Standardization News

ASTM International’s concrete and concrete aggregates committee (C09) approved a new standard that will be used to evaluate the performance of floor patching and skim coating compounds. These compounds, which contain hydraulic cement, are used to improve the levelness, smoothness, and flatness of existing floors.

The new standard will soon be published as C1933/C1933M.

“The purpose of this method is to define what the industry believes are the best test methods to evaluate the performance of these materials,” says ASTM member Charles Alt, S&T team leader at Imerys Norfolk. “Performing the test methods described in this standard would give the end user a good understanding of the technical properties of floor patching and skim coating compounds and could also make comparison testing with other materials produced by different suppliers.”

“Being able to select better performing materials leads to less waste on the job site and a better long-term durability for the end user, thus creating a longer life cycle,” says Alt.

Alt notes that once the standard is published, the committee will begin running an interlaboratory study to evaluate the repeatability and reproducibility of the methods using this material. Interested laboratories are invited to participate in this study.

This effort directly relates to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #12 on responsible consumption and production.