Under pressure

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Jack Jenkins, 332nd Civil Engineer Squadron engineering assistant, places brass ends on both sides of a concrete cylinder sample taken from the new Housing 6 area shoppette foundation here, Feb. 21. The brass ends are part of a strength test machine that is used to compress concrete to determine if it is suitable for use in building foundations or flight line areas. Sergeant Jenkins is deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

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Under pressure

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Twenty-pound concrete cylinder samples are taken from various construction locations around base. The samples are tested to ensure the concrete can withstand the pressure of 6,000 pounds per square inch for flight line uses and 4,500 psi for building foundations. These tests confirm aircraft or buildings can be put on concrete surfaces without the concrete cracking or sinking. The cylinders are cured for 24 hours and then placed in a water bath for seven days before putting them though a strength test machine. On Feb. 21, a sample from the new Housing 6 area shoppette was tested and passed the strength test. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

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BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Jack Jenkins, 332nd Civil Engineer Squadron engineering assistant, pulls out a concrete cylinder sample that was taken from the new Housing 6 area shoppette foundation here, Feb. 21. The concrete will be cured for seven days in a water bath before a strength test is performed on it, during which the cylinder must endure 4,500 pounds per square inch of compression. Sergeant Jenkins is deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

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Under pressure

BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Jack Jenkins, 332nd Civil Engineer Squadron engineering assistant, places a concrete cylinder sample, taken from the new Housing 6 area shoppette foundation, into a strength test machine here, Feb. 21. The machine will compress the sample until it breaks; to pass, the cylinder must withstand compression of 4,500 pounds per square inch. Sergeant Jenkins is deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

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BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- A concrete cylinder sample taken from the new Housing 6 area shoppette foundation broke during the strength test at 5,100 pounds per square inch, which is a passing number here, Feb. 21. The minimum number to pass is 4,500 pounds per square inch. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

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BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Staff Sgt. Jack Jenkins, 332nd Civil Engineer Squadron engineering assistant, examines the broken pieces of a concrete cylinder sample taken from the new Housing 6 area shoppette foundation here, Feb. 21. Sergeant Jenkins is deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

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BALAD AIR BASE, Iraq -- Pieces of broken cylinder samples, taken from the new Housing 6 area shoppette foundation, sit after being strength tested here, Feb. 21. The test, performed by engineering assistants, is vital to the safety of Airmen and aircraft every day. Without constant surveys and tests the Air Force runs the risk of allowing sub-standard materials to be used on projects that are used on a daily basis. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Julianne Showalter)

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Under pressure

Published Feb. 22, 2008

Under pressure

Under pressure

Under pressure

Under pressure

Under pressure

Under pressure

Under pressure

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