Designation: C 129 – 01

Standard Specification for

Nonloadbearing Concrete Masonry Units1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 129; 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.

This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope * C 618 Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined
1.1 This specification covers hollow and solid nonloadbear- Natural Pozzolan for Use as a Mineral Admixture in
ing concrete masonry units made from portland cement, water, Concrete2
and mineral aggregates with or without the inclusion of other C 1157 Performance Specification for Hydraulic Cement4
materials. These units are intended for use in nonloadbearing C 1209 Terminology of Concrete Masonry Units and Re-
partitions, but under certain conditions they may be suitable for lated Units3
use in nonloadbearing exterior walls above grade where C 1232 Terminology of Masonry3
effectively protected from the weather. 3. Terminology
1.2 The text of this standard references notes and footnotes
which provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes 3.1 Terminology defined in Terminology C 1209 and Ter-
(excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered minology C 1232 shall apply for this specification.
as requirements of the standard. 4. Classification
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for 4.1 Nonloadbearing concrete masonry units manufactured
information only. in accordance with this specification shall conform to one of
three weight classifications prescribed in Table 1.
NOTE 1—Concrete masonry units covered by this specification are
made from lightweight or normal weight aggregates, or both. 5. Materials and Manufacture
NOTE 2—When particular features are desired, such as weight classifi-
cation, surface texture for appearance or bond, finish, color, fire resistance,
5.1 Cementitious Materials—Materials shall conform to the
insulation, acoustical properties, or other special features, such properties following applicable specifications:
should be specified separately by the purchaser. However, local sellers 5.1.1 Portland Cement— Specification C 150.
should be consulted as to the availability of units having the desired 5.1.2 Blended Hydraulic Cements— Specification C 595.
features. 5.1.3 Hydraulic Cement—Specification C 1157.
5.1.4 Hydrated Lime, Type S—Specification C 207.
2. Referenced Documents
5.1.5 Pozzolans—Specification C 618.
2.1 ASTM Standards: 5.2 Aggregates—Aggregates shall conform to the following
C 33 Specification for Concrete Aggregates2 ASTM specifications, except that grading requirements shall
C 140 Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Concrete not necessarily apply:
Masonry Units and Related Units3 5.2.1 Normal Weight Aggregates—Specification C 33.
C 150 Specification for Portland Cement4 5.2.2 Lightweight Aggregates—Specification C 331.
C 207 Specification for Hydrated Lime for Masonry Pur- 5.3 Other Constituents—Air-entraining agents, coloring
poses4 pigments, integral water repellents, finely ground silica, and
C 331 Specification for Lightweight Aggregates for Con- other constituents, shall be previously established as suitable
crete Masonry Units2 for use in concrete masonry and shall conform to applicable
C 426 Test Method for Drying Shrinkage of Concrete Ma- ASTM standards or shall be shown by test or experience not to
sonry Units3 be detrimental to the durability of the concrete masonry units
C 595 Specification for Blended Hydraulic Cements4 or any material customarily used in masonry construction.

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6. Physical Requirements
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C15 on
Manufactured Masonry Units and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee 6.1 At the time of delivery to the purchaser, units shall
C15.03 on Concrete Masonry Units and Related Units. conform to the strength requirements prescribed in Table 2.
Current edition approved Aug. 10, 2001. Published October 2001. Originally
published as C 129 – 37. Last previous edition C 129 – 00a. NOTE 3—The purchaser is the public body or authority, association,
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02. corporation, partnership, or individual entering into a contract or agree-
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.05. ment to purchase or install, or both, concrete masonry units. The time of
4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.01.

