Contents

Overview

Like the QEST Weigh and Measure Station (QWS), the QEST Crush Station (QCS) is a separate module from the main QESTLab program.

For users with the appropriate equipment which can be interfaced to a PC, it provides an efficient means of getting the concrete testing data from the equipment into the software and calculating the strength results. 

Structure of the QCS Worksheet

Set Up Fields

Laboratory Field

Equipment Fields

Equipment details for each specimen can be recorded using the following fields.

Search Fields

The QCS supports three different methods of searching for concrete specimens to measure.

1. By Test Date - Select a date from the Test Date drop-down. All concrete specimens due for test on the specified date at the selected laboratory will be listed in the Next Specimen ID drop-down.
2. By Date Cast - Select a date from the Date Cast drop-down. All concrete specimens which were cast on the specified date assigned to the selected laboratory for testing will be listed in the Next Specimen ID drop-down.
3. If the specimen ID is known, it can be directly entered into the Next Specimen ID drop-down. 

Specimen Fields

• These fields are read-only and contain data imported from the Concrete Sample (AU) screen.
• It is expected that most, if not all, of this information would have been entered as part of the sample registration process.

Specimen Grid

Specimen Registration Fields

• For most specimens, these fields will normally contain all the required information prior to the date of testing, as part of the sample registration process.

• These fields are locked in QCS. 

Test Data and Results Fields

• These fields are locked in QCS and any data that can be entered has to come from the interfaced testing machine.
• For further details on these fields, refer to the Concrete Sample (AU) screen, as they are otherwise identical to the corresponding fields there.

Administration Fields

These fields are applicable to all specimen types and are locked in QCS.

Calculated Fields

These fields are not visible on the screen but are calculated from data entered into the grid and stored in the database. They are typically used when it becomes time to generate reports and can also affect the appearance of values in the specimen grid.

When sufficient raw test data is entered, QCS calculates the strength result for each specimen and displays these values in the grid.

Additionally, the following are calculated:

1. Sample average strength - The average strength  results for specimens of a certain type and age are calculated and stored in the database (eg. the average 28 day strength for COMP100 specimens). This is done for each sample.

2. Pair difference - The difference in strength results between two specimens of the same type and age is calculated and stored for each sample.

The sample average and pair difference calculations are done for predetermined ages present in a sample. (Typically, 7, 28, 56 and 90 day). If these differences exceed required tolerances (as per AS 1379 for Australia) then the results are highlighted in red.

Additional Fields

Optional Features

Using QCS

Before Starting QCS

Preparing a Concrete Sample

• The QEST Crush Station (QCS) does not provide a means of registering a new concrete sample and specimens. 
• If required, this must be done using QESTLab. See Concrete Sample Registration (elsewhere) for details on registering a new sample.
• Once the sample has been registered with one or more specimens, QCS can then be used.

Setting Up Equipment

• To be able to use QCS, a testing machine capable of interfacing to a computer is required.
• Before use, this equipment item must be configured in QESTLab for interfacing with the software.
• See Configuring Equipment Interfacing in QESTLab for details on setting up this equipment.

Starting QCS

• Run the QEST Crush Station program (QCS). 
• The program will prompt the user to enter their login details. These are the same as for QESTLab.

Selecting the Laboratory and Equipment

Once logged in, the user will be presented with the a screen similar to the following.

The following must be selected: 

1. The laboratory at which the specimen is being tested.

2. An interfaced Testing Machine which will be used to test the specimen(s). 

3. The square used to check the specimen's perpendicularity (if required).

If the testing machine was correctly configured and the software was able to communicate with it, blue lines will appear above and below the drop-down. 
If these do not appear, either the machine has not been setup in QESTLab correctly or it's not accessible to the software. See the Troubleshooting section in Configuring Equipment Interfacing for further assistance.

Selecting a Specimen

1. Either,

   1. enter the required specimen ID directly into the Next Specimen ID drop-down, or,

      1. select one of the following dates from their drop-downs:

         • Test Date

         • Date Cast

      2. select required specimen from  Next Specimen ID drop-down,

2. Click on the Select button, or press Enter.

Entering Test Data

Once a specimen has been selected, test data can be entered.

Several things will have happened at this point.

1. The details of the sample to which the specimen belongs (sample ID, client, project, etc.) will be displayed in the background above the grid.

2. All of the specimens assigned to this sample will be shown in the grid, with the one currently selected highlighted in green.

3. The Interface button will be enabled.

Place the selected concrete cylinder specimen into the testing machine. 

Click on the Interface button to connect to the interfaced testing machine.

A yellow form will appear in the top right corner of the QCS window.

Run the testing machine, increasing the applied load on the specimen until failure occurs, or a maximum load value is achieved.

Recording the Test Load

1. If the testing machine supports automatic requests, it will transmit the maximum test load for the specimen.

2. Otherwise, the user must press the appropriate button on the testing machine to return the results to the QCS software.

3. Once the load value has been received, it will be displayed on the yellow form and the status will be shown as 'Done'.
   

4. When the load value is displayed, the user can choose to:

   1. Read the load again,

   2. Decline (discard) it,

   3. Accept it.

Choosing to accept the results will write the load to the QCS specimen grid.

Strength Calculation & Failure Mode

When the load is added to the specimen grid, the strength will be calculated and displayed in the grid for the specimen just tested.
if a required strength value (F'c) exists, the strength result will be compared with it and the result will control what happens next:

1. A strength result that is less than the required strength is considered a strength failure and the following screen will appear:
   
   1. Selecting an appropriate failure mode and clicking the Ok button will save the corresponding code to the Failure Mode field of the specimen. 
   2. When this screen closes, it may be replaced by the following:
      
   3. This allows the testing date of subsequent specimens from the same sample to be deferred to a later date, if required.
      
      
2. If the strength result is equal to, or greater than, the required strength, the strength value and the default failure mode will be written to the grid.

If there was an error in the entered value, it can be manually adjusted by editing it in the specimen grid on the Concrete Sample (AU) screen in QESTLab.

If it is necessary to edit values for the failure mode, use the Concrete Sample (AU) screen in QESTLAB.

Next Steps

 By this stage, the Next Specimen ID will have been automatically incremented to the next one in the list.

1. If this is correct, the user need only hit Enter to begin the testing process for this specimen.
2. Otherwise, to begin testing the next specimen locate it in the list and press Select to re-commence the process.
3. If a previous specimen from the same sample and with the same age has failed to achieve the required strength, the following window will appear:
   
   
   1. Clicking the Yes button restarts the testing process.
   2. Clicking the No button will automatically increment the Next Specimen ID and the above steps (1 to 3) can be repeated.

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