Designation: C803/C803M 03 (Reapproved 2010)

Standard Test Method for

Penetration Resistance of Hardened Concrete1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C803/C803M; 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.

1. Scope 3.2 For definitions of terms used in this test method, refer to
1.1 This test method covers the determination of the resis- Terminology C125.
tance of hardened concrete to penetration by either a steel 4. Summary of Test Method
probe or pin.
1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units 4.1 A driver delivers a known amount of energy to either a
are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in steel probe or pin. The penetration resistance of the concrete is
each system may not be exact equivalents; therefore, each determined by measuring either the exposed lengths of probes
system shall be used independently of the other. Combining that have been driven into the concrete or by measuring the
values from the two systems may result in nonconformance depth of the holes created by the penetration of the pins into the
with the standard. concrete.
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the 5. Significance and Use
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- 5.1 This test method is applicable to assess the uniformity of
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- concrete and to delineate zones of poor quality or deteriorated
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. For specific hazard concrete in structures.
statements, see Section 7. 5.2 This test method is applicable to estimate in-place
strength, provided that a relationship has been experimentally
2. Referenced Documents established between penetration resistance and concrete
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 strength. Such a relationship must be established for a given
C670 Practice for Preparing Precision and Bias Statements test apparatus (see also 9.1.5), using similar concrete materials
for Test Methods for Construction Materials and mixture proportions as in the structure. Use the procedures
C125 Terminology Relating to Concrete and Concrete Ag- and statistical methods in ACI 228.1R for developing and using
gregates the strength relationship.4
2.2 ANSI Standard: NOTE 1 Since penetration results may be affected by the nature of the
A10.3 Safety Requirements for Powder Actuated Fastening formed surfaces (for example, wooden forms versus steel forms), corre-
Systems3 lation testing should be performed on specimens with formed surfaces
similar to those to be used during construction. Additional information on
3. Terminology the factors affecting penetration test results and summaries of past
research are available.4,5
3.1 Definitions:
5.3 Steel probes are driven with a high-energy, powder-
actuated driver, and probes may penetrate some aggregate
1
particles. Probe penetration resistance is affected by concrete
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C09 on strength as well as the nature of the coarse aggregate. Steel pins
Concrete and Concrete Aggregates and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
C09.64 on Nondestructive and In-Place Testing. are smaller in size than probes and are driven by a low energy,
Current edition approved June 1, 2010. Published September 2010. Originally
approved in 1975. Last previous edition approved in 2003 as C803/C803M03.
DOI: 10.1520/C0803_C0803M-03R10.
2 4
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or ACI 228.1R-95, In-Place Methods to Estimate Concrete Strength, Report of
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM ACI Committee 228 on Nondestructive Testing, American Concrete Institute,
Standards volume information, refer to the standards Document Summary page on Farmington Hills, MI.
5
the ASTM website. Malhotra, V. M., and Carette, G. G., Penetration Resistance Methods,
3
Available from American National Standards Institute (ANSI), 25 W. 43rd St., Chapter 2 in Handbook on Nondestructive Testing of Concrete, Malhotra, V. M.,
4th Floor, New York, NY 10036, http://www.ansi.org. and Carino, N. J., eds., CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1991, pp. 1938.

Copyright. (C) ASTM International. 100 Barr Harbor Drive P.O. Box C700 West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428-2959, United States

Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Sep 20 00:53:16 EDT 2012
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 C803/C803M 03 (2010)
spring-actuated driver. Pins are intended to penetrate the 6.1.4 Positioning DeviceA device to be placed on the
mortar fraction only; therefore, a test in which a pin strikes a surface of the concrete for positioning and guiding the probe
coarse aggregate particle is disregarded. and driver unit during firing will be used.
5.4 This test method results in surface damage to the NOTE 7This may be a single-positioning device or a triangular device
concrete, which may require repair in exposed architectural with holes at the three corners that permits the firing of three probes in a
finishes. triangular pattern in accordance with 7.1.1.

