Cement Standards and Specifications
Concrete Technology
Home > Cement Basics
> Cement standards and specifications
Standards Organizations
Product specifications and test methods are typically
developed by national standards development organizations, such
as ASTM in the U.S. and CSA in Canada. Full consensus standards
are developed with the participation of all parties who have a stake
in the standards’ development and/or use. The table below
lists the most relevant national and international standard organizations
for the concrete industry.
| U.S. and Canada |
| ASTM |
ASTM International. Has a history of more than
100 years of standards development activities, including the
first national specifications for portland cement and other
concrete materials. Uses a consensus-based standards development
process. Committee C01 develops standards related to hydraulic
cements and Committee C09 develops standards for concrete and
other concrete materials. |
| AASHTO |
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
Develops standards for many materials though participation of
state departments of transportation staff. AASHTO’s Subcommittee
on Materials develops concrete-related specifications, many
of which are closely related to ASTM standards. |
| CSA |
Canadian Standards Association. Develops standards for use
in Canada through a consensus process, including the CSA A3000
compendium on cementitious materials. |
| International |
| ISO |
International Organization for Standardization.
Cement-related standards are developed by TC (Technical Committee)
74 (Cement and Lime) and concrete-related standards by TC 71
(Concrete, reinforced concrete and pre-stressed concrete). |
| CEN |
European Committee for Standardization. EN 197 is the standard
specification for cement in CEN member countries and EN 206
is the standard specification for concrete. |
Product specifications and test methods are referenced
in local and international building codes and specifications for
ease of reference. Click here for information on building codes
and standards. For concrete construction projects, other organizations,
such as state DOTs or the FAA, also develop specifications that
typically refer to ASTM or AASHTO specifications.
Cement Specifications
Different types of cement are manufactured to meet various physical
and chemical requirements. There are currently three different common
hydraulic cement standards for general concrete construction in
use in the U.S.:
- ASTM C150 (AASHTO M 85), Specification
for Portland Cement
- ASTM C595 (AASHTO M 240), Specification
for Blended Hydraulic Cements
- ASTM C1157, Performance
Specification for Hydraulic Cements
Each of these three specifications provides for several different
types of cement. The table below provides a matrix of these types
and where they are used in concrete construction:
| Applications of Commonly Used Cements |
| Cement Specification |
Applications* |
| General
purpose |
Moderate
heat of hydration |
High
early strength |
Low
heat of hydration |
Moderate
sulfate resistance |
High
sulfate resistance |
Resistance
to alkali-silica reactivity (ASR)** |
ASTM C150
(AASHTO M 85) portland cements |
I |
II (moderate heat option) |
III |
IV |
II |
V |
Low alkali option |
ASTM C595
(AASHTO M 240) blended hydraulic cements |
IS
IP |
IS(<70)(MH)
IP(MH) |
- |
IP(LH) |
IS(<70)(MS)
IP(MS) |
IS(<70)(HS)
IP(HS) |
Low reactivity option |
| ASTM C1157 hydraulic cements*** |
GU |
MH |
HE |
LH |
MS |
HS |
Option R |
*Check the availability of specific
cements as all cements are not available everywhere.
**The option for low reactivity with ASR susceptible aggregates
can be applied to any cement type in the columns to the left.
*** For ASTM C1157 cements, the nomenclature of hydraulic cement,
portland cement, air-entraining portland cement, modified portland
cement, or blended hyraulic cement is used with the type designation. |
Click here for more
details on specifying cements for use in concrete and on how to
determine which cement might be most appropriate for your construction
needs.
Click here
for more information on masonry cement standards.
ASTM/AASHTO Harmonization
AASHTO M 85 and ASTM C150 have existed as parallel standards for
portland cement since the 1940s. U.S. state departments of transportation
reference either AASHTO M 85 or ASTM C150 when specifying portland
cement for concrete construction. While the provisions of AASHTO
M 85 and ASTM C150 have generally been consistent, there have also
been some substantive differences. In the summer of 2003, a dialog
between the two organizations was established with the goal of developing
improvements to both specifications and harmonizing the differences
between them. Several harmonized provisions have already been adopted
by both organizations. Harmonization efforts continue in order to
develop provisions that meet collective needs, and to develop mechanisms
for implementing improvements to cement standards.
ASTM Specification C10 for Natural Cement
Natural cements were extensively used in 19th and early 20th century
construction, and many historic structures were built with these
materials. However, with improved technology for producing portland
cements, sales of natural cements began to decline in the late 1800s,
stopping entirely by the mid-1970s.
To meet the needs of architects, engineers, and historians working
on restoration projects, natural cement production has begun again
in the U.S. and a specification was needed to define the product.
ASTM International has reissued an updated ASTM C10, Specification
for Natural Cement, to fill that need. More.
|
|
|