Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Test Method LS-450 Rev. No.

34
Laboratory Testing Manual Date: 2020 05 15 Page 1 of 2

METHOD OF TEST FOR

DETERMINATION OF CONCRETE PAVEMENT THICKNESS
USING DRILLED CORE SPECIMENS

1. SCOPE
1.1 This method covers the procedure for determination of the thickness of a concrete pavement
or concrete base by measurement of drilled core specimens taken from the full depth of the concrete
pavement or concrete base.

2. RELEVANT DOCUMENTS
2.1 CSA A23.2-14C, Obtaining and testing drilled cores for compressive strength testing
2.2 ASTM C42/C42M, Obtaining and Testing Drilled Cores and Sawed Beams of Concrete

3. APPARATUS
3.1 The length of the cores shall be measured using either a metric metal ruler or a metric metal
tape measure.

4. TEST SPECIMENS
4.1 Cores used for length measurement shall be taken in accordance with CSA A23.2-14C.
4.2 Cores shall be taken with the axis normal to the surface of the concrete pavement or
concrete base and the ends shall be characteristic of the upper and lower surfaces of the concrete
pavement or concrete base.
4.3 The diameter of the cores shall be 100 mm.

5. PROCEDURE
5.1 Receiving and Examination of Cores
Immediately after arrival at the laboratory, the condition of each core shall be assessed and recorded
along with the core laboratory identification number, contract number, lot number, sublot number and
date and time of core arrival. Each concrete core shall be marked with a laboratory identification
number.

5.2 Thickness Measurement

5.2.1 The thickness of the concrete pavement or concrete base shall be determined based on the
length of the core representing the sublot.
5.2.2 Length measurements shall be made on the core as received; the core shall not be trimmed.
Ministry of Transportation, Ontario Test Method LS-450 Rev. No. 34
Laboratory Testing Manual Date: 2020 05 15 Page 2 of 2

5.2.3 Asphalt or cement treated open-graded drainage layer material or granular base material
may be adhered to the bottom of the core. In those cases, care must be taken to identify the limits of
actual lower concrete surface.
5.2.4 Measurement on cores shall be to the top surface of the core, not to the bottom of the
grooves in cases where the top surface of the core contains diamond grinding and a grooving
texture.
5.2.5 Measurement shall be made, either a) with the core standing on its top surface and in a
vertical position or b) with the core laid on a level surface and in a horizontal position.
5.2.6 The length of each core shall be determined by taking four measurements evenly spaced
around the circumference of the core. These measurements shall be taken at the ends of two
perpendicular diameters. The four locations where the measurements are taken shall be clearly and
permanently marked on the core, using a permanent marker. Each measurement shall be recorded
to the nearest 1 millimetre. If the measuring point coincides with a groove on the top surface of the
core, the measurement location shall be moved to the closest adjaceent point where the surface
does not contain a groove.
5.2.7 The thickness of the concrete pavement or concrete base shall be determined by averaging
the four length measurements for the core, and shall be reported to the nearest 1 millimetre.

5.3 Referee Thickness Measurement

Referee thickness measurements shall follow the procedure outlined in section 5.2. Referee
measurements shall be done at the marked locations on the core where the original measurements
were taken.

6. REPORTING OF RESULTS
The test report shall include the following information:
a Contract number, lot and sublot number, and core identification.
b Core condition upon arrival.
c Dates of core arrival and testing.
d. The individual length measurements for each core, to the nearest 1 mm.
e. Concrete pavement or concrete base thickness, to the nearest 1 mm. (average of the four
individual length measurements).