Standard Method of Test for

Obtaining and Testing Drilled Cores

and Sawed Beams of Concrete

AASHTO Designation: T 24M/T 24-15

ASTM Designation: C42/C42M-13

American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

444 North Capitol Street N.W., Suite 249
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Standard Method of Test for

Obtaining and Testing Drilled Cores

and Sawed Beams of Concrete

AASHTO Designation: T 24M/T 24-15

ASTM Designation: C42/C42M-13

1. SCOPE
1.1. This test method covers obtaining, preparing, and testing (1) cores drilled from concrete for length
or compressive or splitting tensile strength determinations. This test method is not applicable to
cores from shotcrete.
Note 1—ASTM Test Method C1604/C1604M is applicable for obtaining, preparing, and testing
cores from shotcrete.
Note 2—Appendix X1 provides recommendations for obtaining and testing sawed beams for
flexural performance.

1.2. The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard.
Within the text, the inch-pound units are shown in brackets. The values stated in each system may
not be exact equivalents; therefore, each system shall be used independently of the other.
Combining values from the two systems may result in nonconformance with the standard.

1.3. The text of this standard references notes and footnotes that provide explanatory material. These
notes and footnotes (excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered as requirements
of the standard.

1.4. This standard does not purport to address safety concerns associated with its use. It is the
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety and health practices and
determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS
2.1. AASHTO Standards:
 R 39, Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Laboratory
 T 22, Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens
 T 97, Flexural Strength of Concrete (Using Simple Beam with Third-Point Loading)
 T 140, Compressive Strength of Concrete Using Portions of Beams Broken in Flexure
 T 148, Measuring Length of Drilled Concrete Cores
 T 198, Splitting Tensile Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens
 T 231, Capping Cylindrical Concrete Specimens

2.2. ASTM Standards:

 C39/C39M, Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete
Specimens

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-1 AASHTO

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  C78/C78M, Standard Test Method for Flexural Strength of Concrete (Using Simple Beam
with Third-Point Loading)
 C174/174M, Standard Test Method for Measuring Thickness of Concrete Elements Using
Drilled Concrete Cores
 C496/496M, Standard Test Method for Splitting Tensile Strength of Cylindrical Concrete
Specimens
 C617/617M, Standard Practice for Capping Cylindrical Concrete Specimens
 C642, Standard Test Method for Density, Absorption, and Voids in Hardened Concrete
 C670, Standard Practice for Preparing Precision and Bias Statements for Test Methods for
Construction Materials
 C823/C823M, Standard Practice for Examination and Sampling of Hardened Concrete in
Constructions
 C1231/C1231M, Standard Practice for Use of Unbonded Caps in Determination of
Compressive Strength of Hardened Concrete Cylinders
 C1542/C1542M, Standard Test Method for Measuring Length of Concrete Cores
 C1604/C1604M, Standard Test Method for Obtaining and Testing Drilled Cores of Shotcrete

2.3. ACI Standard:

 ACI 318, Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete

3. SIGNIFICANCE AND USE

3.1. This test method provides standardized procedures for obtaining and testing specimens to
determine the compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strength of in-place concrete. Sampling
and sample preparation requirements are given to ensure that dimensional requirements are met
and that the specimens are made of intact, sound concrete, and are as free of flaws as the particular
structure will allow.

3.2. Generally, test specimens are obtained when doubt exists about the in-place concrete quality due
either to too-low strength test results during construction or to signs of distress in the structure.
Additionally, this method is used to provide strength information on older structures.

3.3. Concrete strength is affected by the location of the concrete in a structural element, with the
concrete at the bottom tending to be stronger than the concrete at the top. Core strength is also
affected by core orientation relative to the horizontal plane of the concrete as placed, with strength
tending to be lower when measured parallel to the horizontal plane. 1 These factors shall be
considered in planning the locations for obtaining concrete samples and in comparing strength
test results.