6. Apparatus 6 6.2 Resistance Testing with Pins:

6.2.1 Driver UnitThe driver shall be a device capable of
6.1 Resistance Testing With Probes: driving a pin into the concrete with an accurately controlled
6.1.1 Driver UnitThe driver unit shall be capable of amount of energy. The pin will be forced into the concrete,
driving the probe into the concrete with an accurately con- creating a hole so that the depth of penetration can be
trolled amount of energy so that the probe will remain firmly measured.
embedded. The driver unit shall incorporate features to prevent
firing when not properly placed in the positioning device on the NOTE 8A spring-actuated driver unit with a spring stiffness of 49.7
concrete surface. kN/m [284 lb/in.] has been successfully used to test concrete with strength
in the range of 3 to 28 MPa [450 to 4000 psi].
NOTE 2A powder-actuated device conforming to ANSI A10.3 has
been used successfully.
6.2.2 The spring-actuated driver requires regular verifica-
tion of the amount of energy transferred to the pin. Servicing is
6.1.1.1 For a specified energy loading, the variation of the required whenever there is reason to question its proper
velocity of standard probes propelled by the standard driving operation.
unit shall not have a coefficient of variation greater than 3 %
for any ten tests made by accepted ballistic methods. NOTE 9The amount of energy transferred to the pin can be verified
using calibration blocks supplied by the manufacturer. Pins are driven into
NOTE 3A conventional counter chronograph and appropriate ballistic the blocks using the spring-actuated driver, and the measured penetration
screens may be used to measure velocity at 2 m [6.5 ft] from the end of is compared to manufacturers specifications. If the penetration does not
the driving unit. meet the manufacturers specification, the driver unit should be serviced.
6.1.2 Probe The probe shall be a hardened alloy-steel rod 6.2.3 PinThe pin shall be a hardened alloy-steel drill rod,
plated for corrosion protection, with a blunt conical end that heat treated to Rockwell hardness 62 to 66 HRC, with one end
can be inserted into the driver unit and driven into the concrete sharpened and the other end blunt. The dimensions of the pins
surface so that it remains firmly embedded and the length of the shall be uniform within 62.0 %. Each pin shall be used only
projecting portion can be measured. The hardness shall be once and then discarded.
between Rockwell 44 HRC and 48 HRC. The exposed end of
NOTE 10A pin with approximate length of 30 mm [1.2 in.], a diameter
the probe shall be threaded to accommodate accessories of 3.6 mm [0.14 in.] and a tip machined at an angle of 22.5 degrees with
designed to facilitate measurement and withdrawal. its longitudinal axis, has been used successfully in the driver unit
NOTE 4If probes are to be removed from the concrete, a device, described in Note 8.
consisting of a nut that can be screwed onto the end of the probe by a 6.2.4 Measuring Equipment:
wrench and spacers that can be slipped over the probe for the nut to bear 6.2.4.1 Measuring InstrumentA depth gage with a refer-
against, will serve to withdraw the probes. ence plate shall be used to measure the depth of penetration of
6.1.2.1 The length of probes shall be uniform within the pin tip into the concrete to the nearest 0.001 in. [0.025 mm].
6 0.5 %. 6.2.4.2 The measuring rod of the depth gage shall have a
6.1.3 Measurement Equipment: diameter and a tip angle that are less than that of the pin.
6.1.3.1 Measuring InstrumentA measuring instrument, 6.2.4.3 The test equipment shall include an air blower to
such as a caliper, depth gage, or other measuring device, and clean the small hole created by a pin before measurement of the
associated equipment, shall be used to measure the exposed depth of penetration.
length of a probe to the nearest 0.5 mm [0.025 in.].
6.1.3.2 The measuring equipment shall include a reference 7. Hazards
base plate or other device that is supported on the concrete 7.1 Resistance Testing With Probes:
surface at three equally spaced points at least 50 mm [2 in.] 7.1.1 Exercise care in the operation of the driver unit to
from the probe to be measured. prevent unexpected or inadvertent discharge of a probe.
7.1.2 Wear safety goggles, hearing protection, and other
NOTE 5In order to hold the reference base plate against the surface of
the concrete when measurements in the horizontal direction or in the
appropriate protective equipment when driving probes into
bottom of an overhead concrete surface are being made, a plate retainer concrete.
consisting of a spring and a nut that can be screwed onto the threaded end 7.1.3 The driving unit, if powder actuated, shall conform to
of the probe may be used. the applicable requirements of ANSI A10.3.
NOTE 6A probe-measuring cap that can be screwed onto the threaded 7.1.4 If reinforcing bars or other metal embedments in the
end of the probe has been used to facilitate measuring exposed length and concrete are suspected to have cover depths shallower than the
to compensate for the height of the reference base plate.
anticipated probe penetration, select test positions so that
probes will not strike such embedded items (Note 11).
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Apparatus to conduct these tests is available commercially. NOTE 11The location of reinforcement may be established using

Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Sep 20 00:53:16 EDT 2012
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 C803/C803M 03 (2010)
reinforcement locators or metal detectors. Follow the manufacturers 8.2.3 The average depth of penetration measured for six
instructions for proper operation of such devices. pins driven into the concrete in a given test area shall constitute
7.2 Resistance Testing with Pins: one test. See Note 12.
7.2.1 Use care in the operation of the spring actuated driver 8.2.4 Discard a reading when the pin obviously hit a coarse
to prevent injury from the inadvertent firing of the pin. aggregate or an entrapped air void, and perform a new test. If
7.2.2 Personnel should wear safety goggles and other ap- the range of six valid pin penetration measurements exceeds
propriate protective equipment when performing the test. the value in the third column of Table 2, make a seventh
measurement and discard the measurement with the greatest
8. Sampling deviation from the average. If the six remaining measurements
8.1 Resistance Testing With Probes: still do not meet the limit given in Table 2, select a different test
8.1.1 The concrete to be tested must have reached a suffi- area and obtain six new measurements.
cient degree of resistance to penetration so that the probe will 9. Procedure
not penetrate more than one half the thickness of the concrete
member and will remain firmly embedded. No probe shall be 9.1 Resistance Testing With Probes:
located less than 175 mm [7 in.] from any other probe, nor less 9.1.1 Concrete surfaces to be tested that are coarser than
than 100 mm [4 in.] from the edge of a concrete surface. burlap dragged finishes shall be ground over an area larger than
8.1.2 A minimum of three firmly embedded test probes in a that covered by the positioning device and reference base plate.
given test area shall constitute one test. If the range of three 9.1.2 Place the positioning device on the surface of the
valid probe penetration measurements exceeds the value in the concrete at the location to be tested. Mount a probe in the
third column of Table 1, make a fourth measurement and driver unit, position the driver in the positioning device, and
discard the measurement with the greatest deviation from the fire the probe into the concrete. Follow the safety directions
average. If the three remaining measurements still do not meet supplied with the apparatus.
the limit given in Table 1, select a different test area and obtain 9.1.3 Remove the positioning device and tap the probe on
three new measurements. the exposed end with a small hammer to ensure that it has not
rebounded and to confirm that it is firmly embedded. Reject
NOTE 12The number of tests to be taken depends on the intended use loose probes.
of the results. Refer to ACI 228.1R4 for recommendations. 9.1.4 Place the reference base plate over the probe and
8.2 Resistance Testing with Pins: position it so that it bears firmly on the surface of the concrete
8.2.1 The concrete to be tested must have reached a suffi- without rocking or other movement. If the surface of the
cient degree of resistance to penetration so that the pin does not concrete has been raised around the base of the probe, remove
penetrate to a depth greater than the exposed length of the pin the crushed concrete to allow the reference base plate to lie flat.
when inserted into the hammer of the driver. If necessary, install plate retainers and probe-measuring caps.
NOTE 13For the driver unit described in Note 8, the exposed length
Measure the distance from the reference base plate to the end
is 7.6 mm [0.30 in.]. of the probe, or to the upper surface of the measuring cap, to
the nearest 0.5 mm [0.025 in.]. Verify that requirements of
8.2.2 No pin penetration shall be located less than 50 mm [2 8.1.2 are met. If a probe is more than 10 degrees from
in.] or more than 150 mm [6 in.] from any other pin perpendicular with respect to the surface of the concrete,
penetration, nor less than 50 mm [2 in.] from the edge of a discard that probe and embed another. Determine the average
concrete surface. exposed probe length.
NOTE 14Mechanical and electronic devices are available to facilitate
TABLE 1 PrecisionA for Resistance Testing with Probes determining the average exposed length of the probes.
(d2s) LimitD
Maximum TABLE 2 PrecisionA for Resistance Testing with Pins
Maximum Difference Between
(d2s) LimitD
Range Two Tests (Each
Maximum
Maximum Size (1s) LimitB, of Three test calculated as
Maximum Difference
of Aggregate mm [in.] IndividualC the average of
Range of Between Two
Measurements, three (1s) LimitB,
Material Six IndividualC Tests (Each
mm [in.] measurements), mm [in.]
Measurements, test calculated
mm [in.] as the average of
mm [in.]
six measurements),
No. 4 (Mortar) 2.0 [0.08] 6.6 [0.26] 3.3 [0.13] mm [in.]
25 mm [1-in.] 2.5 [0.10] 8.4 [0.33] 4.1 [0.16] Concrete
50 mm [2 in.] 3.6 [0.14] 11.7 [0.46] 5.6 [0.22] 328 MPa 0.4 [0.016] 1.6 [0.064] 0.5 [0.018]
A [4504000 psi]
These values represent indexes of precision as described in Practice C670.
B A
These values are the single-operator standard deviations for tests made on These values represent indexes of precision as described in Practice C670.
B
concrete with the maximum size aggregate shown in Column 1. These values are the single-operator standard deviations for tests on concrete
C
These values are the maximum allowable ranges for groups of three individual shown in Column 1.
C
measurements made close together, either as individual measurements or by This value is the maximum allowable range for groups of six individual
using the triangular positioning device. measurements made in a 300 mm [12 in.] diameter region.
D D
A difference larger than the values given indicates a high probability that there A difference larger than the values given indicates a high probability that there
is a statistically significant difference in the concrete in the two areas represented is a statistically significant difference in the concrete in the two areas represented
by the two groups of three measurements each. by the two groups of six measurements each.

