Cement Standards and Specifications

Cement Standards and Specifications
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Standards Organizations

Product specifications and test methods are typically developed by national standards development organizations, such as ASTM in the U.S. and CSA in Canada. Full consensus standards are developed with the participation of all parties who have a stake in the standards’ development and/or use. The table below lists the most relevant national and international standard organizations for the concrete industry. U.S. and Canada
ASTM ASTM International. Has a history of more than 100 years of standards development activities, including the first national specifications for portland cement and other concrete materials. Uses a consensus-based standards development process. Committee C01 develops standards related to hydraulic cements and Committee C09 develops standards for concrete and other concrete materials.
AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials. Develops standards for many materials though participation of state departments of transportation staff. AASHTO’s Subcommittee on Materials develops concrete-related specifications, many of which are closely related to ASTM standards.
CSA Canadian Standards Association. Develops standards for use in Canada through a consensus process, including the CSA A3000 compendium on cementitious materials.
International
ISO International Organization for Standardization. Cement-related standards are developed by TC (Technical Committee) 74 (Cement and Lime) and concrete-related standards by TC 71 (Concrete, reinforced concrete and pre-stressed concrete).
CEN European Committee for Standardization. EN 197 is the standard specification for cement in CEN member countries and EN 206 is the standard specification for concrete.


Product specifications and test methods are referenced in local and international building codes and specifications for ease of reference. Click here for information on building codes and standards. For concrete construction projects, other organizations, such as state DOTs or the FAA, also develop specifications that typically refer to ASTM or AASHTO specifications.

Cement Specifications

Different types of cement are manufactured to meet various physical and chemical requirements. There are currently three different common hydraulic cement standards for general concrete construction in use in the U.S.:

ASTM C150 (AASHTO M 85), Specification for Portland Cement

ASTM C595 (AASHTO M 240), Specification for Blended Hydraulic Cements

ASTM C1157, Performance Specification for Hydraulic Cements
Each of these three specifications provides for several different types of cement. The table below provides a matrix of these types and where they are used in concrete construction:


Applications of Commonly Used Cements
Cement Specification Applications*
General purpose Moderate heat of hydration High early strength Low heat of hydration Moderate sulfate resistance High sulfate resistance Resistance to alkali-silica reactivity (ASR)**
ASTM C150
(AASHTO M 85) portland cements I II (moderate heat option) III IV II V Low alkali option
ASTM C595
(AASHTO M 240) blended hydraulic cements IS
IP IS(<70)(MH)
IP(MH)
- IP(LH) IS(<70)(MS)
IP(MS) IS(<70)(HS)
IP(HS) Low reactivity option
ASTM C1157 hydraulic cements*** GU MH HE LH MS HS Option R
*Check the availability of specific cements as all cements are not available everywhere.
**The option for low reactivity with ASR susceptible aggregates can be applied to any cement type in the columns to the left.
*** For ASTM C1157 cements, the nomenclature of hydraulic cement, portland cement, air-entraining portland cement, modified portland cement, or blended hyraulic cement is used with the type designation.

Click here for more details on specifying cements for use in concrete and on how to determine which cement might be most appropriate for your construction needs.

Click here for more information on masonry cement standards.


ASTM/AASHTO Harmonization

AASHTO M 85 and ASTM C150 have existed as parallel standards for portland cement since the 1940s. U.S. state departments of transportation reference either AASHTO M 85 or ASTM C150 when specifying portland cement for concrete construction. While the provisions of AASHTO M 85 and ASTM C150 have generally been consistent, there have also been some substantive differences. In the summer of 2003, a dialog between the two organizations was established with the goal of developing improvements to both specifications and harmonizing the differences between them. Several harmonized provisions have already been adopted by both organizations. Harmonization efforts continue in order to develop provisions that meet collective needs, and to develop mechanisms for implementing improvements to cement standards.

ASTM Specification C10 for Natural Cement

Natural cements were extensively used in 19th and early 20th century construction, and many historic structures were built with these materials. However, with improved technology for producing portland cements, sales of natural cements began to decline in the late 1800s, stopping entirely by the mid-1970s.

To meet the needs of architects, engineers, and historians working on restoration projects, natural cement production has begun again in the U.S. and a specification was needed to define the product. ASTM International has reissued an updated ASTM C10, Specification for Natural Cement, to fill that need. .