3.4. The strength of concrete measured by tests of cores is affected by the amount and distribution of
moisture in the specimen at the time of test. There is no standard procedure to condition a
specimen that will ensure that, at the time of test, it will be in the identical moisture condition as
concrete in the structure. The moisture conditioning procedures in this test method are intended to
provide reproducible moisture conditions that minimize within-laboratory and between-laboratory
variations and to reduce the effects of moisture introduced during specimen preparation.

3.5. The measured compressive strength of a core will generally be less than that of a corresponding
properly molded and cured standard cylinder tested at the same age. For a given concrete,
however, there is no unique relationship between the strength of these two types of specimens (see
Note 3). The relationship is affected by many factors such as the strength level of the concrete,
the in-place temperature and moisture histories, the degree of consolidation, batch-to-batch

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-2 AASHTO

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 variability, the strength-gain characteristics of the concrete, the condition of the coring apparatus,
and the care used in removing cores.
Note 3—A procedure is available for estimating the equivalent cylinder strength from a measured
core strength.
Note 4—In the absence of core strength requirements of an applicable building code or of the
other contractual or legal documents that may govern the project, the specifier of the test should
establish in the project specifications the acceptance criteria for core strength. An example of
acceptance criteria core strength is provided in ACI 318, which are used to evaluate cores taken to
investigate low strength test results of standard-cured cylinder during construction. According to
ACI 318, the concrete represented by the cores is at least 85 percent of the specified strength and
no single core strength is less than 75 percent of the specified strength.

3.6. The “specifier” of the tests referenced in this test method is the individual responsible for analysis
or review and acceptance of the core test results.
Note 5—For investigation of low strength test results, ACI 318 defines the specifier of the test as
the licensed design professional.

3.7. The apparent compressive strength of concrete as measured by a core is affected by the length-
diameter ratio (L/D) of the core as tested and this must be considered in preparing core specimens
and evaluating test results.

4. APPARATUS
4.1. Core Drill—For obtaining cylindrical core specimens with diamond impregnated bits attached to a
core barrel.

4.2. Saw—For trimming ends of cores. The saw shall have a diamond or silicon-carbide cutting edge
and shall be capable of cutting cores without introducing cracks or dislodging aggregate particles.

4.3. Balance—Accurate to at least 5 g [0.01 lb].

5. SAMPLING
5.1. General:

5.1.1. Samples of hardened concrete for use in the preparation of strength test specimens shall not be
taken until the concrete is strong enough to permit sample removal without disturbing the bond
between the mortar and the coarse aggregate (see Note 5 and Note 6). When preparing strength
test specimens from samples of hardened concrete, samples that have been damaged during
removal shall not be used unless the damaged portion(s) are removed and the length of the
resulting satisfy the minimum length-diameter ratio requirement in 7.2. Samples of defective or
damaged concrete that cannot be tested shall be reported along with the reason that prohibits use
of the sample for preparing strength test specimen.
Note 6—ASTM C823/C823M provides guidance on the development of a sampling plan for
concrete in constructions.
Note 7—It is not possible to specify a minimum age when concrete is strong enough to withstand
damage during removal, because the strength at any age depends on the curing history and
strength grade of the concrete. If time permits, the concrete should not be removed before it is
14 days old. If this is not practical, removal of concrete can proceed if the cut surfaces do not
display erosion of the mortar and the exposed coarse aggregate particles are embedded firmly in
the mortar. In-place test methods may be used to estimate the level of strength development prior
to attempting removal of concrete samples.

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-3 AASHTO

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5.1.2. Except as provided in 5.1.3, cores containing embedded reinforcement, excluding fibers, or other
embedded objects shall not be used for determining strength of concrete.

