This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what

changes have been made to the previous version. Because

it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.

Designation: C1231/C1231M – 10

Standard Practice for

Use of Unbonded Caps in Determination of Compressive
Strength of Hardened Concrete Cylinders1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C1231/C1231M; the number immediately following the designation indicates the
year of original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last
reapproval. A superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope*
1.1 This practice covers requirements for a capping system using unbonded caps for testing concrete cylinders molded in
accordance with Practice C31/C31M or C192/C192M. Unbonded neoprene caps of a defined hardness are permitted to be used
for testing for a specified maximum number of reuses without qualification testing up to a certain concrete compressive strength
level. Above that strength, level neoprene caps will require qualification testing. Qualification testing is required for all elastomeric
materials other than neoprene regardless of the concrete strength.
1.2 Unbonded caps are not to be used for acceptance testing of concrete with compressive strength below 1500 psi [10 MPa]
or above 12 000 psi [85 MPa].
1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are to be regarded separately as standard. 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 non-conformance with the standard.
1.4 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. (Warning—Concrete cylinders tested with unbonded caps rupture more violently than comparable
iTeh Standards
cylinders tested with bonded caps. The safety precautions given in the Manual of Aggregate and Concrete Testing are
recommended.2)
2. Referenced Documents (https://standards.iteh.ai)
3

C31/C31M Practice for Making and Document Preview

2.1 ASTM Standards:
Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field
C39/C39M Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens
C192/C192M Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Laboratory
ASTM
C617 Practice for Capping Cylindrical Concrete C1231/C1231M-10
Specimens
D2000 Classification System for Rubber Products in Automotive Applications
https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/321bf121-a282-4b53-b63d-34d5659d3a33/astm-c1231-c1231m-10
3. Terminology
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
3.1.1 pad, n—an unbonded elastomeric pad.
3.1.2 unbonded cap, n—a metal retainer and an elastomeric pad.
4. Significance and Use
4.1 This practice provides for using an unbonded capping system in testing hardened concrete cylinders made in accordance
with Practices C31/C31M or C192/C192M in lieu of the capping systems described in Practice C617.
4.2 The elastomeric pads deform in initial loading to conform to the contour of the ends of the cylinder and are restrained from
excessive lateral spreading by plates and metal rings to provide a uniform distribution of load from the bearing blocks of the testing
machine to the ends of the concrete or mortar cylinders.

1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C09.61 on Testing
for Strength.
Current edition approved Feb. 1, 2010. Published March 2010. Originally approved in 1993. Last previous edition approved in 2009 as C1231/C1231M–09. DOI:
10.1520/C1231_C1231M-10.
2
Section on Safety Precautions, Manual of Aggregate and Concrete Testing, Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol. 04.02.
3
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 C1231/C1231M – 10
5. Materials and Apparatus
5.1 Materials and equipment necessary to produce ends of the reference cylinders that conform to planeness requirements of
Test Method C39/C39M and the requirements of Practice C617. This may include grinding equipment or capping materials and
equipment to produce neat cement paste, high strength gypsum plaster, or sulfur mortar caps.
5.2 Elastomeric Pads:
5.2.1 Pads shall be 1⁄2 6 1⁄16 in. [136 2 mm] thick and the diameter shall not be more than 1⁄16 in. [2 mm] smaller than the inside
diameter of the retaining ring.
5.2.2 Pads shall be made from polychloroprene (neoprene) meeting the requirements of Classification D2000 as follows:

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ASTM C1231/C1231M-10
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 C1231/C1231M – 10
Shore A Classification D2000
Durometer Line Call-Out
50 M2BC514
60 M2BC614
70 M2BC714

The tolerance on Shore A durometer hardness is 6 5. Table 1 provides requirements for use of caps made from material meeting
the requirements of Classification D2000, above.
5.2.3 Other elastomeric materials that meet the performance requirements of qualification tests in Section 8 are permitted.
5.2.4 Elastomeric pads shall be supplied with the following information:
5.2.4.1 The manufacturer’s or supplier’s name,
5.2.4.2 The Shore A hardness, and
5.2.4.3 The applicable range of concrete compressive strength from Table 1 or from qualification testing.
5.2.5 The user shall maintain a record indicating the date the pads are placed in service, the pad durometer, and the number of
uses to which they have been subjected.
5.3 Retainers, are a pair of metal fixtures used to provide support for and alignment of the neoprene pads and the cylinder ends
(See Note 1 and Fig. 1). Each retainer (upper and lower) includes a (retaining) ring that is welded to or manufactured integrally
with a base plate. The height of the retaining ring shall be 25 6 3 mm [1.0 6 0.1 in.]. The inside diameter of the retaining ring
shall not be less than 102 % or greater than 107 % of the diameter of the cylinder. The thickness of the retaining ring shall be at
least 12 mm [0.47 in.] for 150 mm [6 in.] diameter retainers and at least 9 mm [0.35 in.] for 100 mm [4 in.] diameter retainers.
The surface of the base plate that contacts the bearing block of the testing machine shall be plane to within 0.05 mm [0.002 in.].
The thickness of the base plate shall be at least 12 mm [0.47 in.] for 150 mm [6 in.] retainers and at least 8 mm [0.3 in.] for 100
mm [4 in.] retainers. The bearing surfaces of the retainers shall not have gouges, grooves, protrusions, or indentations greater than
0.25 mm [0.010 in.] deep or greater than 32 mm2 [0.05 in.2] in surface area.
NOTE 1—Retainers made from steel and some aluminum alloys have been found acceptable.

