Astm C 478

Why a Precaster's Best Friend is the ASTM Standard | Precast Magazines

The long history of ASTM International proves that its standards are the basis for settling disputes over product performance and testing.

By Claude Goguen, P.E.

Picture this: A sunny day along Maryland’s Atlantic coast grows warmer as an upset homeowner nervously listens to a serious discussion among the local inspector, her defensive project designer and a concerned precast producer. Standing around a recent excavation, their discussion grows into a heated argument over the architect’s demand for an on-site watertightness test on the precast concrete septic tank for the owner’s $2 million oceanfront home. The wealthy homeowner has the ability to pay for the best septic treatment system money can buy, but she can’t decide whom among the sparring trio to believe.

The stressed-out homeowner feels that the plumbing inspector, who says testing isn’t necessary, should know the regulations involved, but her designer insists that he is looking out for her best interests in demanding that the precaster run an on-site hydrostatic test to see if the tank leaks. That sort of test would delay backfilling of the tank for another day. How does the precaster resolve the situation to the satisfaction of all involved?

More to the point, how have designers, engineers, architects, consumers, producers, scientists and regulators resolved critical product testing and performance issues for the last century in a way that stands up to legal examination? The answer is: through a transparent, representative and consensus-derived agreement. In other words, an ASTM standard. In the septic-tank testing dispute just described, the precaster refers to ASTM Standard C1227 – 09, “Standard Specification for Precast Concrete Septic Tanks” and saves the day, because his products already comply with the vacuum-testing requirements in Section 9 of the standard. This section allows for two methods of testing for leakage: vacuum testing and hydrostatic testing. The vacuum test he performed satisfies the performance criteria; therefore, backfilling the tank can proceed.

Disagreement makes for good standards Producers, designers and owners (or consumers) come from different perspectives regarding products; their inherent needs are different, and so they are naturally going to disagree. In developing an ASTM standard, contrasting product viewpoints are represented; in fact, in all ASTM product committees, diversity in representation is mandatory. The frequently opposing viewpoints on ASTM product committees are the necessary ingredient for creating a consensus standard that will be found reliable and balanced in a given industry.

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