4.1 The purpose of this guide is to report considerations, which should be included in testing nonstandard specimens that lie outside the constraints imposed on size/volume in existing ASTM standards for graphite (noting that there are some generic ASTM standards with no such constraints). These constraints may be real or may be an artifact of the round-robin test program that supported the standard. It is the responsibility of the user to demonstrate that the application of a standard outside any specified constraints is valid and reasonably provides properties of the bulk material from which the nonstandard specimen was extracted.

1.1 This guide covers best practice for properties measurements on small (nonstandard) graphite specimens and requirements for representing properties of the bulk material. This guide is aimed specifically at measurements required on nuclear graphites, where there may be constraints on the geometry or volume of the test specimen, or both. The objective of this guide is to provide advice on how the application of selected standards under noncompliant conditions can be tested for suitability.

1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. No other units of measurement are included in this standard.

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 and health practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.