ASTM at work on proposed lightweight aggregates standard

Words: Barbara Ambachhttps://masoncontractors.azurewebsites.net/Public/News/20110926130000-1.jpg" width="600" height="338" border="0" alt="ASTM is developing a proposed standard, Specification for Lightweight Aggregate for Internal Curing of Concrete." />
ASTM is developing a proposed standard, Specification for Lightweight Aggregate for Internal Curing of Concrete.
While the use of internally cured concrete in construction is not new, there is now better understanding of the internal curing process and why IC using pre-wetted lightweight aggregate increases concrete durability and service life in an economical and practical way. However, there is not currently a standard for lightweight aggregates for internal curing.

ASTM International Committee C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates is now developing such a proposed standard, ASTM WK34078, Specification for Lightweight Aggregate for Internal Curing of Concrete. The proposed standard is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee C09.21 on Lightweight Aggregates and Concrete.

“Concrete, especially high performance concrete, is designed to limit the permeability and reduce chloride ingress,” says John Ries, technical director, Expanded Shale, Clay and Slate Institute, and a C09 member. “Unfortunately, these properties also limit the ability of externally applied curing water to reach the interior of the concrete. The main objective of internal curing is to provide a source of additional water to maintain saturation of the cementitious paste and avoid its self-desiccation.”

Ries says that internal curing can significantly increase the service life of concrete by increasing cement hydration, providing more complete reaction of supplementary cementitious materials and reducing chemical and drying shrinkage.

According to Ries, the proposed new standard will be useful in a variety of civil engineering projects, including roads, driveways, bridges, parking lots, water and sewage treatment tanks, and others. Users of the proposed standard will include the U.S. Federal Highway Administration, state departments of transportation, architects, and environmental, structural and civil engineers.

Interested parties are invited to join in the standards developing activities of C09. ASTM International welcomes and encourages participation in the development of its standards. For more information on becoming an ASTM member, visit www.astm.org/join.
About: Featured
 0
2024 Architectural Awards: Excellence In Masonry Winners

The Masonry Advisory Council held the 2024 Excellence in Masonry Awards on Saturday, October 26th at 167 Green St., Chicago, Illinois. Honoring 80 projects from over the Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Area. The Awards program celebrates outstanding ar

By: Ashley Kelly
Read More
NSI and ISFA Announce Silica Exposure Literature Review

NSI and ISFA are proud to present a literature review that summarizes the growing library of studies related to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) exposure. Completed by Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine, the study covers 34 publications and d

By: Amy Oakley
Read More
La Maison Franchère: How Masonry Turns Functional Buildings Into Timeless Beauty

La Maison Franchère, or the Franchers’ House, stands as a notable relic of stone architecture in Saint-Mathies, a small Quebec town on the edge of the Richelieu River. Unlike the neighboring homes, this towering, two-and-a-half-story mansion immediately c

By: Vera Autushka
Read More
MASONRY STRONG Podcast Episode 5 Recap: Zach Everett

Welcome back to another insightful episode of the Masonry Strong podcast! Today, we have a very special guest, Zach Everett, sharing his journey and experiences in the world of safety within the masonry industry. From humble beginnings to becoming a vital

By: Justin Stengel
About: Featured
Read More