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

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 C 129
TABLE 1 Weight Classification 8.2.1 Five percent of a shipment containing chips, not larger
Weight Oven-Dry Weight of Concrete, than 1 in. (25.4 mm) in any dimension, or cracks not wider than
Classification lb/ft3 (kg/m3)
0.02 in. (0.5 mm) and not longer than 25 % of the nominal
Lightweight Less than 105 (1680) height of the unit is permitted.
Medium Weight 105 to less than 125 (1680 to 2000)
Normal Weight 125 (2000) or more 8.3 The color and texture of the units shall be specified by
the purchaser. The finished surfaces that will be exposed in
place shall conform to an approved sample consisting of not
TABLE 2 Strength Requirements less than four units, representing the range of texture and color
Compressive Strength permitted.
(average net area)
min, psi (MPa) 8.4 Nonloadbearing concrete masonry units shall be clearly
Average of 3 units 600 (4.14) marked in a manner to preclude their use as load bearing units.
Individual unit 500 (3.45)

9. Methods of Sampling and Testing

delivery to the purchaser is FOB plant when the purchaser or purchaser’s 9.1 The purchaser or authorized representative shall be
agent transports the concrete masonry units, or at the time unloaded at the accorded proper facilities to inspect and sample the units at the
worksite if the manufacturer or manufacturer’s agent transports the place of manufacture from the lots ready for delivery. At least
concrete masonry units.
10 days shall be allowed for the completion of the tests.
6.2 At the time of delivery to the purchaser, the total linear 9.2 Sample and test units in accordance with Test Methods
drying shrinkage of units shall not exceed 0.065%. C 140 and Test Method C 426 when applicable.
6.3 Solid Units—The net cross-sectional area of solid units,
in every plane parallel to the bearing surface, shall be not less 9.3 Total linear drying shrinkage shall be based on tests of
than 75 % of the gross cross-sectional area measured in the concrete masonry units made with the same materials, concrete
same plane. mix design, manufacturing process, and curing method, con-
ducted in accordance with Test Method C 426 not more than 24
7. Dimensions and Permissible Variations months prior to delivery.
7.1 Minimum face shell thickness shall be not less than 1⁄2
in. (13 mm). 10. Compliance
7.2 No overall dimension (width, height, and length) shall 10.1 If a sample fails to conform to the specified require-
differ by more than 61⁄8 in. (3.2 mm) from the specified ments, the manufacturer shall be permitted to remove units
standard dimensions. from the shipment. A new sample shall be selected by the
NOTE 4—Standard dimensions of units are the manufacturer’s desig- purchaser from remaining units from the shipment with a
nated dimensions. Nominal dimensions of modular size units are equal to similar configuration and dimension and tested at the expense
the standard dimensions plus the thickness of one mortar joint. Nominal of the manufacturer. If the second sample meets the specified
dimensions of nonmodular size units usually exceed the standard dimen- requirements, the remaining portion of the shipment repre-
sions by 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 in. (3.2 to 6.4 mm).
sented by the sample meets the specified requirements. If the
8. Finish and Appearance second sample fails to meet the specified requirements, the
8.1 All units shall be sound and free of cracks or other remaining portion of the shipment represented by the sample
defects that interfere with the proper placement of the units or fails to meet the specified requirements.
significantly impair the strength or permanence of the construc- NOTE 5—Unless otherwise specified in the purchase order, the cost of
tion. Minor cracks incidental to the usual method of manufac- tests is typically borne as follows: if the results of the tests show that the
ture or minor chipping resulting from customary methods of units do not conform to the requirements of this specification, the cost is
handling in shipment and delivery are not grounds for rejec- typically borne by the seller. If the results of the tests show that the units
tion. conform to the specification requirements, the cost is typically borne by
8.2 Where units are to be used in exposed wall construction, the purchaser.
the face or faces that are to be exposed shall not show chips or
11. Keywords
cracks, not otherwise permitted, or other imperfections when
viewed from a distance of not less than 20 ft (6.1 m) under 11.1 concrete masonry units; face shell; flange; linear
diffused lighting. shrinkage; nonloadbearing

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 C 129
SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee C15 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since C 129-00a was published
in the 2001 Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.05.

(1) In Section 5 on Materials and Manufacture, Specification

C 1157 was moved from Paragraph 5.1.2 to its own paragraph
and identified as hydraulic cement rather than blended cement.

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