4.1 This practice provides standardized requirements for preparation of materials, mixing concrete, and making and curing concrete test specimens under laboratory conditions.

4.2 If specimen preparation is controlled as stipulated herein, the specimens may be used to develop information for the following purposes:

4.2.1 Mixture proportioning for project concrete,

4.2.2 Evaluation of different mixtures and materials,

4.2.3 Correlation with nondestructive tests, and

4.2.4 Providing specimens for research purposes.

Note 1: The concrete test results for concrete specimens made and cured using this practice are widely used. They may be the basis for acceptance testing for project concrete, research evaluations, and other studies. Careful and knowledgeable handling of materials, mixing concrete, molding test specimens, and curing test specimens is necessary. Many laboratories performing this important work are independently inspected or accredited. Practice C1077 identifies and defines the duties, responsibilities, and minimum technical qualification requirements of laboratory personnel and the minimum requirements for equipment used in testing concrete and concrete aggregates.

1.1 This practice covers procedures for making and curing test specimens of concrete in the laboratory under accurate control of materials and test conditions using concrete that can be consolidated by rodding or vibration as described herein.

1.2 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in each system are not necessarily exact equivalents; therefore, to ensure conformance with the standard, each system shall be used independently of the other, and values from the two systems shall not be combined.

1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. (Warning—Fresh hydraulic cementitious mixtures are caustic and may cause chemical burns to exposed skin and tissue upon prolonged exposure.2)

1.4 This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.