ASTM C109/C109M-99

Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)

SCOPE
1.1 This test method covers determination of the compressive strength of hydraulic cement mortars, using 2-in. or [50-mm] cube specimens.
Note 1—Test Method C 349 provides an alternative procedure for this determination (not to be used for acceptance tests).
1.2 This test method covers the application of the test using either inch-pound or SI units. The values stated in either system shall be regarded separately as standard. Within the text, the SI units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each system are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the specification.
1.3 Values in SI units shall be obtained by measurement in SI units or by appropriate conversion, using the Rules for Conversion and Rounding given in Standard IEEE/ASTM SI 10, of measurements made in other units.
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.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Aug-2001
• ICS: 91.100.10 - Cement. Gypsum. Lime. Mortar
• Technical Committee: C01 - Cement
• Drafting Committee: C01.27 - Strength

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM C109/C109M-01 - Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM C1240-20 - Standard Specification for Silica Fume Used in Cementitious Mixtures
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D4796-17(2022) - Standard Test Method for Bond Strength of Thermoplastic Pavement Marking Materials
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D6532-00(2022) - Standard Test Method for Evaluation of the Effect of Clear Water Repellent Treatments on Water Absorption of Hydraulic Cement Mortar Specimens
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM C1708/C1708M-19 - Standard Test Methods for Self-leveling Mortars Containing Hydraulic Cements
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM E1266-20 - Standard Practice for Processing Mixtures of Lime, Fly Ash, and Heavy Metal Wastes in Structural Fills and Other Construction Applications
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM A1096/A1096M-22 - Standard Test Method for Evaluating Bond of Individual Steel Wire, Indented or Plain, for Concrete Reinforcement
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM C887-20 - Standard Specification for Packaged, Dry, Combined Materials for Surface Bonding Mortar
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM C510-16(2022) - Standard Test Method for Staining and Color Change of Single- or Multicomponent Joint Sealants
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM C1803-20 - Standard Guide for Abrasion Resistance of Mortar Surfaces Using a Rotary Platform Abraser
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM C465-23 - Standard Specification for Processing Additions for Use in the Manufacture<brk/> of Hydraulic Cements
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM C150/C150M-22 - Standard Specification for Portland Cement
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D5050-08(2023) - Standard Guide for Commercial Use of Lime Kiln Dusts and Portland Cement Kiln Dusts
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM C185-20 - Standard Test Method for Air Content of Hydraulic Cement Mortar
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001
• Referred By: ASTM C87/C87M-23 - Standard Test Method for Effect of Organic Impurities in Fine Aggregate on Strength of Mortar
• Effective Date: 10-Aug-2001

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: C 109/C 109M – 99
AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS
100 Barr Harbor Dr., West Conshohocken, PA 19428
Reprinted from the Annual Book of ASTM Standards. Copyright ASTM
Standard Test Method for
Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement Mortars
(Using 2-in. or [50-mm] Cube Specimens)
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 109/C 109M; 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 (e) 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 for Test Methods for Construction Materials
C 778 Specification for Standard Sand
1.1 This test method covers determination of the compres-
C 1005 Specification for Weights and Weighing Devices for
sive strength of hydraulic cement mortars, using 2-in. or
Use in Physical Testing of Hydraulic Cements
[50-mm] cube specimens.
IEEE/ASTM SI 10 Standard for Use of the International
NOTE 1—Test Method C 349 provides an alternative procedure for this 4
System of Units (SI): The Modern Metric System
determination (not to be used for acceptance tests).
3. Summary of Test Method
1.2 This test method covers the application of the test using
either inch-pound or SI units. The values stated in either system
3.1 The mortar used consists of 1 part cement and 2.75 parts
shall be regarded separately as standard. Within the text, the SI
of sand proportioned by mass. Portland or air-entraining
units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each system
portland cements are mixed at specified water/cement ratios.
are not exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used
Water content for other cements is that sufficient to obtain a
independently of the other. Combining values from the two
flow of 110 6 5 in 25 drops of the flow table. Two-inch or
systems may result in nonconformance with the specification.
