ASTM

A SUMMARY OF PUBLISHED ASTM STANDARDS FOR DIMENSION STONE AND ROOFING SLATE
 Extracted with permission from ASTM-C18, copyright American Society for Testing and Material, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken PA 19428 - USA.
 A complete copy of the standards may be purchased from ASTM, phone: (1-610) 832-9585, fax: (1-610) 832-9555, email: service@astm.org, website: www.astm.org
Material Specifications
 • C406 - Roofing slate: this specification covers the material characteristics, physical requirements, and sampling appropriate to the selection of slate for use as roof shingles. Slates not included in this specification are those containing soft carbonaceous ribbons. The wide variation in physical properties and composition of such ribbon slates render their service life uncertain under some conditions of use.
 • C503 - Marble (exterior): this specification covers the material characteristics, physical requirements, and sampling appropriate to the selection of marble for general (exterior) building and structural purposes. Dimension marble shall include stone that is sawed, cut, split, or otherwise finished or shaped, and shall specifically exclude molded, cast, or otherwise artificially aggregated units composed of fragments, and also crushed and broken stone.
 • C568 - Limestone: this specification covers the material characteristics, physical requirements, and sampling appropriate to the selection of limestone for general building and structural purposes. Dimension limestone shall include stone that is sawed, cut, split, or otherwise finished or shaped, and shall specifically exclude molded, cast, or otherwise artificially aggregated units of composed fragments, and also crushed and broken stone.
 • C615 - Granite: this specification covers the material characteristics, physical requirements, and sampling appropriate to the selection of granite for general building and structural purposes. Granite dimension stone shall include stone that is sawed, cut, split, or otherwise finished or shaped, and shall specifically exclude molded, cast, or otherwise artificially aggregated units composed of fragments, crushed and broken stone.
 • C616 - Quartz-based: this specification covers the material characteristics, physical requirements, and sampling appropriate to the selection of quartz-based dimension stone for general building and structural purposes. Quartz-based dimension stone shall include stone that is sawed, cut, split, or otherwise finished or shaped, and shall specifically exclude molded, cast, or otherwise artificially aggregated units composed of fragments, and also crushed and broken stone.
 • C629 - Slate: this specification covers the material characteristics, physical requirements, and sampling appropriate to the selection of slate for general building and structural purposes. Dimension slate shall include stone that is sawed, cut, split, or otherwise finished or shaped, and shall specifically exclude molded, cast, or otherwise artificially aggregated units composed of fragments, and also crushed and broken stone. It specifically excludes roofing slate (see ASTM Specification C 406, for Roofing Slate), and slate for industrial uses.
TEST METHODS
ASTM
 • C67 - Freeze-Thaw: these test methods cover procedures for the sampling and testing of brick and structural clay tile. Although not necessarily applicable to all types of units, tests include modulus of rupture, compressive strength, absorption, saturation coefficient, effect of freezing and thawing, efflorescence, initial rate of absorption and determination of weight, size, warpage, length change, and void area. (Additional methods of test pertinent to ceramic glazed facing tile are included in Specification C 126.) The text of this standard references notes and footnotes which provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes (excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered as requirements of the standard. The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
 • C97 - Absorption and Bulk Specific Gravity of dimension stone: these test methods cover the tests for determining the absorption and bulk specific gravity of all types of dimension stone, except slate. The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
 • C99 - Modulus of Rupture of dimension stone: this test method covers the determination of the modulus of rupture of all types of dimension stone except slate.
 • C120 - Flexure Testing of slate (Modulus of Rupture, Modulus of Elasticity: these test methods cover determination of the modulus of rupture and modulus of elasticity of slate by means of flexure tests.
 • C121 - Water Absorption of slate: this test method covers the determination of the water absorption of slate.
 • C170 - Compressive Strength of dimension stone: this test method covers the sampling, preparation of specimens, and determination of the compressive strength of dimension stone. This standard may involve hazardous materials, operations, and equipment.
 • C190 - Tensile Strength: this test has been discontinued by ASTM, with no current replacement.
 • C217 - Weather Resistance of slate: this test method covers two procedures for weather resistance of slate in all outdoor installations by determining the depth of softening by an abraser or by hand scraping. The test is based on the fact that slates containing pyrite, calcite, and carbon undergo a chemical weathering which results in the conversion of the calcite particles to gypsum.
 The swelling action that results causes disintegration of the slate. The extent of this action on various slates in the test has been found to correlate with the durability of the materials in actual weathering.
 • C241 - Abrasion Resistance of stone subjected to foot traffic: this test method covers the determination of the abrasion resistance of all types of stones for floors, steps, and similar uses where the wear is caused by the abrasion of foot traffic.
 • C348 - Flexural Strength: this test method covers the determination of the flexural strength of hydraulic-cement mortars. The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values shown in parentheses are for information only.
