Concrete “permeability” tests
For the most part, so-called concrete “permeability” tests measure something other than permeability. Permeability is the ease with which fluids can move through a porous material. That matters because most […]
Testing
Concrete sample size: how big is big enough?
When you submit a concrete sample for petrographic examination, how big a sample do you need? That is, what’s the appropriate concrete sample size? We’ve discussed in previous posts how […]
Do we expect too much from ASTM C1202?
We often — mistakenly — refer to ASTM C1202, “Standard Test Method for Electrical Indication of Concrete’s Ability to Resist Chloride Ion Penetration,” as the Rapid Chloride Permeability test. Permeability […]
ASTM C1709 promotes sustainability
ASTM C1709 provides a way to introduce alternative supplementary cementitious materials (ASCMs) into the marketplace. Supplementary cementitious materials include fly ash, slag cement, silica fume, and calcined clay. They can […]
Predict service life with ASTM C1556
ASTM C1556 is a test we use to assess the ability of concrete to resist the ingress of chloride ions. If we’re designing concrete for a new parking garage or […]
NT Build 492 provides data for durable concrete
NT Build 492 is a test that determines the diffusion coefficient of concrete. Diffusion is the movement of a dissolved substance under a concentration gradient. That is, ions in solution […]
Can you get a representative sample of concrete?
A representative sample of anything is an unbiased selection from the whole population. It’s a statistical concept that applies to everything from opinion polls to laboratory testing. In principle it […]
Make sure you take good concrete cores
We often receive concrete cores from our clients for petrography or other types of testing. When we haven’t witnessed the coring, we can’t always tell whether a core represents damaged […]