List of British Standards (BS), Code of Practice (CP) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

BRITISH STANDARDS (BS), CODE OF PRACTICE (CP) AND AMERICAN

construction industry and are still being currently quoted for worldwide engineering projects.
projects. These standards list

out the comprehensive requirements, testing procedure and acceptance criteria for each kind of work. The young

engineers and site supervisors should be well aware of these standards in relation to their trade of work by

studying the requirements from time to time when they meet the terms in the drawings and specifications. A set

of the commonly used Standards should be kept in project office library for reference.

Afterall, “everyone is on the same boat”. To achieve a construction contract successfully with profits, necessary

running costs are unavoidable and the staff’s overhead is one of the main issues. As the rule “the right man on

the right job” applies, the range of work found in today’s projects is however so wide that the employment of

experienced expertise,
expertise, professional staff and qualified workers is often essential for the running of a successful

project.

The following international engineering and testing standards are commonly quoted in engineering specifications

for both civil engineering and building contracts . The young engineers should be well aware of these standards in

relation to their trade of work by studying the requirements from time to time when they meet the terms in the

drawings and specifications .

Notes : In general , the acceptance criteria of these international standards are quite conservative and with high

factor of safety . Some contractor staff even say that if every site activity is going to comply with the

requirements , they have no chance to complete the work on time . But more interesting is , some experienced

engineers or supervisors can make cross reference of these standards for substantiation to overcome the

immediate problems on site .

1. British Standards ( BS )

BS 4 Structural steel sections

BS 4 : Part 1 : 1980 Specification for hot-rolled sections

BS 12 : 1978 Specification for ordinary and rapid-hardening Portland cement

BS 12 : 1989 Specification for Portland cements

BS 21 : 1985 Specification for pipe threads for tubes and fittings where pressure-tight joints are made on the

threads ( metric dimensions )

BS 29 : 1976(1987) Specification for carbon steel forgings above 150 mm ruling section

BS 65 : 1988 Specification for vitrified clay pipes , fittings , joints and ducts

BS 144 : 1990 Wood preservation using coal tar creosotes

BS 373 : 1957(1986) Methods of testing small cl ear specimens of timber

BS 381C : 1988 Specification for colours for identification , coding and special purposes

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List of British Standards (BS), Code of Practice (CP) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

BS 416 : 1990 Discharge and ventilating pipes and fittings , sand-cast or spun in cast iron

BS 417 : Part 2 : 1987 Specification for galvanized low carbon steel cisterns , cistern lids , tanks and cylinders -

metric units

BS 427 : 1990 Method for Vickers hardness test and for verification of Vickers hardness testing machines

BS 434 : 1984 Bitumen road emulsions ( anionic and cationic )

BS 434 : Part 1 : 1984 Specification for bitumen road emulsions

BS 434 : Part 2 : 1984 Code of practice for use of bitumen road emulsions

BS 443 : 1982(1990) Specification for testing zinc coatings on steel wire and for quality requirements

BS 449 : Part 2 : 1969 Specification for the use of structural steel in building - metric units

BS 534 : 1990 Specification for steel pipes , joints and specials for water and sewage

BS 544 : 1969 Specification for linseed oil putty for use in wooden frames

BS 718 : 1979(1985) Specification for density hydrometers

BS 729 : 1971(1986) Specification for hot dip galvanized coatings on iron and steel articles

BS 743 : 1970 Specification for materials for damp-proof courses

BS 747 : 1977(1986) Specification for roofing felts

BS 812 Testing aggregates

BS 812 : Part 1 : 1975 Methods for determination of particle size and shape

BS 812 : Part 2 : 1975 Methods for determination of physical properties

BS 812 : Part 4 : 1976 Chemical properties

BS 812 : Part 101 : 1984 Guide to sampling and testing aggregates

BS 812 : Part 102 : 1989 Methods for sampling

BS 812 : Part 103 Methods for determination of particle size distribution

BS 812 : Section 103.1 : 1985 Sieve tests

BS 812 : Section 103.2 : 1989 Sedimentation test

BS 812 : Part 105 Methods for determination of particle shape

BS 812 : Section 105.1 : 1989 Flakiness index

BS 812 : Section 105.2 : 1990 Elongation index of coarse aggregate

BS 812 : Part 110 : 1990 Methods for determination of aggregate crushing value ( ACV )

BS 812 : Part 111 : 1990 Methods for determination of ten per cent fines value ( TFV )

BS 812 : Part 112 : 1990 Methods for determination of aggregate impact value ( AIV )

BS 812 : Part 113 : 1990 Methods for determination of aggregate abrasion value ( AAV )

BS 864 : Part 2 : 1983 Specification for capillary and compression fittings for copper tubes

