Contents

Overview

The QEST Crushing 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. 

Additionally, data for density results can conveniently be entered via QCS.

Structure of the QCS Worksheet

Set Up Fields

Laboratory Field

Equipment Fields

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

For further details on these fields, refer to the Concrete Sample (US) screen, as they are otherwise identical to the corresponding fields there.

Search Fields

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

• 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.
• 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.

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 (US) 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

The Load field and Test Time field is locked in QCS and any value to be entered has to come from the interfaced testing machine.

The other fields that are locked are calculation fields and these are normally locked on all screens.

For further details on these fields, refer to the Concrete Sample (US) screen, as they are otherwise identical to the corresponding fields there.

Administration Fields

These fields are applicable to all specimen types.

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, QESTLab calculates the strength and (if required) density results for each specimen and displays these values in the grid.
• Additionally, the following is also calculated: 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.

Additional Fields

Additional Fields are defined as fields that are not visible in the Specimen Grid under the default settings but can be added by the user/customer.

Concrete Cylinder Density

The presence/absence of these fields is controlled by the Dens? field. They are only visible if Dens? = Yes.

Site Cured Specimens

When a specimen is marked as site cured, extra fields, Date Received and Req Str, are added to the QCS specimen grid.

The behavior of some of the other fields is also modified.

• The Date Received field for the site cured specimen is editable.
• The required strength value (Site Cure Str), set on the Concrete Sample (US) screen's Mix Data tab, is copied into the Req Str field and this field is locked.
• If a strength result of a site cured specimen is less than either of the required strengths (Req Strength or Site Cure Str), the result is not highlighted.
• Regardless of its age, if a site cured specimen meets or exceeds the site cured required strength, the value in the required strength column (Req Str) will be highlighted as bold.

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.
  
  

  Site Cured Specimens

  • If site cured specimens are to be tested using QCS, they must be marked as site cured before QCS is used.
  • QCS cannot be used to mark specimens as site cured.

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 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). 

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.

Additionally, the following equipment can be selected as required:

• The equipment used to measure the specimens.

• A balance, if density results are required.
  

  Interfaced balance not working?

  • If an interfaced balance is selected, it will show the blue lines, as above, but the interfacing will not work with QCS.
  • Values from balances need to be entered manually.

  
  

• A square used to check the specimen's perpendicularity (if required).

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 on the screen by now.

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.

If the specimen has not been measured and the average diameter is NOT being applied, it needs to be measured at this point.

Measuring the Specimen

1. If a density result for the specimen is required, The Dens? field should contain "Yes". Enter that first if required.
2. Click on the data field to enable entry or editing of that value.

3. Enter the measurements and weight (if required) for each specimen.

   Moving between cells

   • Press Enter or Tab on the keyboard to move from one cell to the next.
   • There is no need to click in each cell using the mouse.

   
   

4. The density results (if required) for each specimen will be calculated and displayed in the grid, once sufficient data is entered.

5. Select the QESTLab user who measured (and weighed) the specimen, using the Measured By field.

Testing

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.
5. 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 code, if any, will be written to the grid.

   1. If there was an error in the entered strength value, it can be manually adjusted by editing it in the specimen grid on the Concrete Sample (US) screen in QESTLab, provided the user meets the user rights levels that are set for this screen.

      Strength Results

      • For laboratory cured specimens, if a strength result is less than the required strength (Req Strength) at the Acceptance Age set on the Concrete Sample (US) screen's Mix Data tab, the result is highlighted in red.
        (In this example, Req Strength = 3000 psi)
        
        
      • For site cured specimens, if a strength result is less than either of the required strengths (Req Strength or Site Cure Str), the result is not highlighted in red.
3. The failure mode code should reflect the type of fracture observed in the specimen. If a default value was provided, verify that it matches the test result and change if required.

   1. If it is necessary to edit values for the failure mode, this can be done either on the QCS or the Concrete Sample (US) screen in QESTLAB by users with Laboratory Supervisor, or Data Entry, rights.

      No Failure Mode shown?

      • A possible cause for this might be a known incompatibility with QCS and the global option Store E failure Mode into Field set to Failure Mode.

      • The ability to change this option is limited to users with the System Administrator right and it should be set to None or Marks to fix this problem with QCS.
        Be aware that changing this option will also affect the Concrete Sample (US) screen and the electronic worksheet.
        This option can be accessed via QEST Admin Console >> Lab >> Configuration >> Options >> Concrete/QCS/QWS

      • If only the default failure mode is missing, confirm that a failure mode has been assigned as the default value in the Concrete Failure Mode list.

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 can be repeated.

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