National foreword

This British Standard is the UK implementation of EN 12390‑4:2019. It supersedes BS EN 12390‑4:2000, which is withdrawn.

The UK participation in its preparation was entrusted to Technical Committee B/517/1, Concrete production and testing.

A list of organizations represented on this committee can be obtained on request to its secretary.

This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.

Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from legal obligations.

This British Standard was published under the authority of the Standards Policy and Strategy Committee on 31 October 2019.

This European Standard was approved by CEN on 19 August 2019.

CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same status as the official versions.

CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United Kingdom.

European foreword

This document (EN 12390‑4:2019) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 104 “Concrete and related products”, the secretariat of which is held by SN.

This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or by endorsement, at the latest by April 2020, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by April 2020.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. CEN shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This document supersedes EN 12390‑4:2000.

This standard is one of a series on testing concrete.

EN 12390, Testing hardened concrete, consists of the following parts:

Part 1: Shape, dimensions and other requirements for specimens and moulds;
Part 2: Making and curing specimens for strength tests;
Part 3: Compressive strength of test specimens;
Part 4: Compressive strength – Specification for testing machines;
Part 5: Flexural strength of test specimens;
Part 6: Tensile splitting strength of test specimens;
Part 7: Density of hardened concrete;
Part 8: Depth of penetration of water under pressure;
Part 10: Determination of the carbonation resistance of concrete at atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide;
Part 11: Determination of the chloride resistance of concrete, unidirectional diffusion;
Part 12: Determination of the potential carbonation resistance of concrete: Accelerated carbonation method (in preparation);
Part 13: Determination of secant modulus of elasticity in compression;
Part 14: Semi-adiabatic method for the determination of heat released by concrete during its hardening process;
Part 15: Adiabatic method for the determination of heat released by concrete during its hardening process;
Part 16: Determination of the shrinkage of concrete;
Part 17: Determination of creep of concrete in compression.

EN 12390‑4:2019 contains the following significant changes with respect to EN 12390‑4:2000:

the text is aligned with EN ISO 7500‑1 to avoid duplication;
machines to be Class 1 except those manufactured before 2000 where Class 2 is acceptable;
increase in verification points and new limits of acceptance over working range;
description of verification procedure for strain gauge column;
deletion of Annex B.

According to the CEN-CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the following countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Introduction

The requirements for testing machines set out in this document have been formulated to satisfy the needs of those compressive tests on concrete specimens which are specified in EN 206:2013+A1:2016. Machines conforming to this standard can be suitable for other uses, but this needs to be carefully considered on an individual test basis. Particular care needs to be taken before using machines conforming to this document for compressive tests on small specimens, e.g. those with lateral dimensions significantly less than 100 mm. The main concern is that the ball-seating fitted to the upper platen can be too large to align satisfactorily on the top of such small specimens and special adaptations can be required. Another concern is the ability to accurately determine the failure load of small or low strength specimens.

1 Scope

This document specifies the requirements for the performance of compression testing machines for the measurement of the compressive strength of concrete.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 Construction of machines

4.1 Machine platens, auxiliary platens and spacing blocks

4.2 Force measurement

4.3 Force control

4.4 Force transfer

4.5 Specimen location

4.6 Frequency of verification and calibration

5 Details to be provided by the supplier/manufacturer

5.1 Specification

5.2 Installation and connection

5.3 Maintenance

Bibliography

BS EN 12390-4:2019

Testing hardened concrete - Compressive strength. Specification for testing machines

Published:

31 Oct 2019

Withdrawn:

31 Mar 2025