5.1.3. If it is not possible to prepare a test specimen that meets the requirements of Sections 7.1 and 7.2
and that is free of embedded reinforcement or other metal, the specifier of the tests is permitted to
allow testing for cores with embedded metal (see Note 8). If a core tested for strength contains
embedded metal, the size, shape, and location of the metal within the core shall be documented in
the test report.
Note 8—The presence of steel reinforcement, other than fibers, or other embedded metal in a core
can affect the measured strength. There are insufficient data to derive reliable correction factors
that can be applied to the measured strength to account for embedded reinforcement perpendicular
to the core axis. If testing of cores containing embedded reinforcement is permitted, engineering
judgment is required to assess the significance of the result. The specifier of the test should not
permit a core to be tested for strength if the bar reinforcement, or other elongated embedded metal
object, is oriented close to parallel to the core axis.

5.2. Core Drilling—When a core will be tested to measure concrete strength, the core shall be drilled
perpendicular to the surface and at least 150 mm [6 in.] away from formed joints or obvious edges
of a concrete pour (see Note 9). This minimum distance does not apply to the formed boundaries
of structural members. Record the approximate angle between the longitudinal axis of the drilled
core and the horizontal plane of the concrete as placed. A specimen drilled perpendicular to a
vertical surface, or perpendicular to a sloping surface, shall be taken from near the middle of a
concrete pour when possible. If cores are obtained for purposes other than determination of
strength, drill cores in accordance with the instructions provided by the specifier of the tests.
Record the date core was drilled. If known, record the date when concrete was placed.
Note 9—The intent is to avoid drilling cores in nonrepresentative concrete that may exist near
formed joints or the boundary of a concrete pour.

5.3. Slab Removal—Remove a slab sufficiently large to secure the desired test specimens without the
inclusion of any concrete that has been cracked, spalled, undercut, or otherwise damaged.

DRILLED CORES

6. MEASURING THE LENGTH OF DRILLED CORE

6.1. Cores for determining the thickness of pavements, slabs, walls or other structural elements shall
have a diameter of at least 94 mm [3.70 in] when the lengths of such cores are stipulated to be
measured in accordance with T 148. When core length for determining the thickness of a member
is not required to be measured in accordance with T 148, core diameter shall be as directed by
specifier of test.

6.2. For cores that are not intended for determining structural dimensions, measure the longest and
shortest lengths on the cut surface along lines parallel to the core axis. Record the average length
to the nearest 5 mm [0.25 in.].

7. CORES FOR COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

7.1. Diameter:

7.1.1. Except as provided in Section 7.1.2, the diameter of core specimen for determination of
compressive strength shall be at least 94 mm [3.70 in.] or at least two times the nominal maximum
size of the coarse aggregates, whichever is larger.

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-4 AASHTO

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7.1.2. If limited member thickness makes it impossible to obtain cores with length-diameter ration (L/D)
of at least 1.0 or if clear distance between reinforcement is limited, core diameter less than 94 mm
[3.70 in.] is not prohibited. If a core diameter less than 94 mm [3.70 in.] is used, report the reason.
Note 10—The compressive strengths of nominal 50-mm [2-in.] diameter cores are known to be
somewhat lower and more variable than those of nominal 100-mm [4-in.] diameter cores. In
addition, small diameter cores appear to be more sensitive to the effect of the length-to-diameter
ratio. 2

7.2. Length:

7.2.1. Except as provided in Section 7.2.2, the preferred length of the capped or ground specimen is
between 1.9 and 2.1 times the diameter. If the ratio of the length to the diameter (L/D) of the core
exceeds 2.1, reduce the length of the cores so that the ratio of the capped or ground specimen is
between 1.9 and 2.1. Core specimens with length-diameter ratios equal to or less than 1.75 require
corrections to the measured compressive strength (see Section 7.9.1). A strength correction factor
is not required for L/D greater than 1.75. A core having a maximum length less than its diameter
after capping, trimming, or end grinding shall not be tested.

