To avoid voids and honeycombing, the concrete must be properly compacted within the mould. The standard describes two primary methods: internal vibration (needle vibrator) and manual compaction (tamping rod). Crucially, it specifies the size of the vibrator head, the duration of vibration, and the number of rod strokes for manual compaction, depending on the specimen size and concrete slump. This removes operator guesswork.
BS EN 12390-2:2019 is a European Standard that outlines the procedures for making and curing specimens of hardened concrete. This standard is part of a series of standards for testing hardened concrete, and it provides guidelines for the preparation of concrete specimens for testing. This report provides an overview of the standard, its significance, and key aspects of making and curing specimens. bs en 12390-2:2019