Hollow & Solid Concrete Block Testing

Hollow & Solid Concrete Block Testing
(IS 2185 Part 1 & 2 — Concrete Blocks)

Complete mechanical testing of hollow and solid concrete masonry blocks as per IS 2185 Parts 1 and 2 — verifying compressive strength, water absorption, block density and dimensional tolerances for structural use.

Overview

What is the Hollow & Solid Concrete Block Testing?

Hollow and Solid Concrete Blocks are manufactured from cement and aggregate — either vibro-compacted (hollow) or cast (solid). IS 2185 specifies four strength grades (Grade A to D for hollow, Grade A and B for solid) with different minimum compressive strengths for load-bearing and non-load-bearing applications.

At Global Lab, concrete block testing is conducted as per IS 2185 Part 1 (hollow blocks) and IS 2185 Part 2 (solid blocks) covering compressive strength on net area, water absorption (≤10% for Grade A), block density, dimensional tolerances and face shell thickness (hollow blocks) — all mandatory parameters for grade designation.

IS 2185 Grade Designation

Grade A to D (hollow) and A/B (solid) assigned from compressive strength.

Compressive Strength on Net Area

Strength on net cross-sectional area per IS 2185 — critical for hollow blocks.

Water Absorption ≤10%

Grade A blocks: water absorption ≤10% by weight per IS 2185 Table 2.

Face Shell Thickness

Minimum face shell and web thickness per IS 2185 Table 1 verified.

NABL Certified Reports

All results on NABL-accredited letterhead with IS 2185 grade compliance.

Dimensional Tolerances

Block dimensions checked against IS 2185 ±5mm tolerances.

Test in Action

Hollow & Solid Concrete Block Testing — Site Images

Hollow Concrete Block Dimensional Check

Face Shell Thickness Measurement

Compressive Strength Test on Net Area

Test Procedure

How the Hollow & Solid Concrete Block Testing is Conducted

1

Sample Collection

Minimum 8 blocks selected per IS 2185 sampling procedure.
2

Dimensional & Face Shell Check

Length, width, height and face shell thickness measured on all samples.
3

Water Absorption Test

3 blocks tested for 24-hour water absorption per IS 2185.
4

Block Density

3 blocks measured for bulk density.
5

Compressive Strength & Report

Blocks capped with plaster and tested in CTM. Net area strength calculated. Grade assigned. NABL report within 28 days.

Standards & Specifications

Applicable Test Standards

Standard	Title	Scope	Type
IS 2185 Part 1	Concrete Masonry Units — Hollow and Solid Concrete Blocks	Hollow Concrete Block	Indian Standard
IS 2185 Part 2	Concrete Masonry Units — Hollow and Solid Lightweight Concrete Blocks	Lightweight Blocks	Indian Standard
IS 3590	Methods of Tests for Load Bearing Lightweight Concrete Blocks	Block Testing	Indian Standard
IS 1905	Code of Practice for Structural Use of Unreinforced Masonry	Masonry Design	Indian Standard

Applications

Where is the CAPO Test Used?

Load-bearing concrete block wall acceptance for industrial and residential buildings

Non-load-bearing partition block quality control for large commercial projects

Retaining wall block compressive strength verification

Concrete block manufacturer quality certification and grading

Comparative testing of blocks from multiple manufacturers for procurement

Green wall and landscape block compressive strength and absorption testing

Why Choose Global Lab

Our Advantages

NABL Accredited ReportsLegally valid IS 2185 grade certificates for all construction projects.

Hollow & Solid BothParts 1 and 2 both available — covers full range of concrete masonry units.

Net Area Strength CalculationCorrect net area strength calculated per IS 2185 for hollow blocks.

Fast TurnaroundPhysical tests in 7 days; 28-day report on curing completion.

Pan-India CoverageTesting at all 7 NABL-accredited lab locations.

Combined Block PackageHollow concrete + AAC + Paver blocks tested together.

Hollow & Solid Concrete Block Testing(IS 2185 Part 1 & 2 — Concrete Blocks)