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American Concrete Institute ACI PRC-132.1-22

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TechNote

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CARE OF TEST SPECIMENS

FOR AccEPTANCE OF CoNCRETE-TEcHNOTE
Keywords: coocrattor; eugiuet.r of rt'cord (EOR); Initial curing: respo11sibi.llties; test specimens; 1esting agency.

Introduction
This TechNote discusses Lhc implications of improper procedures for curing Lest specimens at the jobsite lbat result in
strength test results tliat are not reliable for acceptance of concrete.

Question
\Vhat arc Ll1c responsibilities ror the requirements for fabricating, curing, transporting, and testing concrete test specimens
ror acceptance or concrete'?

Response
Responsibilities for providing faci lities for initial curing and care of test specimens used for acceptance testing to comply
with standards should be defined in the construction documents. Contractual and cost details among project entities should be
established and confirmed at a prcconstruction meeting to include logistics and assigned responsibility or resources and task.s.

Discu ssion
In accordance with ACI 318, compressive strength tests are used to evaluate if the concrete supplied to a project complies
with the strength-acceptance c,iteria. As required by ACI 3 18, cylindrical test specimens, standard cured in accordance with
ASTM C3 I /C3 IM, arc used for Lhis evaluation. Additionally. ACI 3 18 rcfc.rcnccs specific ASTM standards that must be followed.
The engineer of record (EOR) and the building official use compressive strength test resultS to determine if ready mixed
concrete supplied to a project complies with the streni,>th requirements stated in the specincarion . The EOR. as used herein, is
the same as licensed design professional or architect/engineer used in other /\Cl documents.
Procedures for obtain ing representative samples, molding specimens, storage and initial curing at the jobsite, transporta•
tion to the laboratory, final curing at the laboratory, preparing the test specimens. and testing the specimens at the test age
impact the reliability of strength test res,,lts. Standardized procedures are outlined in ASTM C 172/CI 72M , ASTM C3 l/C3 IM,
and ASTM C39/C39M. Confom1ing to these standardized procedures assures the reliabi lity of the test results. Certification
programs for field and laboratory testing technicians also cover these standards to ensure their knowledge and competency in
perfom1ing these procedures.
Any deviaLion from these standardized procedures may result in lower measured strengLl, test results. When compressive
strength test results fail the acceptance criteria, tl1e process of evaluation and resolution will delay the progress of the proje<:t
and may financially impact stakeholders. Concrete producers are required to establish concrete mixtures to achieve an average
sn·ength that exc.eeds the specified strength by a sufficient margin to mini1nize the probability of tests that foil the acceptance
criteria. Increasing the average strength of concrete beyond this level increases cost, works against project sustainability goals,
and can resull in unimended performance problems. Among these potential problems are difficulty in placement and finishing.
increased temperature rise. and increased potential for early- and later-age cracking. Concrete producers often increase the
strength level of concrete mixtures to avoid problems associated with acceptance testing.
One of the more critical and o ften violated testing requirements impacting compressive strength test results is the initial
curing oftest specimens at the jobsitc. ASTM C3 l/C3 IM requires Lhat, after molding, test specimens should be maintained in
a curing environment thal prevents the loss of moisture and in a temperature range or 60 lo 80°F ( 16 to 27°C). For concrete
with a spe<:ified strength exceeding 6000 psi (40 MPa), the temperature limits are 68 to 78°F (20 to 26°C). This requires a well -
maintained curing environment that will be undisturbed and can maintain a temperature within the required range for the 24• to
48-hour duration of initial curing at the project location . This often requires a source of power and clean water at the project
location, as well as jobsite security. The testing agency requires access to retrieve the specimens after the initial curing period
to transpot1 them to the laboratory for subsequent curing at1d storage. Transportation lime to the laboratory is requi,·ed to be
within 4 hours. Access to the jobsite can raise an issue when the project location is secured dul'ing weekends or holidays . Obla
et al. (2018) discuss the consequences of typical practices for the initial curing oftest specimens and suggest recommendations
ror improvement.
2 Responsibility for the Care of Test Specimens for Acceptance of Concrete-TechNote

AC/ s1a11dmrls- ACI standards address details oo acceptance testing of concrete. The. following excerpt from ACI 318
defines tl1e requirements for strenb>th tests used for acceptance of concrete, qualification of the testing agency and teclmicians,
and the distribution of test reports.

