STANDARDS

(Photo: Socotec.)

Assessment of in-situ concrete

strength – revised BS EN 13791
and BS EN 12504-1
On 14 January 2020, BSI published a revised BS EN 13791(1) Assessment of compressive
strength in structures and precast concrete component (effective from February 2020).
This uses the revised BS EN 12504-1(2) Testing concrete in structures. Part 1 – Cored
specimens – taking, examining and testing in compression published on 9 December
2019. Neil Crook of The Concrete Society looks at the changes.

B
oth these Standards have been strength for design, a lower partial factor for
subject to in-depth review. The concrete can be used (minimum 1.3), see
revisions are significant and will BS 1992-1-1:2004 Clause A.2.3(5).
require changes to the taking and
testing of cores and the method by which the Testing
data is used to: a) estimate the characteristic The main changes to the taking and testing
in-situ compressive strength of the concrete of core samples given in BS EN 12504-1,
for existing (unknown/old) structures; and b) with its national annex, relate to the
assess the compressive strength class where procedure for extracting the sample, its
there is doubt over the strength of recently storage, preparation and any adjustment to
supplied concrete. the core strength fc,core.
The revised BS EN 13791, which Samples should ideally be at least 75mm
supersedes the withdrawn 2007 version, diameter but smaller cores are permitted (not
includes a national foreword and annex that less than 50mm) if this is not possible. The
covers all the relevant content of number of cores required is increased for
BS 6089:2010(3), which is also withdrawn. small diameters. The diameter of the core
A new publication PD CEN/TR 17086(4) should also be at least three times the upper
is anticipated later in 2020 and will include aggregate size used in the concrete.
further guidance and worked examples based The assessment of in-situ strength is based
on BS EN 13791 using in-situ strengths from on the concrete as it exists in the structure
direct and indirect test methods. without change to its moisture condition.
It should be realised that the characteristic After extraction, the sample is to be retained
in-situ compressive strength fck,is is not in a sealed container until prepared for
a direct substitute for the characteristic testing. The water used in the extraction
strength fck for specifying the strength. When of the core, density measurement and end
using an estimated characteristic in-situ preparation is not considered to impart

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a material change in the overall moisture

condition of the specimen.
The samples are prepared by grinding
(recommended) or capping to produce a
core with a length:diameter ratio of 1:1
or 2:1. Generally, but not exclusively, 1:1
cores of 100mm diameter should be used
in cases of doubt (as these reflect the aspect
ratio of production and identity test cubes).
Estimation of characteristic in-situ strength
is based on a 2:1 core, as cylinder strength is
used in structural design. A 1:1 core can be
converted to an equivalent 2:1 core using the
core length factor (CLF) of 0.82 (0.91 in the
case of lightweight concrete).
There are permitted limits on the
length:diameter ratio:
• for a 1:1 specimen the length to diameter (Photo: RSK.)
ratio is to be within 0.90:1 and 1.10:1
• for a 2:1 specimen the length to diameter
ratio is to be within 1.95:1 and 2.05:1.

Undersized specimens should be rejected; obtained are considered unrepresentative of

oversized cores trimmed to meet the limits. the true strength of the concrete and should
Reinforcement reduces the strength of be excluded from the assessment.
the core and its presence should be avoided Density and excess voidage may be
if possible. If reinforcement is present, it recorded. While there is an accepted
should be predominantly horizontal to the relationship between excess voidage and
direction of testing and not more than 2% of strength, it is not used to adjust the recorded
the volume of the specimen. In addition, with core strength in the assessment. However,
2:1 specimens the reinforcement should be high voidage and/or low density values may
contained within 30mm of each end. indicate problems during the execution of
the works that have adversely affected the
strength obtained.

Assessment of in-situ strength

The structure of BS EN 13791 remains
substantially the same as the previous
version, with the primary focus to estimate
the characteristic in-situ strength for
structural design with BS EN 1990(6) and
BS EN 1992-1-1(5).
However, substantial changes in the
methodology have been made to the
procedures to estimate characteristic
in-situ strength of an existing structure
(Clause 8) based on a 2:1 core strength
and for those cases where there is doubt
over the compressive strength class of
recently supplied concrete (Clause 9). Both
(Photo: RSK.) applications have a number of common steps
but the assessment methods differ and may
lead to significantly different outcomes.
Before embarking on a course of in-situ
strength determination, the test region,
Provided that the requirements for number of test locations, testing procedures
moisture containment, length:diameter and how the results are to be analysed needs
ratio limits and limits on the presence to be set out and agreed. The number of
of reinforcement are met, there is no valid test results should be sufficient to
adjustment to the core strength. If any of ensure there is confidence in the strengths
these requirements are not met, the values obtained and they are representative of the

