enElcometer 106 Scale 6

Coatings on Concrete
Adhesion Tester
andConcrete Tensile Strength Tester
Operating Instructions

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is a registered trademark of Elcometer Limited.

All other trademarks acknowledged.
A Material Safety Data Sheet for the araldite epoxy adhesive supplied with the Elcometer 106 Scale 6 andavailable as an accessory is available to download via our website:www.elcometer.com/images/MSDS/araldite_epoxy_adhesive.pdf© Copyright Elcometer Limited. 2009 - 2012. All rights reserved. No part of this Document may be
reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored (in a retrieval system or otherwise) or translated into anylanguage, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, manual or otherwise)
without the prior written permission of Elcometer Limited.
A copy of this Instruction Manual is available for download on our Website via www.elcometer.com.
Doc.No. TMA-0299 Issue 05
Text with Cover No: 18598

Section
12345678PageAbout your gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Test procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Adhesives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Storage and transit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Technical specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Spares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Related equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

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Thank you for your purchase of this Elcometer 106 Scale 6 Adhesion Tester. Welcome to Elcometer.
Elcometer are world leaders in the design, manufacture and supply of inspection equipment for concreteand coatings. Our concrete inspection products include a comprehensive range of concrete, and civilengineering inspection equipment. Our coatings products cover all aspects of coating inspection, fromdevelopment through application to post application inspection.
This Elcometer 106 Scale 6 Adhesion Tester is a world beating product. With the purchase of this productyou now have access to the worldwide service and support network of Elcometer. For more information visit
our website at www.elcometer.com

1 ABOUT YOUR GAUGEThe Elcometer 106 Scale 6 Adhesion Tester is designed to determine the bond strength of coatings applied
to concrete surfaces. It will also test the tensile strength of hardened concrete on site.
The Adhesion Tester employs a pull-off method to determine the force required to pull a test dolly of fixedarea of coating away from the concrete.
The surface under examination is prepared and then a test dolly with a diameter of 50.8 mm (2") is attachedby adhesive. When the adhesive is cured the Adhesion Tester claw is engaged onto the dolly and a force
is applied. The resulting stess is recorded by means of a dragging indicator on an engraved scale.
There are five other models of the Elcometer 106 Adhesion Tester and these are designed for measuring
the bond strength of coatings applied to a wide range of materials using a 20 mm diameter dolly.
Users of this Adhesion Tester may also benefit from other Elcometer Concrete Inspection Equipment - see“Related equipment” on page 11.

2The Elcometer 106-6 can be used in accordance with the following National and International Standards :ASTM D 7234, BS 1881-207, EN1542, EN 12636.
1.2 CHECKING THE CONTENTS OF THE BOX•

Elcometer 106 Scale 6 Adhesion Tester•

Dollies, 50.8mm (2"), 5x•Base Support Ring•

Pack of Adhesive•

Ratchet Spanner•

Carrying Case•

Operating Instructions

The Elcometer 106 Scale 6 Adhesion Tester is packed in a cardboard and foam package. Please ensurethat this packaging is disposed of in an environmentally sensitive manner. Consult your local Environmental
Authority for further guidance.
To maximise the benefits of this instrument please take some time to read these OperatingInstructions. Do not hesitate to contact Elcometer or your Elcometer supplier if you have anyquestions.

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1.1 STANDARDSenR

2 TEST PROCEDURE
2.1 SCORE THE COATING
Scoring of the coating down to, or just into, the surface of the concrete may be required by standard test
methods.
To score coatings thicker than 0.5 mm (20 mils) use a diamond tipped core bit with an internal diameter of
50.8 mm (2") mounted in a drill press or hand drill. Ensure that the scoring is normal (perpendicular) to thecoating and that the test area is not subjected to twisting or torque. To minimise heat and suppress dust,
water lubrication may be required.
To score coatings thinner than 0.5 mm (20 mils), a sharp knife may be sufficient to score around the dolly
once it has been secured in place by adhesive.
2.2 SECURE THE DOLLY
The surface of the dolly and the test area should be abraded and be free from oil, moisture and dust toensure a good bond between the dolly face and the coating.
1. Prepare the surface of the dolly and the coating where the dolly is to be applied by roughening with anabrasive paper. Then de-grease these areas by using a suitable solvent to clean both surfaces.
2. Mix a small quantity of adhesive and apply an even film to the prepared surface of the dolly.
3. Place the dolly onto the prepared test surface and apply pressure to squeeze out excess adhesive
which should then be removed. Allow the adhesive to cure for the recommended time - see“Adhesives” on page 6.
Dollies can be re-used after cleaning. Additional dollies are available from your local Elcometer supplier ordirect from Elcometer - see “Spares” on page 10.
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1. Place the base support ring over the dolly ensuring that it lies flat on the surface.
2. Slacken the nut on the Adhesion Tester. Set the dragging indicator to zero (0) on the scale andcarefully engage the claw with the dolly.
3. Hold the Adhesion Tester steady with one hand to prevent rotation and tighten the nut with the wrenchslowly and evenly to apply an increasing force to the dolly and hence stress to the coating. Continue
until the dolly is removed from the surface, or until the specified stress is reached. The value is readfrom the position of the dragging indicator after the test is complete.
According to Standards, the load should be applied uniformly. The wrench should be rotated without
stopping. Calculate the time the stress should be increased over and practice before testing. This tableshows how many seconds each turn should take. Some Standards allow a slower rate (more seconds)
up to a maximum time.
Elcometer 106

Stress Rate, s/turn (See Standard)