26.12-Evaluation and acceptance of hardened concrete Ref: AC! 318-19

26.12.1.J Compliance requirements:
{a) Evaluation of hardened concrete shall be based on strength tests. A strength test is the average of the compressive
strengths of at least two 6 x 12 in. cylinders or at least three 4 x 8 in. cylinders made from the same sample of concrete taken
in accordance with ASTM C 172 at rhe poi1ll of delivery, handled and standard-cured ia accordance with AS1'M C3 I, and
tested in accordance with ASTl\1 C39 at 28 days or at test age designated for f,'.

(c) The k sting agency perfom1ing acccpt,lnce testing shall comply with ASTM C l077.
(d) Cenified field-testing techn icians shall perform tests on fresh concrete at the job site. prepare specimens for standard
curing, prepare specimens for field curing. if required, and record the temperature of the fres h concrete when preparing
specimens for strengtl1 tests.
(e) Certified laboratory technicians sha Uperfom1 required laboratory tests.
(t) All repo11s of acceptance tests shall be provided to the licensed design professional, contractor, concrete producer, and,
if requested, to the owner and the building official.

AC I 301 is a reference speciiic<ttion directed to the contractor. It recognizes that the contractor maintains control over the
project site and includes these requirements.

1.7-Testing and Inspection Ref: ACI 301-20

1.7.2 Qua/Ny control: Duties and responsibilities of Contractor
l.7.2.2(a) Provide Owner's te$ting agency with access to project s ite or to source of materials to perfon11 testing and
inspection activities and assist Owner's testing agency in obtaining and handlins samples at project site or at source of
materials. Provide Owner's testing agency with requested documentation.

1.7.2.2(c) Provide secure location and sou,·ces of water and electrical power on project site acceptable to Owner's testing
agency for initial curillg of concrete strength test specimens as required by ASTM C3 I/C3 IM.

ACI 30 I cannot direct mandatory information to the Owner or representatives (the Owner's testing agency) but states the
responsibiljties in non mandatory language and is consistent with d1ose stated in ACI 318:

Ref: AC! 30 1-20

I. 7.3 Quality assurance: Duties and responsibilities qf Owner$ testing agency
I. 7.3.3(d) For each concrete mixture cast in I day, obtain samples of fresh concrete in accordance witl1 ASTM C 172/
C l 72M ....
Sampled concrete used to mold strength test specimens (ASTM C31/C31M) will be tested for slump (ASTM C l43/
C l43M) or slump flow (ASTM C l61 I/Cl6llM). air content (ASTM C231/C23 IM or ASTM C l 73/CI 73M), temperarure
(ASTM C I 064/C 1064M). and density (ASTM C 138/C 138M).
1.7.3.J(c) Owner's testing agency will conduct concrete sU'engtb tests by making and standard curilig test specimens in
accordance witl1 ASTM C3 I /C3 I1vl and testing them according 10 ASTM C39/C39M. Unless otberwise specified, concrete
strength test specimens for acceptance will be tested at 28 days.

ACI 3 11.6 can be used as the basis of a contract between the Owner and the testing agency. These arc excerpts from this
specification related to the initial cu,ing of specimens at the jobsite and in formation Lhat should be included in the test re1>0rts.