7.2.2. If the compressive strength of the cores are to be compared with specified strength based on the
standard concrete cubes, cores shall be tested with L/D, after end preparation, in the range of 1.00
to 1.05 unless otherwise directed by the specifier of the tests. If the strength of the cores with L/D
= 1 are to be compared with specified concrete cube strength, do not apply the correction factor in
Section 7.9.1.

7.3. Moisture Conditioning—Test cores after moisture conditioning as specified in this test method or
as directed by the specifier of the tests. The moisture conditioning procedures specified in this test
method are intended to preserve the moisture of the drilled core and to provide a reproducible
moisture condition that minimizes the effects of moisture gradients introduced by wetting during
drilling and specimen preparation.

7.3.1. After cores have been drilled, wipe off surface drill water and allow remaining surface moisture to
evaporate. When surfaces appear dry, but not later than 1 h after drilling, place cores in separate
plastic bags or nonabsorbent containers and seal to prevent moisture loss. Maintain cores at
ambient temperature, and protect cores from exposure to direct sunlight. Transport the cores to the
testing laboratory as soon as practicable. Keep cores in the sealed plastic bags or nonabsorbent
containers at all times except during end preparation and for a maximum time of 2 h to permit
capping before testing.

7.3.2. If water is used during sawing or grinding of core ends, complete these operations as soon as
practicable, but no later than 2 days after drilling of cores unless stipulated otherwise by the
specifier of tests. After completing end preparation, wipe off surface moisture, allow the surfaces
to dry, and place the cores in sealed plastic bags or nonabsorbent containers. Minimize the
duration of exposure to water during end preparation.

7.3.3. Allow the cores to remain in the sealed plastic bags or nonabsorbent containers for at least 5 days
after last being wetted before testing, unless stipulated otherwise by the specifier of tests.
Note 11—The waiting period of at least 5 days is intended to reduce moisture gradients
introduced when the core is drilled or wetted during sawing or grinding.

7.3.4. When direction is given to test cores in a moisture condition other than achieved by conditioning
according to Sections 7.3.1, 7.3.2, and 7.3.3, report the alternative procedure.

7.4. Sawing of Ends—The ends of core specimens to be tested in compression shall be flat, and
perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in accordance with T 22. If necessary, saw the ends of cores
that will be capped so that prior to capping, the following requirements are met:

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-5 AASHTO

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7.4.1. Projections, if any, shall not extend more than 5 mm [0.2 in.] above the end surfaces.

7.4.2. The end surfaces shall not depart from perpendicularity to the longitudinal axis by a slope of more
than 1:8d [or 1:0.3d] where d is the average core diameter in mm [or inches].

7.5. Calculated Density—If the core will be tested for strength, measure the mass of the core just
before capping or just before testing if bonded caps are not used. Divide the mass by the volume
of the core calculated from the average diameter and length determined in 7.7. Record the
calculated density to the nearest 20 kg/m3 [1 lb/ft3].
Note 12—The intent of 7.5 is to obtain an approximate density of the specimen which can
provide additional insight on measured strength. For example, a lower than expected density can
be an indication of a batching error, that there is too much air in the concrete, or that the concrete
was not consolidated properly, all of which can affect the compressive strength. Because the
moisture content of the core is not known and because the calculated volume is approximate, the
calculated density is not intended for evaluating compliance with specified density requirements.
Separate cores should be taken for this purpose, and the specifier of the tests should indicate the
procedure for measuring density; for example, ASTM C642 could be specified for normal-weight
concrete.

