Underground Infrastructure - March 2023 - 32

UNDERSTANDING AND USING ASTM
STANDARDS IN YOUR SPECFICATIONS
By NASSCO Pipe Rehabilitation Committee Member Joe Royer, PhD, Vice
President of R&D at Critica Infrastructure
Nearly every municipal project specification
contains a reference section detailing a variety of
ASTM standards that are critical to the material
performance, installation performance, and quality
control of most products and projects. To many in
the engineering field, this list of references can be
somewhat confusing and require detailed
understanding to make sure one is using the
correct standard for the product or process that is
being specified.
ASTM International, formerly known as American
Society for Testing and Materials, is a global leader
in developing voluntary consensus standards used
by individuals, companies, and other institutions
around the world. ASTM is made up of over 30,000
volunteer members from more than 140 countries.
The organization meets the criteria for international
standards developing organizations as set forth by
the World Trade Organization.
For those who are not members, it is informative to
understand how an ASTM Standard is developed.
There are six types of standards, but in NASSCO
applicable markets the three most important are:
Test Methods, Specifications and Guide.
* Test Method Standards are defined procedures
that generate test results. Examples include
identification, measurement, and evaluation of one
or more qualities, characteristics, or properties.
* Specification Standards are requirements that
must be met by a material, product, system, or
service. The specification identifies test methods
for determining whether each requirement is met.
* Guide Standards are collections of information or
series of options that do not recommend specific
courses of action. They generally inform people of
the knowledge and approaches being taken in
given subject areas.
For an ASTM Standard to be adopted it requires
both a unanimous positive vote (i.e., all negative
votes must be addressed or voted down by a
separate ballot) by both a sub and main committee,
with at least 60% of the committee returning ballots
(90% must be positive, 10% can be abstaining).
In the NASSCO Manhole Rehabilitation Guideline
Specification an example of the standards
referenced include:
* ASTM F2551 - Standard Practice for Installing a
Protective Cementitious Liner System in Sanitary
Sewer Manholes
* ASTM C109 - Standard Method for
Compressive Strength of Hydraulic Cement
Mortars (Cubes)
Underground Infrastructure - March 2023

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