Designation: C 1506 – 03

Standard Test Method for

Water Retention of Hydraulic Cement-Based Mortars and
Plasters1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 1506; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 4. Significance and Use

1.1 This test method provides for the determination of water 4.1 This test method provides a means for determining the
retention of hydraulic cement-based mortars and plasters. ability of mortars and plasters to retain water under suction.
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the Test results may be used to determine compliance with
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the specifications.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- 4.2 The results obtained using this test method can be used
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- to compare the relative ability of mortars and plasters to retain
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. (Warning—Fresh water under suction.
hydraulic cementitious mixtures are caustic and may cause 4.3 The results obtained using this test method for masonry
chemical burns to skin and tissue upon prolonged exposure.)2 mortars do not necessarily indicate the degree of water
retention when used with masonry units, since the amount of
2. Referenced Documents water absorbed by the unit depends on the rate of absorption of
2.1 ASTM Standards: the masonry unit.
C 109/C 109M Test Method for Compressive Strength of 4.4 The results obtained using this test method for plasters
Hydraulic Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or 50-mm Cube (stucco) do not necessarily indicate the degree of water
Specimens)3 retention when the plaster is applied as a second coat on the
C 185 Test Method for Air Content of Hydraulic Cement surface of a previously applied plaster base coat, since the
Mortar3 amount of water absorbed from the second coat of plaster
C 230 Specification for Flow Table for Use in Tests of depends on the rate of absorption of the base coat. This is also
Hydraulic Cement3 true when a plaster is applied as a coating on masonry units.
C 305 Practice for Mechanical Mixing of Hydraulic Cement
Pastes and Mortars of Plastic Consistency3 5. Apparatus
C 670 Practice Preparing Precision and Bias Statements for 5.1 Tamper, conforming to Test Method C 109/C 109M.
Test Methods for Construction Materials4 5.2 Straightedge, conforming to Test Method C 185.
C 1437 Test Method for Flow of Hydraulic Cement Mortar3 5.3 Flow Table, conforming to Specification C 230.
5.4 Mixing Apparatus, conforming to the requirements pre-
3. Summary of Test Method scribed in Practice C 305.
3.1 The flow of the mortar or plaster is determined. The 5.5 Filtration Assembly, an apparatus essentially as shown
mortar or plaster is then subjected to a controlled vacuum in Fig. 1 shall be used. This apparatus consists of a perforated
suction for 60 s, after which the flow is again determined. The dish resting on a funnel, which is connected by a three-way
water retention is the final flow divided by the initial flow stopcock to a vacuum flask, to which a controlled vacuum is
expressed as a percentage. applied. The perforated dish shall be made of metal not
attacked by masonry mortar or plaster (Note 1). The metal base
of the dish shall have a thickness of 2.0 6 0.3 mm and shall
1
conform to the requirements given in Fig. 1. The stopcock bore
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C01 on Cement
and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C01.22 on Workability. shall have a 4.0 6 0.5-mm diameter, and the connecting glass
Current edition approved Jan. 10, 2003. Published February 2003. Originally tubing shall have a minimum inside diameter of 4 mm. The
approved in 2001. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as C 1506–01.
2
length of the tubing projecting into the 1-L flask from the
Section on Safety, Manual of Cement Testing, Annual Book of ASTM
Standards, Vol 04.01.
stopcock shall extend at least 25 mm below the center line of
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.01. the vacuum connection. The contact surfaces of the funnel and
4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02. perforated dish shall be plane and may need to be lapped to

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 C 1506 – 03

NOTE—The gasket is to be synthetic rubber. The stopcock and the bore of the tubing shall be at least 4-mm. A check valve or water trap, or both, is
suggested for the connection to the vacuum source.
FIG. 1 Apparatus Assembly for the Water-Retention Test

ensure intimate contact. An airtight seal shall be maintained funnel may be lightly coated with petroleum or light grease to
between the funnel and the dish during the test. This shall be ensure a seal between the funnel and dish. Care should be taken
accomplished by either of the following procedures. (1) A to ensure that none of the holes in the perforated dish become
synthetic (grease-resistant) rubber gasket may be permanently clogged. Hardened, smooth, not rapid filter paper shall be used.
sealed to the top of the funnel using petrolatum or light grease It shall be 150 mm in diameter and be placed so as to
to ensure a seal between the gasket and dish. (2) The top of the completely cover the perforations in the dish.

