ASTM C109 Mortar Cube Pad Caps

[FloridaCMT]

I am trying to find out if ASTM permits the use of pad caps when breaking mortar cubes during compressive strength testing. My office recently aquired a high profile D.O.T. project and will be under the magnifying glass during our contract. There is debate with our staff if these pad caps are allowed under ASTM C109 or any other specifications. I have personally used them plenty of times in the past but do not recall reading a spec that prohibited the use of these as long as we used the correct durometer pads. Here is a link to the retainers that I am talking about...Link

Thanks!

 

[Ron]

Hopefully you are still looking for an answer.

For C109 mortar cubes, caps are not always necessary. As long as the planeness criteria can be met, there is no need to cap.