ASTM C173/C173M-09
(Test Method)Standard Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Volumetric Method
Standard Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Volumetric Method
SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
This test method covers the determination of the air content of freshly mixed concrete. It measures the air contained in the mortar fraction of the concrete, but is not affected by air that may be present inside porous aggregate particles.
Therefore, this is the appropriate test to determine the air content of concretes containing lightweight aggregates, air-cooled slag, and highly porous or vesicular natural aggregates.
This test method requires the addition of sufficient isopropyl alcohol, when the meter is initially being filled with water, so that after the first or subsequent rollings little or no foam collects in the neck of the top section of the meter. If more foam is present than that equivalent to 2 % air above the water level, the test is declared invalid and must be repeated using a larger quantity of alcohol. Addition of alcohol to dispel foam any time after the initial filling of the meter to the zero mark is not permitted.
The air content of hardened concrete may be either higher or lower than that determined by this test method. This depends upon the methods and amounts of consolidation effort applied to the concrete from which the hardened concrete specimen is taken; uniformity and stability of the air bubbles in the fresh and hardened concrete; accuracy of the microscopic examination, if used; time of comparison; environmental exposure; stage in the delivery, placement and consolidation processes at which the air content of the unhardened concrete is determined, that is, before or after the concrete goes through a pump; and other factors.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers determination of the air content of freshly mixed concrete containing any type of aggregate, whether it be dense, cellular, or lightweight.
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The SI units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the standard.
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.(Warning—Fresh hydraulic cementitious mixtures are caustic and may cause chemical burns to skin and tissue upon prolonged exposure. )
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Designation:C173/C173M–09
Standard Test Method for
Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Volumetric
1
Method
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C173/C173M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year
of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.
A superscript epsilon (ϵ) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope* 3. Significance and Use
1.1 This test method covers determination of the air content 3.1 This test method covers the determination of the air
of freshly mixed concrete containing any type of aggregate, contentoffreshlymixedconcrete.Itmeasurestheaircontained
whether it be dense, cellular, or lightweight. in the mortar fraction of the concrete, but is not affected by air
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units that may be present inside porous aggregate particles.
are to be regarded separately as standard. The SI units are 3.1.1 Therefore, this is the appropriate test to determine the
showninbrackets.Thevaluesstatedineachsystemmaynotbe air content of concretes containing lightweight aggregates,
exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used inde- air-cooled slag, and highly porous or vesicular natural aggre-
pendentlyoftheother.Combiningvaluesfromthetwosystems gates.
may result in non-conformance with the standard. 3.2 This test method requires the addition of sufficient
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the isopropyl alcohol, when the meter is initially being filled with
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the water, so that after the first or subsequent rollings little or no
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- foam collects in the neck of the top section of the meter. If
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- more foam is present than that equivalent to 2 % air above the
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.(Warning—Fresh water level, the test is declared invalid and must be repeated
hydraulic cementitious mixtures are caustic and may cause using a larger quantity of alcohol.Addition of alcohol to dispel
2
chemical burns to skin and tissue upon prolonged exposure. ) foam any time after the initial filling of the meter to the zero
mark is not permitted.
2. Referenced Documents
3.3 The air content of hardened concrete may be either
3
2.1 ASTM Standards:
higher or lower than that determined by this test method. This
C29/C29M Test Method for Bulk Density (“Unit Weight”) depends upon the methods and amounts of consolidation effort
and Voids in Aggregate
applied to the concrete from which the hardened concrete
C172 Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete specimen is taken; uniformity and stability of the air bubbles in
C231 Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Con-
the fresh and hardened concrete; accuracy of the microscopic
crete by the Pressure Method examination, if used; time of comparison; environmental
C670 Practice for Preparing Precision and Bias Statements
exposure; stage in the delivery, placement and consolidation
for Test Methods for Construction Materials processes at which the air content of the unhardened concrete
is determined, that is, before or after the concrete goes through
a pump; and other factors.