6. Test Specimens
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6.1 The specimens shall be either 6 by 12 in. [150 by 300 mm] or 4 by 8 in. [100 by 200 mm] cylinders made in accordance

(https://standards.iteh.ai)
with Practices C31/C31M or C192/C192M. Neither end of a cylinder shall depart from perpendicularity to the axis by more than
0.5° (approximately equivalent to 1⁄8 in. in 12 in. [3 mm in 300 mm]). No individual diameter of a cylinder may differ from any

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other diameter by more than 2 %.
NOTE 2—One method of measuring the perpendicularly of ends of cylinders is to place a try square across any diameter and measure the departure
of the longer blade from an element of the cylindrical surface. An alternative method is to place the end of the cylinder on a plane surface and support
the try square on that surface.
6.2 Depressions under a straight edge measured ASTMwith C1231/C1231M-10
a round wire gage across any diameter shall not exceed 0.20 in. [5 mm].
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If cylinder ends do not meet this tolerance, the cylinder shall not be tested unless irregularities are corrected by sawing or grinding.

7. Procedure
7.1 Unbonded caps are permitted to be used on one or both ends of a cylinder in lieu of a cap or caps meeting Practice C617,
provided the caps meet the requirements of Section 5. Pad hardness shall be in accordance with Table 1. (See Note 3)
NOTE 3—The specified strength in the contract documents is for various stages of construction. This may include strength test requirements for
formwork removal or release of prestress in addition to the test requirements for verification of specified compressive strength. Therefore, pad selection
is based on the strength requirement for the designated stage of construction.
7.2 Examine both sides of pads for excessive wear or damage. Replace pads that have cracks or splits in their top or bottom
surface that exceed 3⁄8 in. [10 mm] in length regardless of depth. Insert pad in the retainer before it is placed on the cylinder (Note
4).

TABLE 1 Requirements for Use of Polychloroprene(Neoprene)

Pads
Shore A
Compressive Strength,A psi Qualification Maximum
Durometer
[MPa] Tests Required ReusesB
Hardness
Less than 1500 [10] Not permitted
1 500 to 6 000 [10 to 40] 50 None 100
2 500 to 7 000 [17 to 50] 60 None 100
4 000 to 7 000 [28 to 50] 70 None 100
7 000 to 12 000 [50 to 80] 70 Required 50
Greater than 12,000 [80] Not permitted
A
Compressive strength of concrete at age of testing as specified in Contract
Documents. For acceptance testing, it is the specified compressive strength fc ’ .
B
Maximum number of reuses will be less if pads wear, crack or split. See 7.2.

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 C1231/C1231M – 10

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FIG. 1 Example of Retaining Ring and Base Plate

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NOTE 4—Some manufacturers recommend dusting the pads and the ends of the cylinders with corn starch or talcum powder prior to testing.
7.3 Center the unbonded cap or caps on the cylinder and place the cylinder on the lower bearing block of the testing machine.
Carefully align the axis of the cylinder with the center of thrust of the testing machine by centering the upper retaining ring on
ASTMseated
the spherically seated bearing block. As the spherically C1231/C1231M-10
block is brought to bear on the upper retaining ring, rotate its
movable portion gently by hand so that uniform seating is obtained. After application of load, but before reaching 10 % of the
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anticipated specimen strength, check to see that the axis of the cylinder is vertical within a tolerance of 1⁄8 in. in 12 in. [3.2 mm
in 300 mm] and that the ends of the cylinder are centered within the retaining rings. If the cylinder alignment does not meet these
requirements, release the load, check compliance with 6.1, and carefully recenter the specimen. Reapply load and recheck
specimen centering and alignment. A pause in load application to check cylinder alignment is permissible.
7.4 Complete the load application, testing, calculation, and reporting of results in accordance with Test Method C39/C39M (see
Notes 5 and 6).
NOTE 5—Some users have reported damage to testing machines from the sudden release of energy stored in the elastomeric pads.
NOTE 6—Occasionally, unbonded capped cylinders may develop early cracking, but continue to carry increasing load. For this reason Test Method
C39/C39M requires cylinders to be loaded until it is certain that they have been compressed beyond their ultimate capacity.

8. Qualification of Unbonded Capping Systems and Verification of Reuse of Pads

8.1 Table 1 specifies the conditions under which polychloroprene (neoprene) unbonded pads must be qualified under this section
depending on the concrete strength and the Shore A hardness. Unbonded pads made of other elastomeric materials must be
qualified using the procedures in this section.
8.2 When qualification tests are required they must be made by either the supplier or user of the unbonded pads. The user of
the pads must retain a copy of the current qualification test report to demonstrate compliance with this practice. See X1.1.
8.3 The compressive strength of molded cylinders tested with unbonded caps shall be compared with that of companion
cylinders tested with ends ground or capped to meet requirements of Test Method C39/C39M and Practice C617.
8.4 To be acceptable, tests must demonstrate that at a 95 % confidence level (a = 0.05), the average strength obtained using
unbonded caps is not less than 98 % of the average strength of companion cylinders capped or ground in accordance with 8.3.
8.4.1 When required, qualification tests in accordance with 8.5 shall be made on initial use of an unbonded cap at both the
highest and lowest strength levels anticipated to establish an acceptable range of cylinder strength for use. In practice individual
cylinders shall not have strengths more than 10 % greater than the high strength level or more than 10 % less than the low strength
level qualified or specified in Table 1. Qualification tests shall be repeated whenever there is a change in the design or dimensions