This international standard war..

den�loped in arcordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decl�ion on Principles for 1hr
Oc,·elopmcnt of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

,1 nT�'") Designation: C232/C232M - 20a

�
INTERNATIONAL

Standard Test Method for

Bleeding of Concrete 1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C232/C232M; 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.

J. Scope* 2. Referenced Documents

1.1 This test method covers the detennination of !he relative 2.1 ASTM Standards: 3
quantity of mixing water that will bleed from a sample of C29/C29M Test Method for Bulk Density ("Unit Weight")
freshly mixed concrete. and Voids in Aggregate
1.2 When various concretes are to be compared, if the C 125 Terminology Relating to Concrete and Concrete Ag­
batches are of similar unit weight, the sample masses shall not gregates
differ by more than I kg [2 lb]. C138/C138M Test Method for Density (Unit Weight), Yield,
and Air Content (Gravimetric) of Concrete
1.3 The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units C172/C 172M Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed Con­
are to be regarded separately as standard. The values stated in crete
each system are not necessarily exact equivalents; therefore, to C 192/C 192M Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test
ensure conformance with the standard, each system shall be Specimens in the Laboratory
used independently of the other, and values from the two C670 Practice for Preparing Precision and Bias Statements
systems shall not be combined. for Test Methods for Construction Materials
NOTE 1-Sieve size is identified by its standard designation in Speci­ El I Specification for Woven Wire Test Sieve Cloth and Test
fication El I. the ahernative designation given in parentheses is for Sieves
infur111atiun unly anti tlocs not represent a different standard sieve size.
1.4 The text of this standard refers to notes and footnotes 3. Terminology
that provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes 3.1 Definitions:
(excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered 3.1.1 For definitions of terms used in this test method,
as requirements of the standard. refer to Terminology C 125.
1.5 This standard does 11ot pwport to address all of the
safety concerns, if any. associated with its use. It is the 4. Significance and Use
reJponsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro­ 4.1 This test method provides procedures to be used for
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter­ determining the effect of variables of composition, treatment,
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. environment, or other factors in the bleeding of concrete. It is
(Warning-Fresh hydraulic cementitious mixtures are caustic also permitted to be used to determine the conformance of a
and may cause chemical burns to skin and tissue upon product or treatment with a requirement relating to its effect on
prolonged exposure.2) bleeding of concrete.
1.6 This international standard was developed in accor­
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard­ 4.2 A specimen consolidated by rodding and tested without
ization established in the Decision 011 Principles for the further disturbance simulates conditions in which the concrete
Development of International Standards, Guides and Reco,11- is not subjected to intermittent vibration after placement.
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee. 5. Apparatus
5.1 Container-A cylindrical container of approximately
14 L [ ½ ft3] capacity, having an inside diameter of 255 mm :±:
' These test methods are under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C09 on 5 mm I IO in. :±: ¼ in.] and an inside height of 280 mm :±: 5 mm
Concrete and Concrete Aggregates and are the direct rcsponsibiLity of Subcommittee
C09.60 on Testing Fresh Concrete.
Current edition approved Nov. I, 2020. Published July 2021. Originally
approved in 1949. Last previou, edition approved in 2020 as C232/C232M - 20. ·1 For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM we.hsi1e, www.astm.org, or
DOI: 10.15W/C0232_C0232M-20A. contact ASTM Cu,tomcr Service at [email protected]. For A111111al Book ofASTM
1
Section on Safety Precautions. Manual of Aggregate and Concrete Testing. S1mulard; volume information. refer to the standard's Document Summary page on
A111111al Book uf ASTM S1a11dards, Vol 04.02. the ASTM wehsite.

