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Frequently Asked Questions
Cement & Concrete
Technology Home > FAQs > Foreign
cement standards
Q: What is the difference between European and
ASTM cement specifications and where can I order foreign standards?
 A:
In some instances, projects in the United States designed
by engineering firms from other countries refer to cement standards
other than those in ASTM or AASHTO. For example, the European cement
standard, EN 197, sometimes appears on project specifications. EN
197 cement Types CEM I, II, III, IV, and V do not correspond to
the cement types in ASTM C 150, nor can ASTM cements be substituted
for EN specified cement without the designer’s approval. EN
197 Type CEM I is a portland cement and CEM II through V are blended
cements. EN 197 also has strength classes and ranges (32.5, 42.5,
and 52.5 MPa). There is no direct equivalency between ASTM and other
cement standards of the world because of differences in test methods
and limits on required properties. EN 197 cements are usually not
available in the United States; therefore, the best approach is
to inform the designer as to what cements are locally available
and ask for a change in the project specifications to allow use
of an ASTM or AASHTO cement.
Click here for differences between
Canadian and U.S. cement specifications.
The best solution for obtaining standards, whether cement, concrete,
or other area, is to contact the standards body for the country
you are interested in. A list of all standards bodies is available
on the web site of the International
Standards Organization (ISO). First link to the individual country's
site, then link to the store or catalog where you may purchase standards.
Often the standards are in PDF format and can be downloaded. If
the standard is available only in print, it can be more expedient
to purchase the standard from one of the U.S. standards suppliers,
such as Global
Engineering Documents, or
NSSN.
Note: Although many libraries purchase standards for their collections,
copyright restrictions generally prohibit making photocopies.
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