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 STANDARDS

against core data taken from the structure

under consideration.
For the purposes of structural assessments
(Clause 8) of the in-situ strength of a small
test region comprising one to three elements
and not more than 10m3, at least three valid
test results are required. For a test region
not greater than 30m3, indirect testing in
conjunction with at least three valid core test
results can be used.
For the assessment of compressive strength
class of concrete in case of doubt (Clause
9), the main source of doubt normally arises
from low strength of identity test samples,
lack of samples or problems during execution
of the works. In the previous Standard, a test
region was defined as a region comprising
many batches or a small region comprising
(Photo: RSK.) one or a few batches of concrete. The volume
associated with each region was undefined.
This had been a matter of controversy and
was recognised by the drafting committee.
region tested. This is particularly important
Consequently, in the revised Standard the
where there is doubt over the strength of
concrete under investigation is still split into
recently supplied concrete (Clause 9), as
test regions but each test region is limited
there are many interested parties involved in
to a total volume of approximately 180m³.
the production, placement and design of the
It is then broken down into volumes of
concrete and structure.
approximately 30m³, which might align with
the lots (defined volumes) used for identity
Strength results testing (BS EN 206 Annex B(7)). If less than
The strength results, either directly from
30m³, it may be treated as a single volume,
cores or indirect test methods, need to be
provided the concrete was supplied on a
visually assessed to determine if there is
single day and there was no information to
evidence that the test region contains two
suggest that one of the loads is different to
or more concretes. The data should also be
the others. ‘Approximately’ is used to allow for
checked for statistical outliers; more than
a small increase in the volume of a part load.
two outliers could indicate that the test
The minimum number of valid test results
region comprises more than one compressive
for each test location and the criteria to
strength class. The Grubb test is referenced
confirm that the concrete has conformed
in BS EN 13791 to determine whether a high
to the compressive strength class based on
or low test result is an outlier. The inclusion
the specified characteristic strength fck,spec
or exclusion of an outlier is a matter for
for the test region under investigation is
engineering judgement.
given in BS EN 13791 Table 8 (see Table
The estimation of characteristic in-situ
compressive strength of existing structures
(Photo: Socotec.)
(Clause 8) is based on a minimum of eight
valid test results expressed as the strength of
a 2:1 core (or from 12 test locations if based
on single 50mm-diameter cores). To allow
for possible outliers, the number of samples
taken should be increased by at least two
more than the minimum number of valid
results required. The standard deviation is
calculated and compared against a coefficient
of variation with the greater value used. The
characteristic in-situ strength of the test
region is estimated as the lower value of two
formulas, one based on the mean of the valid
test results and the other based on the lowest
valid test result. A procedure is also given
for the estimation of characteristic in-situ
strength based on indirect testing, calibrated

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Table 1 – Criteria for assessment based on core test data only

Number of approximate 30m3 Minimum number of Mean of 1:1 core test results for Lowest 1:1 core test
volumes in test region valid test results the test region result(a)
1(b) 3 –
2 4
3 6 ≥ 0.85 (fck,spec,cube + 1)
≥ 0.85 (fck,spec,cube – M)
4 8
5 10
≥ 0.85 (fck,spec,cube + 2)
6 12
(a)
where M = 4MPa for compressive strength class C20/25 or higher.
For C16/20, C12/15 and C8/10 the margin M is reduced to 3, 2 and 1 respectively.
(b)
provided it is treated as a single volume.

1 above). Logically, to allow for possible doubt over the strength – and subsequent
outliers, it is recommended that the number assessment to Clause 9 shows that conformity
of specimens taken is at least one more than with the declared strength class cannot be
the minimum indicated for a single volume of confirmed – this does not necessarily indicate
approximately 30m³, increasing to two more that the concrete production was non-
than the minimum number for total volumes conforming. The production process may be
greater than approximately 30m³. conforming, albeit to a lower strength class
Where practical, the core should be the and different design parameters would then
same length:diameter ratio as the specimens be applicable.
used for conformity by the producer. In the Concrete Advice 68(8) goes into greater
UK, this would be a 100mm-diameter core detail and explanation of the changes to the
having a length to diameter ratio of 1:1 (ie, a Standards. It provides examples on the use of
length to diameter ratio in the range 0.90:1 core data in the determination of estimated
to 1.10:1). characteristic in-situ strength of an existing
If both criteria are satisfied, the concrete structure and the assessment of strength
can be accepted as having conformed to the class in the case of doubt of recently supplied
specified strength class for the test region concrete. A webinar to watch and guides
under investigation. on the subject, produced by BRMCA, is
Procedures are also given for the use available at: www.brmca.org.uk/downloads. „
of indirect testing in conjunction with
selected core test data and the criteria to References:
1. BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, BS EN 13791.
confirm that the concrete has conformed Assessment of compressive strength in structures and
to the specified strength class for the test precast concrete component. BSI, London, 2019.
region under investigation. This procedure 2. BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, BS EN 12504.
will be described in a forthcoming article Testing concrete in structures. Part 1 – Cored specimens.
Taking, examining and testing in compression. BSI,
entitled ‘Assessment of in-situ compressive London, 2019.
strength class using a minimum of cores’ by 3. BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, BS 6089.
Chris Clear of MPA–British Ready-mixed Assessment of in-situ compressive strength in structures
Concrete Association (BRMCA). and precast concrete components – complementary
guidance to BS EN 13791. BSI, London, 2010,
The UK national annex gives a procedure withdrawn.
for comparative testing in the case of doubt, 4. BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, PD CEN/TR 17086.
where recently supplied concrete under Further guidance on the application of EN 13791:2019
investigation used in one or more elements is and background to the provisions. BSI, London, (under
preparation).
compared against concrete in elements that 5. BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, BS EN 1992.
have been accepted using indirect testing. Eurocode 2. Design of concrete structures. Part 1-1 –
If a producer declares a non-conformity General rules and rules for buildings. BSI, London, 2004.
in respect to strength, Clause 9.5 lists 6. BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, BS EN 1990.
Eurocode – Basis of structural design. BSI, London, 2002
information the producer must supply to +A1:2005.
the involved parties, which may necessitate 7. BRITISH STANDARDS INSTITUTION, BS EN 206.
an estimation of characteristic in-situ Concrete. Specification, performance, production and
compressive strength (Clause 8). This conformity. BSI, London, 2013+A1:2016.
8. THE CONCRETE SOCIETY. Assessment of in-situ
can then be used in structural design with concrete strength using data obtained from core and
an appropriate partial factor for concrete. other testing techniques. Concrete Advice 68, The
However, if the purchaser expresses Concrete Society, Camberley, 2020.

44 concrete www.concrete.org.uk APRIL 2020