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 Responsibility for the Care of Test Specimens for Acceptance of Concrete-TechNote 3

Ref: ACT 31 1.6-18

2.S-Curing of strength test specimens
2.5.l Initial curi11g-Owner or Owner's representative will provide and maintain adequate facilities on the project site for
initial storage and curing of the concrete specimens, unless otherwise specified. Specimens shall be stored under conditions
1l1a1 meet tbe requirements ofASTM C3 l/C3 1M and shall be verified by Testing Agency. Such storage shall have temperature
controls to maintain ASTM C3 I/C3 IM temperature requirements. Calibrated tcmperatLLre recording devices shall be used to
record daily maximum and minimum tcmpCrJturC$ Qf the. initial curing cnvir<mment.

3.3-Report information
Reports shall include items from 3.3.1 through 3.3.12. and infonnation required by ASTM standards referenced in 2.3:
3.3.1 Project name
3.3.2 Client name
3.3.3 Concrete supplier
3.3.4 Dace and time of sampLing and field testiog
3.3.5 Daces that strength test specimens w ill be tested
3.J.6 Name of field and lab-Oratory technicians and certification numbers
3.3. 7 Delivery truck number. ticket, mixture designation, and locations of sampling
3.3.8 Results of air content, tempe,Jture, slump, and de11sity (unit weight) tests
3.3.9 Specified compressive streng1l1 of concrete and die designated test age
3.3.10 Location of placement represented by 1l1e strength test specimeos
3.3.11 Location of sampled concrete within the placement
3.3.12 Report curing method and maxi1nw11 and minimum temperaturesof 1l1e curillg environment during the initial curing
period

Responsibilities-There arc different responsibilities between Owners and their representatives (EOR), contractors, and
testing agencies on a project. Details related 10 specimen preparation, curi ng, testing, and distribution of Lest results should
be coordinated aod agreed upon prior to construction to ensure that acceptance testing activities are perfon11ed reliably. ll1e
concrete producer is held responsible for complying witJ1 the project's requirements based on tJ1ese test results.
The EOR should ensure that:
a) Responsibility for initial curing is defined in the construction documents.
b) The testing agency selected for quality assurance complies with ASTM Cl077.
c) Test reports include the reporting requirements of AST/vi C3 I/C31M and CJ9/C39/vl and ocher details needed to identify
the location where concrete was placed.
The contractor who has responsibility for the project s ite should:
a) Schedule a prcconstruction meeting lo discuss and confirm details of responsibility for providing the resources and main-
taining test specimens in conformance with ASTM C3 I/CJ IM.
b) lo fonn the testing agency about the anticipated placement schedule.
c) Notify the testing agency at least I business day in advance of the scheduled placement.
d) Provide a secure location, water, and continuous power for initial curing of test specimens as defined in the c-0nstt11ction
documems.
e) J.fthe contract requires, provide and maintain an enclosed facility on the pl'oject s ite for storage and initial curing oftest
specimens.
t) Assist the cesting agency with access to placement location and rcsO\irces as needed to obtain samples for quality assurance
tests.
g) Provide access 10 the project s ite to retr ieve test specimens for transportation 10 U1e laboratory.
The testing agency should:
a) Obtain representative samples and cast, cure, transport, and test concrete in accordance with ASTM C 172/C 172M, C3 I/
C3 IM , and C39/C39M.
b) Store strength test specimens without moisture loss and within the temperature range stated in ASTM C31/C31M. If
con!J'acted to perfonn tests at the jobsite and make strength test specimens. the testing agency should ensure that the initial
curing of test specimens complies with the temperature limits and moisture-retention requirements of ASTM C3 l/C3 I ~1.
If chis requires tl1e use of special facilities and other equipmenc, chis cost should be included in the bid for testing services.
Verify compliance with these requirements if the contracror is responsible for complying with the initial cu11 ng requirements
of ASTM C3 I/C3 I M in the contract.
c) Record and report tbe details of the sampling and testing in accordance with ASTM C3 I/C3 IM and C39/C39M. This
should also include a record of the temperature range of the i11itial curing environment used to store test specimens at the project
site. This information is essential if test results fail the acceptance criteria to determine and correct causes for sn·ength problems
with minimal loss in proj°ect time:··
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4 Responsibility for the Care of Test Specimens for Acceptance of Concrete-TechNote