7.6. Capping—If the ends of the cores do not conform to the perpendicularity requirements of T 22,
they shall be sawed or ground to meet those requirements or capped with bonded caps in
accordance with T 231. If the ends of the cores do not conform to the planeness requirements of T
22, they shall be sawed or ground to meet those requirements or capped with bonded caps in
accordance with T 231 or tested with unbonded caps in accordance with ASTM C1231/C1231M.
If cores are capped in accordance with T 231, the capping device shall accommodate actual core
diameters and produce caps that are concentric with the core ends. Measure core lengths to the
nearest 1 mm [0.1 in.] before capping. If unbonded caps are used, the gap between the cores and
retaining rings shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C1231/C1231M.
Note 13—To satisfy the maximum gap limit in ASTM C1231/C1231M, the inner diameter of the
retaining rings cannot exceed 107 percent of the average core diameter. Smaller diameter retaining
rings may be needed for testing cores with diameters smaller than standard cylinders. For example,
if the core diameter is 95 mm [3.75 in.], the inside diameter of the retaining rings cannot exceed
1–2 mm [0.04 - 0.08 in.].

7.7. Measurement—If the core will be tested with bonded caps, determine the average length before
and after capping, and use the length after capping to compute the length-diameter ratio (L/D). If
the core will be tested with unbonded caps or with ground ends, determine the average length of
the core to the nearest 1 mm [0.05 in.] using the jaw caliper procedure of ASTM C1542/C1542M
or the procedure in T 148. Determine the average diameter by averaging two measurements taken
at right angles to each other at the mid-height of the core. Report the average core diameter to the
nearest 0.02 mm [0.01 in.] if the difference in core diameters does not exceed 2 percent of their
average, otherwise report to the nearest 1 mm [0.05 in.]. Do not test a core if the difference
between the largest and smallest diameter exceeds 5 percent of their average.

7.8. Testing—Test the specimen in accordance with T 22. Test the specimen within 7 days after coring,
unless specified otherwise.

7.9. Calculation—Calculate the compressive strength of each specimen using the computed cross-
sectional area based on the average diameter of the specimen.

7.9.1. If the ratio of the length to diameter (L/D) of the specimen is 1.75 or less, correct the result
obtained in Section 7.9 by multiplying by the appropriate correction factor shown in the following
table (see Note 14):

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-6 AASHTO

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 Ratio of Length of Strength
Cylinder to Diameter, Correction
L/D Factor
1.75 0.98
1.50 0.96
1.25 0.93
1.00 0.87

Use interpolation to determine correction factors for L/D values not given in the table.
Note 14—Correction factors depend on various conditions, such as moisture condition, strength
level, and elastic modulus. Average values for corrections due to length/diameter ratio are given in
the table. These correction factors apply to lightweight concrete weighing between 1600 and
1920 kg/m3 [100 and 120 lb/ft3] and normal-weight concrete. They are applicable to both dry and
wet concrete for strengths between 14 and 42 MPa [2000 and 6000 psi]. For strengths above
70 MPa [10,000 psi], test data on cores show that the correction factors may be larger than the
values listed above. Thus, these factors should be applied to high-strength concrete with caution.

7.10. Report the results as required by T 22 with the addition of the following information:

7.10.1. Length of core as drilled to the nearest 5 mm [0.2 in.];

7.10.2. If the core diameter is less than 94 mm [3.70 in.], provide reason for using the smaller diameter.

7.10.3. Length of test specimen before and after capping or end preparation to the nearest 2 mm [0.1 in.],
and average diameter of core to the nearest 0.2 mm [0. 01 in.] or 2 mm [0.1 in];

7.10.4. Compressive strength to the nearest 0.1MPa [10 psi] when the diameter is measured to the nearest
0.2 mm [0.01 in.], and to the nearest 0.5 MPa [50 psi] when the diameter is measured to
the nearest 2 mm [0.1 in.], after correction for length/diameter ratio when required;

7.10.5. Direction of application of the load on the specimen with respect to the horizontal plane of the
concrete as placed;

7.10.6. Moisture Conditioning History:

7.10.6.1. The date and the time core was obtained and first placed in sealed bag or nonabsorbent container
and,

7.10.6.2. If water was used during end preparation, the date and time end preparation was completed and
the core placed in sealed bag or nonabsorbent container;

7.10.7. Date concrete was placed, if known;

7.10.8. The date and time when tested;

7.10.9. Nominal maximum size of concrete aggregate;

7.10.10. The calculated density to the nearest 20 kg/m3 [1 lb/ft3];

7.10.11. The location, shape, and size of embedded metal, if the specifier of the tests permits testing cores
with embedded metal;

7.10.12. If applicable, description of defects in cores that could not be tested; and

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-7 AASHTO

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7.10.13. If any deviation from this test method was required, describe the deviation and explain why it was
necessary.