ScaleMax MPa

MPa/turn

1MPa/s0.2MPa/s

0.05MPa/s

0.035MPa/s

6

3.5

0.40

0.4

2.08

11.4

There will be a loud bang and the Adhesion Tester may jump up a few centimetres as thedolly and coating detach and the energy in the tester is released. For personal safety it isrecommended that the operator does not lean over the Adhesion Tester during use.
4. Immediately after the test is complete and the stress has been recorded, slacken the nut by reversing
the wrench to remove all the force from the unit.
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2.3 APPLY LOAD TO DOLLY

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2.4 ASSESSMENT OF RESULTS
To record the result, first inspect the face of the dolly. In most cases the coating will fully adhere to the dolly
and the test can be claimed as 100% valid. In some cases, the coating will cover only part of the area of thedolly and a partial adhesion failure should be recorded.
If no coating is present on the dolly this must be recorded as a failure of the adhesive (or glue). This isnormally due to incorrect or insufficient mixing of the component parts of the adhesive, incompatibility of theadhesive and the coating, or incorrect ambient conditions.
When testing coatings on concrete it is common for the adhesive bond between the coating and theconcrete to exceed the strength of the concrete itself. In this case concrete will be removed from the surface
and will be seen on the coating on the dolly face.
Observing the test area will give additional information about the type of failure; adhesion and cohesion
between different layers of the coating or concrete.

3 ADHESIVES3.1 ARALDITE
The adhesive supplied with the Elcometer 106 Scale 6 is Araldite, a two-pack epoxy paste which is mixed
from approximately equal volumes of the two components. Measurement by eye is sufficient. When mixed
it should be used within one hour.
Curing Times:•

24 hours at 25°C•

3 hours at 60°C

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The expiry date of the adhesive should be checked before use. Adhesive which has expired should not beused. Spare packs of Araldite are available from your local Elcometer supplier or direct from Elcometer see “Spares” on page 10.
3.2 RAPID ARALDITE
Rapid Araldite is a fast setting two-pack epoxy paste. It should be mixed for 30 seconds and used within 2minutes.
Curing Times:•

8 hours at 0°C•

4 hours at 10°C•

2 hours at 23°C•

1.5 hours at 40°C

Rapid Araldite is suitable for cold and warm environments.
3.3 OTHER ADHESIVESOther adhesives include acrylic types with much faster setting times. Loctite Multibond is well suited for
low temperature and cures fully in 24 hours. Scotch-weld M2000 will reach a high strength after 30 minutes.
The User should determine the suitability of any adhesive. Some types of adhesive can adversely affect thetest area. Coating environments, solvents, etc. can contaminate some adhesives.

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Araldite is suitable for warm and hot environments. Lower temperatures can require extended curing times
of up to 3 days or more.

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3.4 DISPOSAL OF ADHESIVEThe adhesive supplied with this product must be disposed of as special waste unless it has been fully cured.
To dispose of excess adhesive at the end of its shelf life simply mix the remaining material and allow it tocure before disposal.
For further guidance on the disposal of adhesives contact your local environmental authority.

4 STORAGE AND TRANSITStore the Elcometer 106 Adhesion Tester in its case when it is not being used and during transit.

5 MAINTENANCE
The Elcometer 106 Scale 6 Adhesion Tester is designed to give many years reliable service under normal
operating and storage conditions.
REGULAR MAINTENANCE
Lubricate the screw threads with light machine oil on a regular basis.
PULL-OFF FORCE
The pull-off force is provided by the progressive compression of Belleville washers.
After considerable heavy use the washers may age and no longer have their original characteristics. Thewashers may also become distorted and permanently damaged if the tester is tightened fully, beyond thelength of the engraved scale on the barrel.
In this instance the force recorded by the tester should be checked and, if necessary, the tester should bereturned to Elcometer for fitting of a new set of Belleville washers and re calibration.
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Calibration checks to ensure that the correct load is being applied to the dolly will be required periodically.
Elcometer can carry this out and a calibration certificate traceable to national standards can be issued, bycontacting Elcometer, your local Elcometer supplier, or visit www.elcometer.com.

6 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONGAUGE
Range:

0 MPa to 3.5 MPa (0 PSI to 500 PSI)

Accuracy:±15% of reading

Height:

208 mm (8.2")

Diameter:

103 mm (4.1") including legs

Net Weight:

2 kg (4.4 lb)

Gross Weight: 5 kg (11 lb) (including case and accessories)
Material:

Body and barrel - Anodised aluminium
Feet and Belleville washers - SteelTEST DOLLY
Diameter:

50.8 mm (2")

Material:

High-tensile aluminium

Adhesive:

Araldite, two-pack epoxy resin

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CALIBRATIONenR

CARRYING CASE
Dimensions:505 mm x 370 mm x 120 mm (19.9" x 14.6" x 4.7")

Material:

Polypropylene

7 SPARES
The following spare parts for the gauge are available from your local Elcometer supplier or direct fromElcometer.
Description

Sales Part No.

Dollies (Pack of 5):

T10618570

Pack of Araldite adhesive:

T99912906

Base Support Ring:

T10618973

Ratchet Spanner:

T1061585

Carrying Case:

T10616944

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8 RELATED EQUIPMENTElcometer produces a wide range of Concrete Inspection Equipment. Users of the Elcometer 106 Scale 6Adhesion Tester for Concrete may also benefit from the following Elcometer products:•Elcometer Concrete Crack Microscope•

Elcometer High Voltage DC Holiday Detector•

Elcometer Crack Width Ruler•

Elcometer Rebar Locators•

Elcometer Concrete Covermeters•

Elcometer Salt Detection Systems

For further information contact Elcometer, your Elcometer supplier or visit www.elcometer.com

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