National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

About the research

The concrete phoenix system is a new, portable testing device that heats a concrete sample inside a furnace to perform a direct measurement of the water-to-cementitious materials (w/cm) ratio. Controlling water content during concrete production is one of the most critical factors in producing consistent, durable concrete. Therefore, the phoenix test has important potential as a quality control/quality assurance tool for the construction of transportation infrastructure, particularly in applications exposed to harsh environmental conditions such as freezing and thawing. The Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) recently evaluated the phoenix system in a laboratory setting and found that it provided accurate, repeatable measurements of w/cm. These findings are consistent with those of other researchers, state DOTs, and the Federal Highway Administration.

This new test method can be useful to agencies and industry in improving the state-of-the-practice in concrete construction. Concrete producers and contractors can use the phoenix to monitor their production processes and ensure good control of water content. Meanwhile, both the Iowa DOT and local agencies have great interest in ensuring they receive concrete that complies with specification requirements. With the knowledge that w/cm is within specified limits, all parties can have more confidence that concrete placed during construction will be durable in the long run.

Given the potential value of this test method, this project includes development of training materials to support implementation of the phoenix test method in practice, both in the laboratory and
in appropriate field settings (e.g. at the concrete batch plant). This training will be designed to be useful both for the industry (concrete producers and contractors) as well as for owner/agencies, including consultants that may represent and provide inspection for owners. The training materials will primarily consist of presentation slides designed to be presented at in-person workshops. An abbreviated version of the presentation materials will be prepared to use for an online webinar format. The training materials will also include supporting documentation for the test method that can be shared with workshop participants, as well as tools such as spreadsheets to assist practitioners with calculations.