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

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 � C232/C232M - 20a
111 in. ::!: 1/4 in.]. The container shall confom, to the require­ 8. Calculation
ments for a measure in Test Method C29/C29M. The inside 8.1 Calculate the total accumulated bleed water, expressed
shall be free of corrosion, coatings, or lubricants. as a percentage of the net mixing water contained within the
5.2 Scale, of sufficient capacity to determine the mass of the test specimen, as follows:
load required with an accuracy of 0.5 %. Balances or scales C=(w!W)xs (I)
shall be calibrated at least annually or whenever there is reason
to question the accuracy of the equipment. Bleeding,%= (DIC) X 100
r
5.3 Piper, or simila instrument, for drawing off free water where:
from the surface of the test specimen. C = mass of net mixing water in the test specimen, g [lb],
5.4 Glass Graduate, I00-mL capacity for collecting and
measuring the quantity of water withdrawn. w = total mass of the batch, kg [lb],
5.5 Tamping Rod-A round, straight steel rod, 16 mm w = mass of net mixing water in the batch (the total amount
[5/s in.] in diameter and approximately 610 mm (24 in.] in of water minus the water absorbed by the aggregates).
length, having the tamping end rounded to a hemispherical tip, kg [lb],
the diameter of which is 16 mm [5/s in.].
s = mass of the specimen, g [lb], and
D = accumulated mass of the bleed water, g [lb], (total
6. Test Specimen volume withdrawn from the test specimen in mL
multiplied by I g/mL [0.0022 lb/mL]).
6.1 For concrete made in the laboratory, prepare as de­
scribed in Practice CI92/C192M. For concrete made in the 8.2 If specifed, the comparative rate of bleeding can be
field, sample the concrete as described in Practice CI72/ demonstrated by plotting the accumulated volume of bleed
C172M. The apparatus described in this test method is permit­ water versus the elapsed time.
ted to be used with samples of concrete containing any size of
aggregate graded up to and including a nominal maximum size 9. Report
of 50 mm f2 in.]. Concrete containing aggregate larger than 9.1 Concrete mixture proportions,
50 mm (2 in.] in nominal maximum size shall be wet sieved 9.2 Source and identification of each material used,
over a 37.5 mm [I½ in.] sieve and the test performed on a
portion of tht. sample that passes through the sieve. 9.3 The total accumulated bleed water. expressed as a
percentage of the net mixing water contained within the test
6.2 Determine the proportion of net mixing water (total specimen, and
water minus water absorbed by the aggregates) in the batch of
concrete being tested from the batch weights data. 9.4 Elapsed time required for cessation of bleeding.
6.3 Determine the mass of the empty container. Fill the 9.5 If specified, plot of accumulated volume of bleed water
container with the concrete in accordance with Test Method versus elapsed time.
C138/C 138M except that the container shall be filled to a
height of 255 mm ::!: 3 mm (IO ::!: Vs in.). Level the top surface 10. Precision and Bias
of the concrete using no more than three passes of a trowel. IO.I Precision:
Determine the mass of the container and concrete. I0.1.1 Data are available to evaluate the precision of the test
method for concrete consolidated by vibration. The values
7. Procedure given shall be used as maximum precision limits for concrete
7.1 During the lest, maintain the ambient temperature be­ consolidated by rodding.
tween 18 and 24 °C (65 and 75 °FJ. Immediately after
Norn 2-ln earlier versions of this test method, there were two
troweling the surface of the specimen, record the time. Place consolidation procedures: Method A by rodding and Method 8 by using a
the specimen and container on a level platform or floor free of vibrating platform. Precision data had been obtained for Method 8 and
noticeable vibration and cover the container lo prevent evapo­ because both methods used the same procedures for determining the
ration of the bleed water. Keep the cover in place throughout amount of bleed water the precision for Method 8 is applicable to Method
A. In 2013. Method B was deleted from the test method. The precision
the test, except when drawing off the water. Draw off (with statement is based on consolidation using a vibrating platform and is
pipet or similar instrument) the water that has accumulated on provided to give 1he user information on the magnitude of the variation
the surface at IO min intervals during the first 40 min and at that is expected for concrete consolidated by rodding.
30 min intervals thereafter until cessation of bleeding, record­ I0.1.2 The single operator-day-mu It ibatch standard devia­
ing the time of last observation. To facilitate the collection of tion has been found to be 0.71 % for a bleeding range from 0
bleed water, tilt the specimen carefully by placing a block to IO %, 1.06 % for a bleeding range from IO % to 20 %, and
approximately 50 mm 12 in.] thick under one side of the 1.77 % for more than 20 %. Therefore, results of two properly
container 2 min prior to each time the water is withdrawn. conducted tests by the same operator on the same day on
7.2 After water is removed. return the container to a level different batches of the same mixture are not expected to differ
position without jarring. After each withdrawal, transfer the by more than 2.0 % (d2s) for a bleeding range from O to IO%,
water to a I00 mL graduated cylinder. Record the accumulated 3.0 % (d2s) for a range from IO% to 20 %. and 5.0 % for more
quantity of water after each transfer. than 20 % (Note 3.)

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 � C232/C232M - 20a
NOTE 3-These numbers represent the difference limits (d2s) as 11. Keywords
described in Practice C670.
11. l bleeding; fresh concrete
I 0.2 Bias-The test method has no bias because the values
determined can be defined only in terms of the test method.

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee C09 has identified the location of selected changes to these test methods since the last issue,
C232/C232M - 20, that may impact the use of these test methods. (Approved November I, 2020.)

(I) Deleted 5.6 - 5.9. (4) Added a new 8.2 and 9.5.
(2) 7 .2-Deleted procedure to correct mass of bleed water.
(3) Deleted previous 8.1 on calculating volume of bleed water
per unit area.

Committee C09 has identified the location of selected changes to these test methods since the last issue,
C232/C232M - 14 (2019), that may impact the use of these test methods. (Approved June I, 2020.)

(I) Revised 1.3, I .4, I 0.1.2, and I I. I.

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