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C09 on
4. Apparatus
Concrete and ConcreteAggregates and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
C09.60 on Testing Fresh Concrete. 4.1 Air Meter—An air meter consisting of a bowl and a top
CurrenteditionapprovedJune1,2009.PublishedJuly2009.Originallyapproved
section (Fig. 1) conforming to the following requirements:
in 1942. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as C173/C173M – 08a. DOI:
4.1.1 The bowl and top sections shall be of sufficient
10.1520/C0173_C0173M-09.
2
thickness and rigidity to withstand rough field use. The
Section on Safety Precautions, Manual of Aggregate and Concrete Testing,
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
material shall not be attacked by high pH cement paste, deform
3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
when stored at high temperatures in closed spaces, or become
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
brittle or crack at low temperatures. A watertight seal must be
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. obtained when the top section is attached to the bowl.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 194
...
This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation:C173/C173M–08a Designation:C173/C173M–09
Standard Test Method for
Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Volumetric
1
Method
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 173/C 173M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year
of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.
A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 Thistestmethodcoversdeterminationoftheaircontentoffreshlymixedconcretecontaininganytypeofaggregate,whether
it be dense, cellular, or lightweight.
1.2 The values stated in either inch-pound SI units or SIinch-pound units shall are to be regarded separately as standard. The
SIunitsareshowninbrackets.Thevaluesstatedareineachsystemmaynotbeexactequivalents;therefore,eachsystemmustshall
beusedindependentlyoftheother.Combiningvaluesfromthetwounitssystemsmayresultinnon-conformancewiththestandard.
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.(Warning—Fresh hydraulic cementitious mixtures are caustic and may cause chemical burns to skin and
2
tissue upon prolonged exposure. )
2. Referenced Documents
3
2.1 ASTM Standards:
C 29/C 29M Test Method for Bulk Density (Unit Weight) and Voids in Aggregate
C 172 Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete
C 231 Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Pressure Method
C 670 Practice for Preparing Precision and Bias Statements for Test Methods for Construction Materials
3. Significance and Use
3.1 This test method covers the determination of the air content of freshly mixed concrete. It measures the air contained in the
mortar fraction of the concrete, but is not affected by air that may be present inside porous aggregate particles.
3.1.1 Therefore, this is the appropriate test to determine the air content of concretes containing lightweight aggregates,
air-cooled slag, and highly porous or vesicular natural aggregates.
3.2 This test method requires the addition of sufficient isopropyl alcohol, when the meter is initially being filled with water, so
thatafterthefirstorsubsequentrollingslittleornofoamcollectsintheneckofthetopsectionofthemeter.Ifmorefoamispresent
than that equivalent to 2 % air above the water level, the test is declared invalid and must be repeated using a larger quantity of
alcohol. Addition of alcohol to dispel foam any time after the initial filling of the meter to the zero mark is not permitted.
3.3 The air content of hardened concrete may be either higher or lower than that determined by this test method. This depends
upon the methods and amounts of consolidation effort applied to the concrete from which the hardened concrete specimen is taken;
uniformity and stability of the air bubbles in the fresh and hardened concrete; accuracy of the microscopic examination, if used;
time of comparison; environmental exposure; stage in the delivery, placement and consolidation processes at which the air content
of the unhardened concrete is determined, that is, before or after the concrete goes through a pump; and other factors.
4. Apparatus
4.1 Air Meter—An air meter consisting of a bowl and a top section (Fig. 1) conforming to the following requirements:
4.1.1 The bowl and top sections shall be of sufficient thickness and rigidity to withstand rough field use. The material shall not
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C09.60 on
Testing Fresh Concrete.
Current edition approved Dec. 15, 2008.June 1, 2009. Published JanuaryJuly 2009. Originally approved in 1942. Last previous edition approved in 2008as
C 173/C 173M – 08a.
2
Section on Safety Precautions, Manual of Aggregate and Concrete Testing, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
3
For referencedASTM standards, visit theASTM website, www.astm.org, or contactASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 B
...
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