ASTM test method aims to assess durability
01 September 2019
ASTM International’s concrete and concrete aggregates committee (C09) has developed a test method aimed at improving and standardising the way resistance of concrete to electrical current flow helps assess its durability.
According to ASTM International member R Douglas Hooton, saturated specimens of hardened concrete are tested to see how well they resist electrical currents.
He says concrete’s ability to resist aggressive fluids, and its resistance to electric currents, depend on its pore size and porosity, two factors that help determine its durability. Exposure to water, salt water, and other fluids breaks down concrete or embedded steel reinforcement over time.
The test method (C1876-19) aims to assess the concrete’s ability to resist penetration of fluids, helping determine the durability of the concrete structure.
“Various forms of this test method are already used in the US and globally, but differences in sample conditioning and testing details cause different results,” says Hooton, who is a professor in the Department of Civil and Mineral Engineering at the University of Toronto. “Therefore, having this standard will help users obtain reproducible results.”
Committed to serving global societal needs, ASTM International positively impacts public health and safety, consumer confidence, and overall quality of life. It integrates consensus standards – developed with its international membership of volunteer technical experts – and innovative services to improve lives.
Hooton says the committee welcomes participation as it will next be addressing potential changes to allow for alternate versions to verification procedures as well as further development of an appendix (for calculating a formation factor).
The next meeting of the ASTM International committee on concrete and concrete aggregates will be held from December 8 to 11 at the Marriott Marquis Houston in Texas, US.
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