Source: ASTM International, West Conshohocken, Pa.
Newly published ASTM C1792, Test Method for Measurement of Mass Loss Versus Time for One-Dimensional Drying of Saturated Concretes will enable engineers and producers to characterize how hardened mixtures dry. “The information provided can be used to directly assess the drying rates of a given concrete mixture,” says ASTM member Dale Bentz, chemical engineer for the Materials and Structural Systems Division in the National Institute for Standards and Technology Engineering Laboratory. “[It] could be valuable for industrial flooring applications, for example, where a quick drying is often desirable.”
In many applications, concrete is exposed to wetting and drying conditions in such a way that the slab or structure is partially saturated. The C1792 test will provide information on the mass loss versus time (drying) behavior of an initially saturated concrete specimen exposed to one-dimensional drying in a controlled temperature and relative humidity environment.
Subcommittee C09.66 on Concrete’s Resistance to Fluid Penetration, part of ASTM Committee C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates, developed ASTM C1792. The subcommittee will convene during ASTM C09 Committee Week, December 7-10 in New Orleans. Contacts: technical, Dale Bentz, NIST, 301/975.5865, [email protected]; staff liaison, Scott Orthey, 610/832.9730; [email protected].