive Strength)

Compressive strength testing of standard concrete cube and cylinder specimens — the most fundamental quality control test for concrete, mandatory on every construction project per IS 456.

Overview

What is the Cube & Cylinder Compression Test?

The Concrete Cube and Cylinder Compression Test measures the compressive strength of concrete by crushing 150mm cubes or 150×300mm cylinders in a calibrated Compression Testing Machine (CTM). Results at 7 and 28 days provide the primary quality control data for concrete acceptance per IS 456.

Conducted as per IS 516 and ASTM C39, cube/cylinder testing is mandatory for every concrete pour on every project. Global Lab provides a complete service — cube collection from site, curing in our controlled curing tank, testing at 3/7/28 days and NABL-certified reports via the Autovity platform.

3, 7 & 28 Day Testing

Strength development tracked at all critical ages per IS 456.

Calibrated CTM

NABL-calibrated 2000kN CTM with automatic loading rate control.

Controlled Curing Tank

Curing at 27±2°C in NABL-controlled water curing tank per IS 516.

Statistical Analysis

Standard deviation, characteristic strength and compliance per IS 456 Cl. 16.

NABL Certified Reports

All results on NABL-accredited letterhead with IS 456 compliance assessment.

Autovity Digital Access

Results uploaded to Autovity portal — client access 24/7 from any device.

Test in Action

Cube & Cylinder Compression Test — Site Images

Concrete Cube Casting on Site

Cube Compression-Testing-Machine

Cube Compression Test in CTM

Test Procedure

How the Cube & Cylinder Compression Test is Conducted

1

Cube Casting

150mm steel moulds cleaned, oiled and filled in 3 layers. Each layer compacted with 35 strokes of tamping rod per IS 516.
2

Initial Curing

Cubes covered with wet hessian for 24 hours. Demoulded after 24 hours and marked with unique identification.
3

Water Curing

Cubes immersed in curing tank at 27±2°C until test age (3, 7 or 28 days) per IS 516.
4

Compression Testing

Cube placed in CTM with cast face perpendicular to loading. Load applied at 140 kg/cm²/min until failure.
5

Strength Calculation & Report

Compressive strength = failure load / cross-sectional area. Statistical analysis per IS 456 Cl. 16. NABL report uploaded to Autovity.

Standards & Specifications

Applicable Test Standards

Standard	Title	Scope	Type
IS 516	Methods of Tests for Strength of Concrete	Cube Compression	Indian Standard
IS 456:2000	Plain and Reinforced Concrete — Code of Practice	Acceptance Criteria	Indian Standard
ASTM C39	Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens	Cylinder Test	ASTM
BS EN 12390-3	Testing Hardened Concrete — Compressive Strength of Test Specimens	Cube/Cylinder Test	British Standard

Applications

Where is the CAPO Test Used?

Mandatory concrete acceptance testing on all building and infrastructure projects

Batch-to-batch quality control at ready mix concrete plants

Precast concrete element acceptance testing at factory

Mix design trial verification for new concrete grades

Investigation of structures with suspected low-strength concrete

Contractual dispute resolution requiring independent cube strength verification

Why Choose Global Lab

Our Advantages

NABL Accredited ReportsIS 456 compliant certificates legally valid for all contractual requirements.

Site Collection ServiceOur teams collect cubes from site — no transport logistics for client.

Autovity 24/7 AccessResults available on Autovity portal as soon as testing is complete.

Statistical AnalysisIS 456 Clause 16 compliance assessment included in every report.

Pan-India CoverageCollection and testing across all 7 lab locations in India.

High Volume CapacityProcess hundreds of cubes per day during peak construction season.

Cube & Cylinder Compression Test(Concrete Compressive Strength)