7.11. Precision:

7.11.1. The single-operator coefficient of variation on cores has been found to be 3.2 percent 3 for a range
of compressive strength between 32.0 MPa [4500 psi] and 48.3 MPa [7000 psi]. Therefore, results
of two properly conducted tests of single cores by the same operator on the same sample of
material should not differ from each other by more than 9 percent3 of their average.

7.11.2. The multilaboratory coefficient of variation on cores has been found to be 4.7 percent3 for a range
of compressive strength between 32.0 MPa [4500 psi] and 48.3 MPa [7000 psi]. Therefore results
on two properly conducted tests on cores sampled from the same hardened concrete (where a
single test is defined as the average of two observations (cores), each made on separate adjacent
drilled 100-mm [4-in.] diameter cores), and tested by two different laboratories should not differ
from each other by more than 13 percent3 of their average.

7.12. Bias—Because there is no accepted reference material suitable for determining the bias for the
procedure in this test method, no statement on bias is being made.

8. CORES FOR SPLITTING TENSILE STRENGTH

8.1. Test Specimens—The specimens shall conform to the dimensional requirements in Sections 7.1,
7.2, 7.4.1, and 7.4.2. Ends are not to be capped.

8.2. Moisture Conditioning—Prior to testing, the specimens shall be conditioned as described in

Section 7.3 or as directed by the specifier of tests.

8.3. Bearing Surfaces—The line of contact between the specimen and each bearing strip shall be
straight and free of any projections or depressions higher or deeper than 0.2 mm [0.01 in.]. When
the line of contact is not straight or contains projections or depressions having heights or depths
greater than 0.2 mm [0.01 in.], grind or cap the specimen so as to produce bearing lines meeting
these requirements. Do not test specimens with projections or depressions greater than 2 mm
[0.1 in.]. When capping is employed, the caps shall be as thin as practicable and shall be formed of
high-strength gypsum plaster.
Note 15—Figure 1 illustrates a device suitable for applying caps to the bearing surfaces of
core specimens.

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-8 AASHTO

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 d

d/6 0.2 d

Plan
d = nominal core diameter

1.5-mm High Pin

d/2
120°
d/6
5 mm
6 mm

0.7 d
Elevation
Figure 1—Suitable Capping Device for Splitting Tensile Strength Test

8.4. Testing—Test the specimens in accordance with the applicable provisions of T 198.

8.5. Calculation and Report—Calculate the splitting tensile strength and report the results as required
in T 198. When grinding or capping of the bearing surfaces is required, the diameter shall be
measured between the finished surfaces. Indicate that the specimen was a core and state its
moisture condition history as in 7.10.6.

8.6. Precision:

8.6.1. The within-laboratory, single-operator coefficient of variation for splitting tensile strength
between 3.6 MPa [520 psi] and 4.1 MPa [590 psi] of cores has been found to be 5.3 percent.
Therefore, results of two properly conducted tests by the same operator in the same laboratory on
the same sample of material should not differ by more than 14.9 percent of their average.

8.6.2. The multi-laboratory coefficient of variation for splitting tensile strength between 3.6 MPa
[520 psi] and 4.1 MPa [590 psi] of cores has been found to be 15 percent. Therefore, results of two
properly conducted tests on the same sample of material of hardened concrete and tested by two
different laboratories should not differ from each other by more than 42.3 percent of their average.

8.7. Bias—Because there is no accepted reference material suitable for determining the bias for the
procedure in this test method, no statement on bias is being made.

