Significance and Use

This practice provides a systematic procedure for sampling and determining the variability of user-selected properties of ingredients of concrete. Results derived from application of the practice are generally intended for information only and are not requirements of any existing ASTM specification on concrete or concrete materials. A concrete materials specification may make reference to this practice as a means of obtaining variability information, but needs to define the properties to be measured and the lot size and sample unit to be used. The practice is applicable to both producers of concrete materials and to consumers of concrete materials, although details of application of the practice may vary, depending on the intended purpose of the user of the practice.

The procedure is applicable to any quantitative property of any concrete ingredient that can be measured by a standard test method. The procedure is based on grab samples, which will tend to show the maximum amount of variation in the selected material property. The procedure is useful if grab samples are obtained from sampling units that are being delivered to the user of a material and better represents the variability of the material used in concrete production compared with testing on the material for specification compliance. The procedure was developed for application to materials from a single source, but it can be applied to a materials delivery stream from more than one source, depending on the purposes of the user of the practice. Variations among test results are corrected for testing error, therefore giving an estimate of the variability of the selected material property. The variability of the selected material property provides the user with one indicator of the source variation of the concrete ingredient.

Although variability in properties of concrete materials can be a significant cause of variability in concrete properties, this practice does not purport to give information on this relationship. This practice does give information on variability of ingredients from which the user can, along with supplementary information or correlative testing of concrete properties, develop quantitative estimates of the effects.

1. Scope

1.1 This practice covers a procedure for determining the variability of properties of concrete materials from a single source. It includes recommendations on sampling, testing, analysis of data, and reporting.

1.2 The system of units for this practice is not specified. Dimensional quantities in the practice are presented only as illustrations of calculation methods that are applicable independent of the system of units.

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

2. Referenced Documents (purchase separately) The documents listed below are referenced within the subject standard but are not provided as part of the standard.

ASTM Standards

C109/C109M Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)

C125 Terminology Relating to Concrete and Concrete Aggregates

C219 Terminology Relating to Hydraulic Cement

C494/C494M Specification for Chemical Admixtures for Concrete

C917 Test Method for Evaluation of Cement Strength Uniformity From a Single Source

D75 Practice for Sampling Aggregates

D3665 Practice for Random Sampling of Construction Materials

Keywords

concrete materials; data analysis; sampling; testing error; variability; Concrete; Concrete uniformity; Single source (of ingredients); Uniformity (of concrete ingredients);

ICS Code

ICS Number Code 91.100.30 (Concrete and concrete products)

DOI: 10.1520/C1451-11

ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.

ASTM C1451