Information on the most widely used ASTM standards within the materials testing industry
Compression Test
A concrete/construction material compression testing machine is a specialized device designed to measure the compressive strength of building materials (e.g., concrete, mortar, bricks) by applying axial compressive loads until material failure. It is a core tool for quality control in construction and building material production, adhering to strict international/national standards to ensure test accuracy.
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What's Compression Testing Machine?
A concrete/construction material compression testing machine is a specialized device designed to measure the compressive strength of building materials (e.g., concrete, mortar, bricks) by applying axial compressive loads until material failure. It is a core tool for quality control in construction and building material production, adhering to strict international/national standards to ensure test accuracy.
Test Principle
The machine operates based on the uniaxial compressive strength theory—most construction materials (e.g., concrete) bear compressive loads primarily in structures, so their compressive strength directly determines structural safety.
Key test steps:
1, Sample Preparation:
Concrete: 150mm×150mm×150mm cube (or 100mm cube, 150mm×300mm cylinder) cured under standard conditions (20±2℃, 95% humidity) for 28 days.
Mortar: 70.7mm×70.7mm×70.7mm cube.
Bricks/blocks: Full-size or cut specimens (per standard dimensions).
2, Sample Clamping: Place the specimen on the machine’s lower platen, ensuring alignment with the machine’s central axis (to avoid eccentric load, which distorts results). Use padding (e.g., cement paste, steel plates) for uneven surfaces.
3, Controlled Loading:
Apply compressive load at a constant rate (specified by standards):
Concrete: 0.3–0.5 MPa/s (ISO/ASTM) or 0.5–0.8 MPa/s (GB).
Mortar: 0.2–0.3 MPa/s.
Avoid sudden loading to prevent brittle fracture misjudgment.
Main application
The machine is widely used in construction, building material production, and quality inspection, covering:
1 Construction Material Testing
Concrete: Testing of ready-mixed concrete, cast-in-place concrete components (beams, columns, slabs), and precast concrete products (piles, blocks).
Mortar: Quality control of masonry mortar (e.g., for brick walls, tile bonding).
Bricks/Blocks: Clay bricks, concrete blocks, aerated concrete blocks—verifying compressive strength to ensure load-bearing capacity.
Stone/Cement Products: Natural stone (granite, marble) for facades, cement cubes, and fiber-reinforced concrete products.
2 Industry & Scenario Applications
Construction Sites: On-site inspection of concrete strength (e.g., after pouring) to determine formwork removal time and structural safety.
Building Material Factories: Batch testing of products (e.g., cement, concrete blocks) to ensure compliance with delivery standards.
Quality Inspection Institutions: Third-party testing of construction materials to supervise project quality.
Scientific Research: Developing new building materials (e.g., high-performance concrete, recycled aggregate concrete) by evaluating compressive strength.
Standards
Standards define machine requirements, test procedures, specimen specifications, and result calculation to ensure global comparability:
| Standard Category | Specific Standards | Core Content |
|---|---|---|
| ISO Standards | ISO 679:2019 (Cement) | Specifies compression testing of cement mortar cubes (40mm×40mm×160mm), loading rate, and strength calculation. |
| ISO 4012:2019 (Concrete) | Guides compression testing of concrete cylinders (150mm×300mm) and cubes, machine accuracy requirements. | |
| ISO 8340:2019 (Bricks) | Defines compression testing methods for fired and non-fired bricks. | |
| ASTM Standards | ASTM C39/C39M-23 (Concrete) | Core standard for concrete compressive strength—specifies cylinder/cube specimens, loading rate (0.3–0.5 MPa/s), and machine calibration. |
| ASTM C109/C109M-23 (Mortar) | Compression testing of hydraulic cement mortar (50mm cube), load application rules. | |
| ASTM C67/C67M-21 (Bricks) | Testing procedures for clay brick compressive strength. | |
| Chinese GB Standards | GB/T 50081-2019 (Concrete) | National standard for concrete mechanical property testing—specifies 150mm cube specimens, curing conditions, and loading rate (0.5–0.8 MPa/s). |
| GB/T 17671-2021 (Cement) | Cement mortar compression testing (40mm×40mm×160mm prism), strength evaluation criteria. | |
| GB/T 2542-2012 (Bricks) | Compression testing methods for clay bricks and concrete blocks. |
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