[50-mm] test cubes are compacted by tamping in two layers.
1.3 Values in SI units shall be obtained by measurement in
The cubes are cured one day in the molds and stripped and
SI units or by appropriate conversion, using the Rules for
immersed in lime water until tested.
Conversion and Rounding given in Standard IEEE/ASTM SI
4. Significance and Use
10, of measurements made in other units.
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the
4.1 This test method provides a means of determining the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the compressive strength of hydraulic cement and other mortars
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
and results may be used to determine compliance with speci-
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- fications. Further, this test method is referenced by numerous
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
other specifications and test methods. Caution must be exer-
cised in using the results of this test method to predict the
2. Referenced Documents
strength of concretes.
2.1 ASTM Standards:
5. Apparatus
C 230 Specification for Flow Table for Use in Tests of
Hydraulic Cement 5.1 Weights and Weighing Devices, shall conform to the
C 305 Practice for Mechanical Mixing of Hydraulic Cement
requirements of Specification C 1005. The weighing device
Pastes and Mortars of Plastic Consistency shall be evaluated for precision and bias at a total load of 2000
C 349 Test Method for Compressive Strength of Hydraulic
g.
Cement Mortars (Using Portions of Prisms Broken in 5.2 Glass Graduates, of suitable capacities (preferably large
Flexure)
enough to measure the mixing water in a single operation) to
C 511 Specification for Moist Cabinets, Moist Rooms and deliver the indicated volume at 20°C. The permissible variation
Water Storage Tanks Used in the Testing of Hydraulic
shall be 62 mL. These graduates shall be subdivided to at least
Cements and Concretes 5 mL, except that the graduation lines may be omitted for the
C 670 Practice for Preparing Precision and Bias Statements
lowest 10 mL for a 250-mL graduate and for the lowest 25 mL
of a 500-mL graduate. The main graduation lines shall be
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C-1 on Cement circles and shall be numbered. The least graduations shall
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C01.27 on Strength.
extend at least one seventh of the way around, and intermediate
Current edition approved Jan. 10, 1999. Published May 1999. Originally
published as C 109 – 34 T. Last previous edition C 109 – 98.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.01.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
C 109/C 109M
graduations shall extend at least one fifth of the way around. will indicate to within 1 % accuracy the maximum load applied
5.3 Specimen Molds, for the 2-in. or [50-mm] cube speci- to the specimen.
mens shall be tight fitting. The molds shall have not more than
5.9.1 If the testing machine load is indicated in digital form,
three cube compartments and shall be separable into not more the numerical display must be large enough to be easily read.
than two parts. The parts of the molds when assembled shall be
The numerical increment must be equal to or less than 0.10 %
positively held together. The molds shall be made of hard metal of the full scale load of a given loading range. In no case shall
not attacked by the cement mortar. For new molds the
the verified loading range include loads less than the minimum
Rockwell hardness number of the metal shall be not less than numerical increment multiplied by 100. The accuracy of the
55 HRB. The sides of the molds shall be sufficiently rigid to indicated load must be within 1.0 % for any value displayed
prevent spreading or warping. The interior faces of the molds within the verified loading range. Provision must be made for
shall be plane surfaces and shall conform to the tolerances of adjusting to indicate true zero at zero load. There shall be
Table 1. provided a maximum load indicator that at all times until reset
5.4 Mixer, Bowl and Paddle, an electrically driven mechani- will indicate within 1 % system accuracy the maximum load
cal mixer of the type equipped with paddle and mixing bowl, applied to the specimen.
as specified in Practice C 305.
