Underground Infrastructure - March 2023 - 33

EDITION 81 | MAR 2023 | NASSCO.ORG
* ASTM C267 - Standard Test Methods for
Chemical Resistance of Mortars
* ASTM D790 - Flexural Properties of Unreinforced
and Reinforced Plastics
Specifications that include these standards require
a basic understanding of the information
contained therein:
ASTM F2551 is a " Standard Specification " which
lists most of the requirements that would need to
be included in a manhole rehabilitation
specification. This includes sections and details
on Materials, Surface Preparation, Cleaning,
Installation, Curing, and QC Sampling. On a
municipal specification, one can reference and
include the specification accepting all the
requirements contained therein. It will simplify and
provide a common specification based on industry
accepted practices.
Not all standards are the same and C267 is a great
example. It specifies test methods for chemical
resistance of mortars but only defines the outline of
how to test.
But just specifying the standard will not result in
consistent testing between manufacturers. There
are three methods (A-C) in the standard, all of
which will give greatly varying value. The method is
generically for cements, falling under the jurisdiction
of Sub Committee D01.46 on Industrial Protective
Coatings. The method isn't specifically designed
for sewer chemicals, and in fact, doesn't provide
any standard chemical test and generally treats all
chemicals the same. Because the standard
doesn't provide guidance on the specific pH or the
concentration of a chemical to be used (e.g.,
sulfuric acid) many manufacturers have performed
the test but at different concentration levels. This
multiplicity can create confusion to the specifier.
In any specification you should always state that
the most recent version should be used which can
always be checked on their website.
Test Method Standards like C109, C267 and
D790 can require more work by the specifier.
C109 require a listed number of tests, timing and
curing process as well as specifying the minimum
strength accepted by the engineer. The same
goes for standard like D790 where the specifier
must understand how the plastic was cured to
understand the test results properly.
Including ASTM standards in your specification is
critical to getting the project installed as one wants
but understanding the details in the standard are
critical to making sure the design engineer doesn't
get surprised when the outcome doesn't meet the
expectation. If one wants to get involved in the
process, the two most relevant committees for
underground utilities are F17 (plastic pipes) and F36
(Technology and Underground Utilities).
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Underground Infrastructure - March 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Underground Infrastructure - March 2023