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-9 AASHTO

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SAWED BEAMS

9. FLEXURAL STRENGTH
9.1. Test Specimens—A beam specimen for the determination of flexural strength shall in general have
a cross section of 150 by 150 mm [6 by 6 in.] (see Note 16). The specimen shall be at least 530
mm [21 in.] in length, but when two tests for flexural strength are to be made on one beam
specimen, it shall be at least 840 mm [33 in.] in length. Perform the sawing operation so that the
concrete will not be weakened by shock or by heating. The sawed surfaces shall be smooth, plane,
parallel, and free from steps, ridges, and grooves. Take care in handling sawed beam specimens to
avoid chipping or cracking.
Note 16—In many cases, particularly with prisms cut from pavement slabs, the width will be
governed by the size of the coarse aggregate and the depth by the thickness of the slab.

9.2. Moisture Conditioning—Protect the surfaces of sawed specimens from evaporation by covering
them with wet burlap and plastic sheeting during transportation and storage. Test the specimens
within 7 days of sawing. Submerge the test specimens in lime-saturated water at 23.0 ± 2.0°C
[73.5 ± 3.5°F] for at least 40 h immediately prior to the flexure test. Test the specimens promptly
after removal from water storage. During the period between removal from water storage and
testing, keep the specimens moist by covering with a wet blanket of burlap or other suitable
absorbent fabric.

9.2.1. When the specifying authority for the project so directs, beams shall be tested in a moisture
condition other than that achieved by conditioning in accordance with Section 9.2. Relatively
small amounts of drying of the surface of flexural specimens induce tensile stresses in the extreme
fibers that will markedly reduce the indicated flexural strength.

9.3. Testing—Test the specimens in accordance with the applicable provisions of T 97.
Note 17—The compressive strengths of portions of beams broken in flexure may be determined
by testing such portions as modified cubes in accordance with T 140 (Modified Cube Method).
Note 18—Sawing may greatly reduce the indicated flexural strength; beams shall, therefore, be
tested with a molded surface in tension whenever possible. The location of the tension face with
respect to the position of the concrete as placed and the position of the sawed surfaces should
be reported.

9.4. Report—Report the results in accordance with the applicable provisions of T 97 and the
requirements of this method, including the moisture condition at the time of testing. Identify
orientation of the specimen’s finished, sawed, and tension faces with respect to their positions in
the test apparatus.

10. PRECISION AND BIAS

10.1. Precision—Data are not available for preparing a statement on the precision of flexural strength
measured on sawed beams.

10.2. Bias—Because there is no accepted reference material suitable for determining the bias for the
procedure in this test method, no statement on bias is being made.
Note 19—Users of this method who have replicate test data that may be appropriate for a
statement on repeatability are encouraged to contact the chairman of the technical section.

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-10 AASHTO

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11. KEYWORDS
11.1. Compressive strength; concrete coring; concrete sawing; concrete strength; flexural strength;
splitting tensile strength.

APPENDIX
(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. SAWED BEAM FOR FLEXURAL TESTING

X1.1. General:

X1.1.1. There are insufficient data on the effects of variables that could affect the measured flexural
performance of sawed beams. Considerable resources are necessary to provide the data necessary
to develop a definitive test method and the accompanying precision data. Until that data are
generated, the following general recommendations are provided for obtaining and testing sawed
beams.

X1.1.2. Testing beams sawed from existing concrete is not a preferred method of assessing the in-place
flexural strength because of the difficulty in obtaining the correct geometry and because of the risk
of damage to the specimens by the sawing process, subsequent handling, and incorrect moisture
conditioning. If in-place flexural strength needs to be assessed, the splitting tensile strength can be
measured on cores in accordance with Section 8 and published relationships between flexural
strength and splitting tensile strength can be applied. If it is necessary to test sawed beams, the
specifier of tests should provide instructions on the size of the beams, dimensional tolerances, and
how beams are to be oriented in the testing apparatus.