NOTE 2—As close as can be read is considered ⁄50 in. or [0.5 mm]
5.5 Flow Table and Flow Mold, conforming to the require-
along the arc described by the end of the pointer. Also, one half of the
ments of Specification C 230.
scale interval is about as close as can reasonably be read when the spacing
1 1
5.6 Tamper, a nonabsorptive, nonabrasive, nonbrittle mate- on the load indicating mechanism is between ⁄25 in. or [1 mm] and ⁄16 in.
1 1
or [1.6 mm]. When the spacing is between ⁄16 in. or [1.6 mm] and ⁄8 in.
rial such as a rubber compound having a Shore A durometer
or [3.2 mm], one third of the scale interval can be read with reasonable
hardness of 80 6 10 or seasoned oak wood rendered nonab-
certainty. When the spacing is ⁄8 in. or [3.2 mm] or more, one fourth of
sorptive by immersion for 15 min in paraffin at approximately
the scale interval can be read with reasonable certainty.
392°F or [200°C], shall have a cross section of about ⁄2by 1 in.
or [13 by 25 mm] and a convenient length of about 5 to 6 in. 5.9.2 The upper bearing shall be a spherically seated,
or [120 to 150 mm]. The tamping face shall be flat and at right hardened metal block firmly attached at the center of the upper
angles to the length of the tamper. head of the machine. The center of the sphere shall lie at the
5.7 Trowel, having a steel blade 4 to 6 in. [100 to 150 mm] center of the surface of the block in contact with the specimen.
in length, with straight edges. The block shall be closely held in its spherical seat, but shall be
5.8 Moist Cabinet or Room, conforming to the require- free to tilt in any direction. The diagonal or diameter (Note 3)
ments of Specification C 511. of the bearing surface shall be only slightly greater than the
5.9 Testing Machine, either the hydraulic or the screw type, diagonal of the face of the 2-in. or [50-mm] cube in order to
with sufficient opening between the upper bearing surface and facilitate accurate centering of the specimen. A hardened metal
the lower bearing surface of the machine to permit the use of bearing block shall be used beneath the specimen to minimize
verifying apparatus. The load applied to the test specimen shall wear of the lower platen of the machine. The bearing block
be indicated with an accuracy of 61.0 %. If the load applied by surfaces intended for contact with the specimen shall have a
the compression machine is registered on a dial, the dial shall Rockwell hardness number not less than 60 HRC. These
be provided with a graduated scale that can be read to at least surfaces shall not depart from plane surfaces by more than
0.0005 in. or [0.013 mm] when the blocks are new and shall be
the nearest 0.1 % of the full scale load (Note 2). The dial shall
be readable within 1 % of the indicated load at any given load maintained within a permissible variation of 0.001 in. or [0.025
mm].
level within the loading range. In no case shall the loading
range of a dial be considered to include loads below the value
NOTE 3—A diameter of 3 ⁄8 in. or [79.4 mm], is satisfactory, provided
that is 100 times the smallest change of load that can be read
that the lower bearing block has a diameter slightly greater than the
on the scale. The scale shall be provided with a graduation line
diagonal of the face of the 2-in. or [50-mm] cube but not more than 2.9 in.
equal to zero and so numbered. The dial pointer shall be of
or [74 mm], and is centered with respect to the upper bearing block and
held in position by suitable means.
sufficient length to reach the graduation marks; the width of the
end of the pointer shall not exceed the clear distance between
6. Materials
the smallest graduations. Each dial shall be equipped with a
zero adjustment that is easily accessible from the outside of the 6.1 Graded Standard Sand:
dial case, and with a suitable device that at all times until reset, 6.1.1 The sand (Note 4) used for making test specimens
TABLE 1 Permissible Variations of Specimen Molds
2-in. Cube Molds [50-mm] Cube Molds
Parameter New In Use New In Use
Planeness of sides <0.001 in. <0.002 in. [<0.025 mm] [<0.05 mm]
Distance between opposite sides 2 in. 6 0.005 2 in. 6 0.02 [50 mm 6 0.13 mm] [50 mm 6 0.50 mm]
Height of each compartment 2 in. + 0.01 in. 2 in. + 0.01 in. [50 mm + 0.25 mm [50 mm + 0.25 mm
to − 0.005 in. to − 0.015 in. to − 0.13 mm] to − 0.38 mm]
A
Angle between adjacent faces 90 6 0.5° 90 6 0.5° 90 6 0.5° 90 6 0.5°
A
Measured at points slightly removed from the intersection. Measured separately for each compartment between all the interior faces and the adjacent face and between
interior faces and top and bottom planes of the mold.