 • C482 - Shear Strength: this test method covers the determination of the ability of glazed ceramic wall tile, ceramic mosaic tile, quarry tile, and pavers to be bonded to Portland cement. This test method includes both face-mounted and back-mounted tile. The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only. This standard may involve hazardous materials, operations, and equipment.
 • C513 - Compressive Strength: this test method covers obtaining, preparing, and testing specimens of hardened, lightweight, insulating concrete having an oven-dry weight not exceeding 50 lb/ft (800 kg/m). The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. This standard may involve hazardous materials, operations, and equipment.
 • C880 - Flexural Strength of dimension stone: this test method covers the procedure for determining the flexural strength of stone by use of a simple beam using quarter-point loading. Stone tests shall be made when pertinent for the situation when the load is perpendicular to the bedding plane and when the load is parallel to the bedding plane. As required, the flexural tests shall also be conducted under wet conditions. The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
 • C1201 - Structural Performance of exterior dimension stone cladding systems by uniform static air pressure difference: this test method covers the determination of the structural performance of dimension stone cladding systems under positive and negative uniform static air pressure differences, using a test chamber. The proper use of this test method requires knowledge of the principles of pressure and deflection measurement. This test method describes the apparatus and the procedure to be used for applying either specific test loads or unknown ultimate values of uniformity distributed test loads to a specimen. Procedure A shall be used when deflections at maximum load only are required. Procedure B shall be used when a load-deflection curve is required. The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The SI (metric) units given in parentheses are for information only and may be approximate.
 • C1352 - Flexural Modulus of Elasticity of dimension stone: this test method covers the procedure for determining the flexural modulus of elasticity of stone by using a simple beam with quarter-point loading. Stone tests may be made with load applied perpendicular to the bedding plane or rift and with load applied parallel to the bedding plane or rift. Stone tests may be made for wet and dry specimen conditions. The Specifies of the test shall determine which conditions shall be used. The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.
 • C1353 - Test method using the Taber Abraser for Abrasion Resistance of dimension stone subjected to foot traffic: this test method covers the establishment of an index of abrasion resistance by determination of loss of weight resulting from abrasion of dimension stone as described in Terminology C 119 and is modeled after Test Method C 501. The values stated in metric units are to be regarded as the standard. This test method makes use of a Taber abraser machine to determine the weight loss of dimension stone under controlled conditions. This test method is useful in indicating the differences in abrasion resistance between the various dimension stones. This test method provides one element in comparing stones of the same type.
 • C1354 - Strength of individual Stone Anchorages in dimension Stone: this test method provides procedures for determining the ultimate strength of an assembly consisting of stone with mechanical anchor (anchorage). Load is applied, separately, perpendicular to the surface of the panel and parallel to the surface of the panel, this test is intended to represent the interaction of the anchor with the stone panel. However, influence of the backup structure on the strength of the assemblies is not included. This method is applicable to stone panels supported by mechanical anchors. The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard.
 • D5335 - Linear Coefficient of Thermal Expansion: this test method covers the laboratory determination of the linear (one-dimensional) coefficient of thermal expansion of rock using bonded electric resistance strain gages. This test method is applicable for unconfined pressure conditions over the temperature range from 68 to 500°F (20 to 260°C).
 Note 1- Unconfined tests performed at elevated temperatures may alter the mineralogy or grain structure of the test specimen. This alteration may change the physical and thermal properties of the test specimen.
 Note 2- The strain gages are mounted with epoxy. Most commercially available high temperature epoxies require elevated temperature curing. The elevated temperature required for this curing may alter the physical and thermal properties of the test specimen. Epoxy should be selected based upon the maximum expected test temperature. Room temperature curing epoxy should be used whenever possible. The test specimens may be either saturated or dry.
 If saturated specimens are used, then the test temperature must be at least 5°C less than the boiling point of the saturating fluid in order to minimize vaporization of the fluid.
 Note 3- When testing a saturated specimen, the moisture content of the specimen may change unless special precautions are taken to encapsulate the test specimen. Refer to 7.4.
 For satisfactory results in conformance with this test method, the principles governing the size, construction, and use of the apparatus described in this test method should be followed. If the results are to be reported as having been obtained by this test method, then all pertinent requirements prescribed in this test method shall be met. It is not practicable in a test method of this type to aim to establish details of construction and procedure to cover all contingencies that might offer difficulties to a person without technical knowledge concerning the theory of heat flow, temperature measurement, and general testing practices. Standardization of this test method does not reduce the need for such technical knowledge. It is recognized also that it would be unwise, because of the standardization of this test method, to resist in any way the further development of improved or new methods or procedures by research workers.
 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The SI units given in parentheses are for information only.
 • F489 - Surface Friction: this test method covers laboratory measurement of the dry static coefficient of friction of shoe sole and heel materials on controlled walking surfaces and under controlled conditions. It is recognized that certain contaminants and conditions may alter results. Note-See Test Method D2047 for information on measurement of the static coefficient of friction of floor surfaces for the James Machine. The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for information only.