ASTM C138/C138M-16a

Standard Test Method for Density (Unit Weight), Yield, and Air Content (Gravimetric) of Concrete

ABSTRACT
This test method covers determination of the density of freshly mixed concrete and gives formulas for calculating the unit weight, yield or relative yield, cement content, and air content of the concrete. Yield is defined as the volume of concrete produced from a mixture of known quantities of the component materials. The test method shall use the following apparatuses: balance or scale; tamping rod, which is a round straight steel rod having the tamping end rounded to a hemispherical tip; internal vibrator which may have rigid of flexible shafts, preferably powered by electric motors; measure, which is a cylindrical container made of steel or other suitable metal specified herein; strike-off plate; mallet; and scoop of a size large enough so each amount of concrete obtained from the sampling receptacle is representative and small enough so it is not spilled during placement in the measure.
SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers determination of the density (see Note 1) of freshly mixed concrete and gives formulas for calculating the yield, cement content, and air content of the concrete. Yield is defined as the volume of concrete produced from a mixture of known quantities of the component materials.  
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. 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.
Note 1: Unit weight was the previous terminology used to describe the property determined by this test method, which is mass per unit volume.  
1.3 The text of this test method references notes and footnotes that provide explanatory information. These notes and footnotes (excluding those in tables) shall not be considered as requirements of this test method.  
1.4 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.2)

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 31-Jul-2016
• ICS: 91.100.30 - Concrete and concrete products
• Technical Committee: C09 - Concrete and Concrete Aggregates
• Drafting Committee: C09.60 - Testing Fresh Concrete

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation: C138/C138M − 16a American Association State
Highway and Transportation Officials Standard
AASHTO No.: T121
Standard Test Method for
Density (Unit Weight), Yield, and Air Content (Gravimetric)
1
of Concrete
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C138/C138M; 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 U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope* 2. Referenced Documents
3
2.1 ASTM Standards:
1.1 This test method covers determination of the density
C29/C29M Test Method for Bulk Density (“Unit Weight”)
(see Note 1) of freshly mixed concrete and gives formulas for
and Voids in Aggregate
calculating the yield, cement content, and air content of the
C31/C31M Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test
concrete. Yield is defined as the volume of concrete produced
Specimens in the Field
from a mixture of known quantities of the component materi-
C143/C143M Test Method for Slump of Hydraulic-Cement
als.
Concrete
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units
C150/C150M Specification for Portland Cement
are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in
C172 Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete
each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each
C173/C173M Test Method forAir Content of Freshly Mixed
system shall be used independently of the other. Combining
Concrete by the Volumetric Method
values from the two systems may result in non-conformance
C188 Test Method for Density of Hydraulic Cement
with the standard.
C231 Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Con-
crete by the Pressure Method
NOTE1—Unitweightwasthepreviousterminologyusedtodescribethe
property determined by this test method, which is mass per unit volume.
3. Terminology
1.3 The text of this test method references notes and
3.1 Symbols:
footnotes that provide explanatory information. These notes
and footnotes (excluding those in tables) shall not be consid-
A = air content (percentage of voids) in the concrete
3 3
ered as requirements of this test method.
C = actual cement content, kg/m [lb/yd ]
C = mass of cement in the batch, kg [lb]
b
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
3 3
D = density (unit weight) of concrete, kg/m [lb/ft ]
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
M = totalmassofallmaterialsbatched,kg[lb](seeNote3)
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
M = mass of the measure filled with concrete, kg [lb] or
c
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
M = mass of the measure, kg [lb]
m
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. (Warning—Fresh
R = relative yield
y
hydraulic cementitious mixtures are caustic and may cause
T = theoretical density of the concrete computed on an
2
3 3
chemical burns to skin and tissue upon prolonged exposure. )
airfree basis, kg/m [lb/ft ] (see Note 2)
3
Y = yield, volume of concrete produced per batch, m
3
[yd ]
Y = volume of concrete which the batch was designed to
1
d
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C09 on
3 3
produce, m [yd ]
Concrete and ConcreteAggregates and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
C09.60 on Testing Fresh Concrete.
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2016. Published September 2016. Originally
3
approved in 1938. Last previous edition approved in 2016 as C138/C138M – 16. For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
DOI: 10.1520/C0138_C0138M-16A. contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
2
See section on Safety Precautions, Manual ofAggregate and Concrete Testing, Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02. the ASTM website.
*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 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
C138/C138M − 16a
3 3
requirements of Test Method C231, and shall be calibrated for
Y = volume of concrete produced per batch, m [ft ]
f
volumeasdescribedinTestMethodC29/C29M.Thetoprimof
V = total absolute volume of the component ingredients in
3 3
the air meter bowls shall be smooth and plane within 0.01 in.
the batch, m [ft ]
3 3
V = volume of the measure, m [ft ] [0.3 mm] (see Note 6).
m
NOTE 2—The theoretical density is, customarily, a laboratory
NOTE 5—The metal should not be readily subject to attack by cement
determination, the value for which is assum
...

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: C138/C138M − 16 C138/C138M − 16a American Association State
Highway and Transportation Officials Standard
AASHTO No.: T121
Standard Test Method for
Density (Unit Weight), Yield, and Air Content (Gravimetric)
1
of Concrete
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C138/C138M; 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 U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope*
1.1 This test method covers determination of the density (see Note 1) of freshly mixed concrete and gives formulas for
calculating the yield, cement content, and air content of the concrete. Yield is defined as the volume of concrete produced from
a mixture of known quantities of the component materials.
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. 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.
NOTE 1—Unit weight was the previous terminology used to describe the property determined by this test method, which is mass per unit volume.
1.3 The text of this test method references notes and footnotes that provide explanatory information. These notes and footnotes
(excluding those in tables) shall not be considered as requirements of this test method.
1.4 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:
C29/C29M Test Method for Bulk Density (“Unit Weight”) and Voids in Aggregate
C31/C31M Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field
C143/C143M Test Method for Slump of Hydraulic-Cement Concrete
C150/C150M Specification for Portland Cement
C172 Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete
C173/C173M Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Volumetric Method
C188 Test Method for Density of Hydraulic Cement
C231 Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Pressure Method
3. Terminology
3.1 Symbols:
A = air content (percentage of voids) in the concrete
3 3
C = actual cement content, kg/m [lb/yd ]
C = mass of cement in the batch, kg [lb]
b
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 Feb. 1, 2016Aug. 1, 2016. Published March 2016September 2016. Originally approved in 1938. Last previous edition approved in 20142016
as C138/C138MC138/C138M – 16.–14. DOI: 10.1520/C0138_C0138M-16.10.1520/C0138_C0138M-16A.
2
See section on Safety Precautions, Manual of Aggregate and Concrete Testing, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. 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 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
C138/C138M − 16a
3 3
D = density (unit weight) of concrete, kg/m [lb/ft ]
M = total mass of all materials batched, kg [lb] (see Note 3)
M = mass of the measure filled with concrete, kg [lb] or
c
M = mass of the measure, kg [lb]
m
R = relative yield
y
3 3
T = theoretical density of the concrete computed on an airfree basis, kg/m [lb/ft ] (see Note 2)
3 3
Y = yield, volume of concrete produced per batch, m [yd ]
3 3
Y = volume of concrete which the batch was designed to produce, m [yd ]
d
3 3
Y = volume of concrete produced per batch, m [ft ]
f
3 3
V = total absolute volume of the component ingredients in the batch, m [ft ]
3 3
V = volume of the measure, m [ft
...