Standardization News

Knowing that the floor beneath you is safe is something most of us take for granted. A proposed new ASTM International standard, will help people who have to think about, and test for, floor safety all the time.

The proposed new standard is WK47030, Practice for Evaluating Concrete Floor Systems to Receive Resilient Flooring.

The World Floor Covering Association and the Floor Covering Installation Contractors Association have endorsed the concept of concrete dryness testing and slab evaluation, as performed by third party agencies. Once WK47030 has been approved, it can be specified in construction documents or contacts as a way to require such third party testing.

WK47030 will cover the evaluation of a concrete slab system that is intended to covered with resilient flooring. It features a review of concrete floor slab design and construction documents to ensure compatibility with specified floor covering and adhesive manufacturers' requirements.

"The intent of this practice is to collect all pertinent data and expose conflict before a failure happens," says ASTM member George Donnelly, George Donnelly Testing and Inspections. Donnelly further notes that, depending on when the review required by WK47030 is conducted, the results could affect design criteria before construction, eliminating conflicts that would cause problems later.

The review could also occur during construction, but after concrete placement. In this case, the review could expose potential issues, allowing design and construction professionals to make adjustments in the current work that will prevent floor system failures.

"The ultimate intent of WK47030 is that someone, regardless of where they're at in design or construction, can have all pertinent data and documents in a comprehensive document that notes any and all discrepancies or conflicts between what the concrete contractor has been assigned to do versus the needs of a floor covering system," says Donnelly.

WK47030 is being developed by Subcommittee F06.40 on Practices, part of ASTM International Committee F06 on Resilient Floor Coverings. All interested parties are encouraged to join in the ongoing development of WK47030.

CONTACT Technical Information: George Donnelly, George Donnelly Testing and Inspections • Phone: 501-915-0626 | ASTM Staff: Stephen Mawn • Phone: 610-832-9726 | Upcoming Meeting: May 20-21, 2015 • Clearwater, Fla.