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 C 1506 – 03
NOTE 1—Stainless steel, brass, and bronze are suitable metals for this top of the dish. Strike-off the material to a plane surface flush
purpose. with the rim of the dish with the straightedge held in a
5.6 Controlled Vacuum Source: perpendicular position; using a sawing motion, draw the
5.6.1 A vacuum gage capable of reading at least 9-kPa straightedge across half of the surface of the dish; repeat the
pressure in 0.1-kPa increments (Note 2 and Note 3), connected procedure on the other half of the unfinished surface. If the
to a miniature vacuum regulator having a maximum 55-kPa material is pulled away from the side of the dish during the
capacity, which is then connected to a vacuum pump or water process of drawing the straightedge across the dish, gently
aspirator as shown in Fig. 1. Connection is made between the press the material back into contact with the side of the dish
vacuum flask and the vacuum gage. using the tamper. Complete the entire filling and strike-off
operation in not more than 2 min.
NOTE 2—Vacuum values are all given as pressure relative to atmo-
spheric pressure.
9.4 Application of Vacuum to Mortar or Plaster—Turn the
NOTE 3—Gages reading pressure in other units are acceptable as long stopcock to apply the vacuum to the funnel. After suction for
as their capacity and scale increments comply with the levels specified 60 s, quickly turn the stopcock to expose the funnel to
here. (For example, a vacuum gage with a minimum capacity of 70 mm atmospheric pressure.
of Hg in 1-mm increments is acceptable. To convert mm of Hg to kPa, 9.5 Determination of Flow After Suction—Immediately
multiply by 0.1333. Thus the 7.0-kPa starting pressure is equivalent to slide the perforated dish off the funnel, touch the bottom of the
53-mm Hg.)
dish momentarily on a damp cloth to remove droplets of water.
6. Temperature and Humidity Set the dish on a work table, plow and mix the mortar or plaster
for 15 s, with the rubber scraper prescribed in Practice C 305.
6.1 The temperature of the mixing room and the room
Determine the flow in accordance with Test Method C 1437.
containing the water retention apparatus shall be maintained at
Remove the vacuum and complete the flow test in less than 2
23.0 6 4.0°C. The relative humidity of the air shall not be less
min.
than 50 %.
10. Calculation
7. Materials
10.1 Calculate the water retention value for the mortar or
7.1 The composition of the mortar or plaster to be tested for plaster as follows:
water retention shall be that described in the specification of
the material being considered, or that desired. Water retention, % 5 ~A/B! 3 100

where:
8. Mixing of Mortar and Plaster
A = flow after suction, and
8.1 The mortar or plaster to be tested for water retention B = flow immediately after initial mixing.
shall be mixed as specified in the section on Procedure for Report to the nearest 1 %.
Mixing Mortars of Practice C 305, or as described in the
specification for the material being considered. 11. Precision and Bias
11.1 Precision—The following precision values were cal-
9. Procedure culated from results of tests reported to Cement and Concrete
9.1 Preparation of Apparatus—Adjust the vacuum to 7.0 6 Reference Laboratory (CCRL) for masonry cement proficiency
0.4 kPa (Note 2). Seat the perforated dish on the greased gasket samples Number 3 through 42 (Note 4). Within- and among-
or greased rim of the funnel. Place a wetted filter paper in the laboratory standard deviations were calculated by CCRL for
bottom of the dish. Turn the stopcock to apply the vacuum to each sample pair. Values were pooled over all 40 samples for
the funnel and check the apparatus for leaks and to determine purposes of this analysis. Water retention test results (exclud-
that the required vacuum is obtained. Then turn the stopcock to ing outliers) ranged from 72 to 88 %. The average number of
shut off the vacuum from the funnel. laboratories reporting was 69.
9.2 Determination of Flow—Determine the flow in accor-
NOTE 4—These tests utilized a slightly different test pressure, 6.7 6 0.4
dance with Test Method C 1437. kPa (50 6 0.3 mm Hg).
9.3 Preparation of Mortar or Plaster Bed—Immediately
after making the flow test, return the mortar or plaster on the 11.1.1 Single-laboratory Precision—The single-laboratory
flow table to the mixing bowl and remix the entire batch for 15 standard deviation has been found to be 3.5 % (Note 5).
s at medium speed. Immediately after remixing, fill the Therefore, the results of two properly conducted tests in the
perforated dish with the material to slightly above the rim. same laboratory on the same material should not differ by more
Tamp 15 times with the tamper. Apply ten of the tamping than 9.8 % (Note 5) in 95 % of such pairwise comparisons.
strokes at approximately uniform spacing adjacent to the rim of 11.1.2 Multilaboratory Precision—The multilaboratory
the dish, and with the long axis of the tamping face held at right standard deviation has been found to be 5.1 % (Note 5).
angles to the radius of the dish. Apply the remaining five Therefore, the results of two properly conducted tests in
tamping strokes at random points distributed over the central different laboratories on the same material should not differ by
area of the dish. Use just enough tamping pressure to fill the more than 14.3 % (Note 5) in 95 % of such pairwise compari-
dish with the top of the material extending slightly above the sons.
rim. Smooth off the material by drawing the flat side of the NOTE 5—These numbers represent, respectively, the 1s and d2s limits
straightedge (with the leading edge slightly raised) across the as described in Practice C 670.

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 C 1506 – 03
11.2 Bias—Since there is no accepted reference material 12. Keywords
suitable for determining bias in this test method, no statement
12.1 hydraulic cement; mortar; plaster; water retention
on bias is being made.

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