d) Ensure that all repofts of quality assurance tests are provided in a tin1ely manner to the engine.er, contractor. concrete
producer, and other stakeholders decided at a preconstruction meeting. The producer can use compressive strength test results
to take COITective action when test results are trending low. The complete test record from a project is used as the basis to
develop concrete mixtures for future projects. It is thereby important that test results acc1u·at.ely represent the quality and vari-
ability of concrete supplied.

Summary
This TechNote discusses the responsibilities associated with acceptance testing of concrete delivered to projects. The engi-
neer of record (EOR) should address responsibility for the injtial curing of test specimens in consnuction documents and verify
that acceptance testing conforms to the referenced standards. The contractor should facilitate a preconstrnction meeting 10
define responsibilities and provide the necessary resources to the testing agency to facilitate the initial curing oftes1specimens
at the jobsite or as required in construction documents. The tesling agency has a direct or an indireel contract with the Owner
to perform acceptance testing on the concrete. The testing agency is responsible for ensuring conformance with all applicable
sampling and testing standards details. The task of pcrfo,m ing the 1esrs and ensuring conformance io the standards should be
the responsibility of the entity that is paid to do this.

References
Americtm CfJncrele Institute
AC! 301-20-Specifications for Concrete Construction
ACI 3 116- 18- Spt'Cifiea1ion for Testing Ready Mixed Concrete
AC[ 3 18- 19-Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary

AST,14 International
AST!vl C3 I/C3 11vl-2 l a-Standard Practice for Making and Curing Concrete•Test Specimens in the Field
ASTM C39/C391vl-2 1- Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens
ASTM Cl 72/C I72M-1 7- Standard Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete
ASTM C I077-17-Standard Practice for Agencies Tes1ing Concrete and Concrete Aggregates for Use in Consrruc1ion and
Criteria for Testing Agency Evaluation

Authored documents
Obla. K. II .; Werner, 0 . R. ; Hausfeld, J. L.; J\1acDonald, K. A.; Moody, G. D. ; and Carino, N. J., 2018, "v\lho Is Watching
Out for the Cyli nders?" Concrete !111enw1io11al, V. 40, No. 8. Aug., pp. 28-35.

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 Responsibility for the Care of Test Specimens for Acceptance of Concrete-Tech Note 5

Reported by ACI Committee 132

James M. Casilio, Chair Julie K. Bu/fenbarger, Secretary
Casimir J. Bognacki \Villiam M. Klom1an \Voodward L. Vogt
Boyd A. Clark C-0lin L. Lobo Michelle L. Wilson
Ne{) M. Cleland Kevin A. MacDonald
Jeffrey \\/. Coleman W. Calvin McCall Consulting Members
James R. Harris Lauren G. McCauley Eldon G. Tipping
Chad B. Hensley Todd Ohlheiser Amy M. Reineke Trygestad
Cecil L. Jones Michael J. Schneider

ACI Tec.hN01es are intended for reterenc\!' for the design and -:-onstruetion of c-0ncre1e s1ructures. This document is j111cnded for th~ use of i1ldividua.ls who
nrc compc1c111 10 evaluate the significance and limitations of i1s conten1and who will accept responsibility for the npplication of 1hc infonna1ion it co1Jh1ins.
The Ame rican Concrc1c lnslitu te disclaims any a nd all responsibility for lhc accurucy <>f the content and :-ha ll not be liable for any loss or damage a rising
1herefrom. Rtference. 10 lhis documenl sha11 nol be made in contract doc1Jn'tc111s.

ACI f>RC-132.1 -22 was adopted and published July 2022.

Copyriglu C 2022. ,<\merican Concrete Institute.

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