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 C803/C803M 03 (2010)
9.1.5 When tests are to be made on concrete having a 10.1.4 Approximate locations of test areas, and
density of approximately 2000 kg/m3 [125 lb/ft3] or less, and 10.1.5 Date and time of testing.
on all concrete with strengths less than 17 MPa [2500 psi], 10.2 For probe tests, report the following information:
decrease the amount of energy delivered to the probe by the 10.2.1 Driver unit identification number and energy level
driver or use a larger-diameter probe, or both. Decrease the used in testing,
delivered energy by positioning the probe further down the 10.2.2 Dimensions of probes,
barrel of the driver unit, as recommended by the manufacturer. 10.2.3 Approximate thickness of member tested,
Do not use the low-power setting if the probes are not firmly 10.2.4 The exposed lengths of the probes and the average
embedded in the concrete. Separate strength relationships must exposed length in each test area, and
be developed for different probe sizes and power level settings. 10.2.5 Description of unusual conditions, including tests
NOTE 15Probes of 79.4-mm [3.125-in.] overall length and 7.9-mm
rejected for data analysis.
[0.312-in.] diameter, with the penetrating end diameter reduced to 6.4 mm 10.3 For pin tests, report the following information:
[0.250 in.] for approximately 14.3 mm [0.562 in.] in length, have been 10.3.1 Driver unit identification number,
found satisfactory for testing concrete having a density of 2000 kg/m3 10.3.2 Approximate thickness of member tested,
[125 lb/ft 3] or greater. A7.9-mm [0.312-in.] diameter and 79.4-mm 10.3.3 The penetration depths of the pins and the average
[3.125-in.] length probe should be used with concrete having a density of penetration depth in each test area, and
less than 2000 kg/m3 [125 lb/ft3]. A change in section or shoulder has been
found to be helpful in preventing rebound after setting.
10.3.4 Description of unusual conditions, including tests
rejected for data analysis.
9.2 Resistance Testing with Pins:
9.2.1 Concrete surfaces to be tested which are heavily 11. Precision and Bias
textured, soft, or consist of loose mortar shall be ground flat
with an abrasive stone consisting of medium grain texture 11.1 PrecisionThe data used to develop the precision
silicon carbide or equivalent material. The area to be ground statements were obtained using apparatus and measurements in
for each pin penetration measurement shall be at least as large inch-pound units. The precision indexes given in Table 1 and
as the bearing area of the driver. The area shall be sufficiently Table 2 are conversions of the inch-pound values given in
flat if there is no visible gap between the surface and a pin laid parentheses.
sideways on the surface. 11.2 Resistance Testing With Probes:
9.2.2 Insert a new pin into the spring-actuated driver unit. 11.2.1 The indexes of precision given in Table 1 apply to
9.2.3 Load the spring-actuated driver unit by compressing measurements obtained by a single operator using the same
the spring until the trigger mechanism engages. instrument on the same concrete, that is, concrete made with
9.2.4 Place the driver unit firmly against the perpendicular the same materials, procedures, equipment, and curing condi-
to the surface of the concrete to be tested. Pull the trigger to tions.
release the spring and drive the pin into the concrete surface. 11.3 Resistance Testing with Pins:
Remove the unit including the pin. 11.3.1 The single-specimen, single-operator, driver, day
9.2.5 Clean the pin hole using the air blower device. precision is 0.4 mm [0.016 in.] (1s) as defined in Practice
9.2.6 Insert the depth gage into the pin hole and measure the C670.
depth of penetration to the nearest 0.02 mm [0.001 in.]. 11.3.2 The indexes of precision given in Table 2 apply to
measurements obtained by a single operator using the same
10. Report instrument on the same concrete, that is, concrete made with
10.1 For probe or pin tests, report the following informa- the same materials, procedures, equipment, and curing condi-
tion: tions.
10.1.1 Identification of the location tested in the concrete 11.4 BiasThis test method has no bias because penetra-
construction and the type of concrete member tested, tion resistance is defined in terms of this test method.
10.1.2 Description of concrete mixture including type of
coarse aggregate, 12. Keywords
10.1.3 Description of surface finish and, if required, the 12.1 concrete strength; concrete uniformity; in-place
surface preparation used prior to testing. strength; in-place test; penetration resistance

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 C803/C803M 03 (2010)
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