C 109/C 109M
for sealing the joints between molds and base plates may be found difficult
shall be natural silica sand conforming to the requirements for
to remove when molds are being cleaned. Use of straight paraffin is
graded standard sand in Specification C 778.
permissible if a watertight joint is secured, but due to the low strength of
NOTE 4—Segregation of Graded Sand—The graded standard sand
paraffin it should be used only when the mold is not held to the base plate
should be handled in such a manner as to prevent segregation, since
by the paraffin alone. A watertight joint may be secured with paraffin alone
variations in the grading of the sand cause variations in the consistency of
by slightly warming the mold and base plate before brushing the joint.
the mortar. In emptying bins or sacks, care should be exercised to prevent
Molds so treated should be allowed to return to the specified temperature
the formation of mounds of sand or craters in the sand, down the slopes
before use.
of which the coarser particles will roll. Bins should be of sufficient size to
permit these precautions. Devices for drawing the sand from bins by
10. Procedure
gravity should not be used.
10.1 Composition of Mortars:
7. Temperature and Humidity 10.1.1 The proportions of materials for the standard mortar
shall be one part of cement to 2.75 parts of graded standard
7.1 Temperature—The temperature of the air in the vicinity
sand by weight. Use a water-cement ratio of 0.485 for all
of the mixing slab, the dry materials, molds, base plates, and
portland cements and 0.460 for all air-entraining portland
mixing bowl, shall be maintained between 68 and 81.5°F or
cements. The amount of mixing water for other than portland
[20 and 27.5°C]. The temperature of the mixing water, moist
and air-entraining portland cements shall be such as to produce
closet or moist room, and water in the storage tank shall be set
a flow of 110 6 5 as determined in accordance with 10.3 and
at 73.5 6 3.5°F or [23 6 2°C] and shall not vary from this
shall be expressed as weight percent of cement.
temperature by more than6 3°F or [61.7°C].
10.1.2 The quantities of materials to be mixed at one time in
7.2 Humidity—The relative humidity of the laboratory shall
the batch of mortar for making six and nine test specimens
be not less than 50 %. The moist closet or moist room shall
shall be as follows:
conform to the requirements of Specification C 511.
Number of Specimens
8. Test Specimens
8.1 Make two or three specimens from a batch of mortar for
Cement, g 500 740
each period of test or test age. Sand, g 1375 2035
Water, mL
9. Preparation of Specimen Molds Portland (0.485) 242 359
Air-entraining portland (0.460) 230 340
9.1 Apply a thin coating of release agent to the interior faces
Other (to flow of 110 6 5) . .
of the mold and non-absorptive base plates. Apply oils and
10.2 Preparation of Mortar:
greases using an impregnated cloth or other suitable means.
10.2.1 Mechanically mix in accordance with the procedure
Wipe the mold faces and the base plate with a cloth as
given in Practice C 305.
necessary to remove any excess release agent and to achieve a
10.3 Determination of Flow:
thin, even coating on the interior surfaces. When using an
10.3.1 Carefully wipe the flow-table top clean and dry, and
aerosol lubricant, spray the release agent directly onto the mold
place the flow mold at the center. Place a layer of mortar about
faces and base plate from a distance of 6 to 8 in. or [150 to 200
1 in. or [25 mm] in thickness in the mold and tamp 20 times
mm] to achieve complete coverage. After spraying, wipe the
w
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