BS 873 Road traffic signs and internally illuminated bollards

BS 873 : Part 1 : 1983 Methods of test

BS 873 : Part 5 : 1983 Specification for internally illuminated signs and external lighting luminaries

BS 873 : Part 6 : 1983 Specification for retroreflective and non-retroreflective signs

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List of British Standards (BS), Code of Practice (CP) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

BS 873 : Part 7 : 1984 Specification for posts and fittings

BS 882 : 1983 Specification for aggregates from natural sources for concrete

BS 890 : 1972 Specification for building li mes

BS 903 Physical testing of rubber

BS 903 : Part A1 : 1980(1988) Determination of density

BS 903 : Part A2 : 1989 Determination of tensile stress-strain properties

BS 903 : Part A3 : 1982 Determination of tear strength ( trouser , angle and crescent test pieces )

BS 903 : Part A4 : 1990 Determination of compression stress-strain properties

BS 903 : Part A5 : 1974 Determination of tension set

BS 903 : Part A6 : 1969 Determination of compression set after constant strain

BS 903 : Part A9 : 1988 Determination of abrasion resistance

BS 903 : Part A16 : 1987 Determination of the effect of liquids

BS 903 : Part A18 : 1973(1985) Determination of equilibrium water vapour absorption

BS 903 : Part A19 : 1986 Heat resistance and accelerated ageing tests

BS 903 : Part A26 : 1969 Determination of hardness

BS 903 : Part A43 : 1990 Method for determination of resistance to ozone cracking ( static strain test )

BS 903 : Part C2 : 1982 Determination of volume resistivity

BS 952 Glass for glazing

BS 952 : Part 1 : 1978 Classification

BS 952 : Part 2 : 1980 Terminology for work on glass

BS 970 : Part 1 : 1983 General inspection and testing procedures and specific requirements for carbon , carbon

manganese , alloy and stainless steels

BS 1004 : 1972(1985) Specification for zinc alloys for die casting and zinc alloy die casting

BS 1010 : Part 2 : 1973 Draw-off taps and above-ground stopvalves

BS 1014 : 1975(1986) Specification for pigments for Portland cement and Portland cement products

BS 1070 : 1973(1979) Specification for black paint (tar-based)

BS 1155 : 1986 Specification for natural rubber compounds

for extrusion

BS 1611 : 1977(1984) Specification for aluminium alloy sections for structural purposes

BS 1181 : 1989 Specification for clay flue linings and flue terminals

BS 1191 Specification for gypsum building plasters

BS 1191 : Part 1 : 1973 Excluding premixed lightweight plasters

BS 1194 : 1969 Specification for concrete porous pipes for under-drainage

BS 1199 and 1200 : 1976 Specification for building sands from natural sources

BS 1203 : 1979 Specification for synthetic resin adhesives (phenolic and aminoplastic) for plywood

BS 1204 Synthetic resin adhesives (phenolic and aminoplastic) for wood

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List of British Standards (BS), Code of Practice (CP) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

BS 1204 : Part 1 : 1979(1991) Specification for gap-filling adhesives

BS 1212 Float operated valves

BS 1212 : Part 1 : 1990 Specification for piston type float operated valves (copper alloy body) (excluding floats)

BS 1212 : Part 2 : 1990 Specification for diaphragm type float operated valves (copper alloy body) (excluding

floats)

BS 1212 : Part 3 : 1990 Specification for diaphragm type float operated valves (plastic bodied) for cold water

services only (excluding floats)

BS 1247 : 1990 Manhole steps

BS 1336 : 1971(1988) Specification for knotting

BS 1369 Steel lathing for internal plastering and external rendering

BS 1369 : Part 1 : 1987 Specification for expanded metal and ribbed lathing

BS 1377 : 1975 Methods of test for soils for civil engineering purposes

BS 1387 : 1985(1990) Specification for screwed and socketed steel tubes and tubulars and for plain end steel

tubes suitable for welding or for screwing to BS 21 pipe threads

BS 1400 : 1985 Specification for copper alloy ingots and copper alloy and high conductivity copper castings

BS 1449 : Part 1 : 1983 Specification for carbon and carbon-manganese plate , sheet and strip

BS 1449 : Part 2 : 1983 Specification for stainless and heat-resisting steel plate , sheet and strip

BS 1452 : 1990 Specification for flake graphite cast iron

BS 1470 : 1987 Specification for wrought aluminium and al uminium alloys for general engineering purposes :

plate , sheet and strip

BS 1471 : 1972 Specification for wrought aluminium and al uminium alloys for general engineering purposes –

drawn tube

BS 1473 : 1972 Specification for wrought aluminium and al uminium alloys for general engineering purposes –

rivet , bolt and screw stock

BS 1474 : 1987 Specification for wrought aluminium and al uminium alloys for general engineering purposes : bars