X1.2. Test Specimens:

X1.2.1. Dimensions—A beam specimen for the determination of flexural strength should have a square
cross section. The cross section can be 100 by 100 mm [4 by 4 in.] if the nominal maximum
aggregate size is 25 mm [1 in.] or less; otherwise the cross section should be 150 by 150 mm [6 by
6 in.]. Cross-sectional dimensions should be within ±2% of these nominal dimensions. If the depth
of the beam is controlled by the depth of the structural element, the specifier of the test needs to
specify the beam dimensions. The test specimen should be at least 50 mm [2 in.] longer than three
times the nominal depth. When beams are required for measuring properties other than flexural
strength, such as toughness, beam dimensions should conform to the requirements of the
applicable test method.

X1.2.2. Sawing and Inspection—Beams should be cut with water-cooled masonry saw. Test specimens
can be damaged if sawing is not done carefully. Ensure that an adequate supply of water is used to
keep the saw blade cool. The sawed surfaces need to be parallel and square within the limits
provided by the specifier of their tests. Mark the specimen so that its orientation in the structure
can be identified. Check the sawed surface for the presence of cracks, which can be seen by
surface drying the specimen and looking for dark lines that indicate water filled cracks. Do not
test a beam if there is a crack in the loading span or if there is a chip on the face that will be loaded
in tension. Take care in handling sawed beam specimens to avoid chipping or cracking. Specimens
may be rejected by the specifier of tests if they do not conform to the dimensional tolerances or
they do not conform to contact requirements (at load and support points) when placed in the
loading apparatus.

X1.3. Moisture Conditioning:

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-11 AASHTO

© 2015 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.
X1.3.1. The surface of the sawed specimens needs to be protected from drying by covering them with wet
burlap and plastic sheeting during transportation and storage. Relatively small amounts of drying
of the surface of the flexural specimens can induce tensile stresses in the extreme fibers that will
markedly reduce the measured flexural strength. Specimen should be tested within 7 days of
sawing or as required by the specifier of the tests. Submerge the test specimens in lime-saturated
water at 23.0 ± 2.0°C [73.5 ± 3.5°F] for at least 40 h immediately before testing. Test the
specimens promptly after removal from water storage. During the period between removal from
water storage and testing, keep the specimens moist by covering with a wet blanket of burlap or
other suitable absorbent fabric.

X1.4. Testing:

X1.4.1. Test the specimen in accordance with the applicable provisions of T 97 except that the orientation
of the beam in the testing apparatus should be in accordance with the requirements of the specifier
of tests. Ideally, the tensile surface during the test should be tensile surface as loaded in the
structure. This will typically require the tensile surface to be a cut surface, and the measured
flexural strength may be less than the true flexural strength. On the other hand, it may be
preferable for the uncut surface to be the tensile surface if it meets dimensional tolerances.
Therefore, the specifier of tests needs to state which surface of the beam will be the tensile surface
for testing. The location of the tensile surface with respect to the position of that surface in the
concrete as placed is to be noted and reported.

X1.5. Report:

X1.5.1. The test results should be reported in accordance with the applicable provisions of T 97.

X1.5.2. The test report should include the following information:

X1.5.2.1. The moisture condition at the time of testing.

X1.5.2.2. The orientation of the tensile surface with respect to the position of that surface in the structure.

1
Neville, A. “Core Tests: Easy to Perform, Not Easy to Interpret.” Concrete International, Vol. 23, No. 11,
November 2001, pp. 59–68.
2
Bartlett, F. M., and J. G. MacGregor. “Effect of Core Diameter on Concrete Strengths.” ACI Journal, Vol. 91,
No. 5, September–October 1994, pp. 460–470.
3
These numbers represent, respectively, the (1s percent) and (d2s percent) limits as described in ASTM C670.

TS-3c T 24M/T 24-12 AASHTO

© 2015 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.
All rights reserved. Duplication is a violation of applicable law.