, extruded round tubes and sections

BS 1494 : Part 2 : 1967 Sundry fixings

BS 1610 : 1985 Materials testing machines and force verification equipment

BS 1615 : 1987 Method for specifying anodic oxidation coatings on al uminium and its alloys

BS 1722 : Part 1 : 1986 Specification for chain link fences

BS 1740 : Part 1 : 1971(1990) Specification for wrought steel pipe fittings (screwed BS 21 R-series thread)

BS 1924 : 1990 Stabilized materials for civil engineering purposes

BS 2000 Methods of test for petroleum and its products

BS 2015 : 1965(1985) Glossary of paint terms

BS 2451 : 1963(1988) Specification for chilled iron shot and grit

BS 2456 : 1990 Specification for floats (plastics) f or float operated valves for cold water services

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List of British Standards (BS), Code of Practice (CP) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

BS 2494 : 1990 Specification for elastomeric seals for joints i n pipework and pipelines

BS 2499 : 1973 Specification for hot applied joint sealants for concrete pavements

BS 2523 : 1966(1983) Specification for lead-based priming paints

BS 2569 : Part 1 : 1964(1988) Protection of iron and steel by aluminium and zinc against atmospheric corrosion

BS 2600 Radiographic examination of fusion welded butt joints in steel

BS 2600 : Part 1 : 1983 Methods for steel 2 mm up to and including 50 mm thick

BS 2600 : Part 2 : 1973 Methods for steel over 50 mm up to and including 200 mm thick

BS 2633 : 1987 Specification for Class I arc welding for ferritic steel pipework for carrying fluids

BS 2648 : 1955 Performance requirements for electrically- heated laboratory drying ovens

BS 2760 : 1973 Specification for pitch-impregnated fibre pipes and fittings f or below and above ground drainage

BS 2782 Methods of testing plastics

BS 2782 : Part 3 :

Methods 320A to 320F : 1976 Tensile strength , elongation and elastic modulus

BS 2782 : Part 3 :

Method 365A : 1976(1989) Determination of softness number of flexible plastics materials

BS 2782 : Part 3 :

Method 365D : 1978(1983) Determination of hardness of plastics and ebonite by the ball indentation method

BS 2782 : Part 4 :

Methods 430A to 430D : 1983 Determination of water absorption at 23 º C .

Determination of water absorption at 23 º C with allowance for water-soluble matter .

Determination of boiling water absorption .

Determination of boiling water absorption with allowance for water-soluble matter .

BS 2782 : Part 6 :

Methods 620A to 620D : 1980 Determination of density of solid plastics excluding cellular plastics (immersion

method) .

Determination of density of solid plastics excluding cellular plastics (pyknometer method) .

Determination of plastics (sink-float method) .

Determination of density of solid plastics excluding cellular plastics (density gradient column method)

BS 2789 : 1985 Specification for spheroidal graphite or nodular graphite cast iron

BS 2846 : Part 3 : 1975(1985) Determination of a statistical tolerance interval

BS 2846 : Part 4 : 1976(1985) Techniques of estimation and tests relating to means and variances

BS 2869 : Part 2 : 1988 Specification for fuel oil for agricultural and industrial engines and burners (classes A2 ,

C1 , C2 , D , E , F , G and H)

BS 2871 : Part 1 : 1971 Copper tubes for water , gas and sanitation

BS 2874 : 1986 Specification for copper and copper alloy rods and sections (other than forging stock)

BS 2910 : 1986 Methods for radiographic examination of fusion welded circumferential butt joints in steel pipes

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List of British Standards (BS), Code of Practice (CP) and American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)

ASTM D 946-82 Specification for penetration-graded asphalt cement for use in pavement construction

ASTM D 979-87 Method for sampling bituminous paving mixtures

ASTM D 1559-82 Test method for resistance to plastic fl ow of bituminous mixtures using Marshall apparatus

ASTM D 1754-87 Test method for effect of heat and air on asphaltic materials ( thin-film over test )

ASTM D 2000-86 Classification system f or rubber products in automobile applications

ASTM D 2027-76(1986) Specification for cutback asphalt ( medium-curing type )

ASTM D 2041-78 Test method for theoretical maximum specific gravity of bituminous paving mixtures

ASTM D 2042-81(1985) Test method for solubility of asphalt materials in trichloroethylene

ASTM D 2171-88 Test method for viscosity of asphalts by vacuum capillary

ASTM D 2172-88 Test method for quantitative extraction of bitumen from bituminous paving mixtures

ASTM D 2726-88 Test method for bulk specific gravity of compacted bituminous mixtures using saturated surface-

dry specimens

ASTM D 3203-88 Test method for percent air voids in compacted dense and open bituminous paving mixtures

ASTM D 3289-85 Test method for specific gravity or density of semi-solid and solid bituminous materials by nickel

crucible

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