Designation: A 944 – 99

Standard Test Method for

Comparing Bond Strength of Steel Reinforcing Bars to
Concrete Using Beam-End Specimens1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation A 944; 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.

1. Scope reinforcing bar. This equals the sum of the lead length and the
1.1 This test method describes procedures to establish the bonded length.
relative bond strength of steel reinforcing bars in concrete. 3.1.5 lead length, n—the length of the test bar that is not in
1.2 This test method is intended to determine the effects of contact with concrete but is between the surface of the concrete
surface preparation or condition (such as bar coatings) on the test specimen and the bonded length.
bond strength of deformed steel reinforcing bars (of sizes 3.1.6 relative rib area, n—ratio of the projected rib area
ranging from No. 10 to No. 36 [No. 3 to No. 11]) to concrete. normal to bar axis to the product of the nominal bar perimeter
1.3 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the and the center-to-center rib spacing.
standard. The values given in brackets are for information only. 3.2 Symbols:
1.4 This standard does not purport to address all of the Cb 5 Concrete cover, mm [in.].
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the db 5 Nominal diameter of reinforcing bar, mm [in.].
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- le 5 Embedment length, mm [in.].
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- 4. Apparatus
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
4.1 Equipment—A schematic of a suitable testing system is
2. Referenced Documents shown in Fig. 1. The loading system shall be capable of
2.1 ASTM Standards: measuring the forces to an accuracy within 62 % of the
C 192/C 192M Practice for Making and Curing Concrete applied load, when calibrated in accordance with Practices E 4.
Test Specimens in the Laboratory2 The test system shall have sufficient capacity to prevent
E 4 Practices for Force Verification of Testing Machines3 yielding of its various components and shall ensure that the
E 575 Practice for Reporting Data from Structural Tests of applied tensile load remains parallel to the axis of the steel
Building Constructions, Elements, Connections, and As- reinforcing bar during testing.
semblies4 4.2 Compression Reaction Plate—The compression reac-
tion plate shall be placed a minimum clear distance equal to 0.9
3. Terminology le measured from the center of the test bar to the edge of the
3.1 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard: reaction plate.
3.1.1 bond strength, n—maximum measured load in a 4.3 Bar Displacement Measurements—Displacements of
tensile bond test of a steel reinforcing bar. the loaded and free ends of the steel reinforcing bar shall be
3.1.2 bonded length, n—the length of the test bar that is in measured with respect to the loaded and free surfaces, respec-
contact with concrete. tively, of the concrete using suitable measurement devices.
3.1.3 concrete cover, n—minimum distance between the Dial gages having the smallest division of not more than 25 µm
surface of the test bar and the top or bottom of the test [0.001 in.] or linear variable differential transformers (LVDTs)
specimen. with equal or superior accuracy are examples of satisfactory
3.1.4 embedment length, n—the distance from the surface of devices.
the concrete test specimen to the installed end of the steel
5. Test Specimen
5.1 Beam-End Specimen—The test specimen shall consist
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee A-1 on Steel, of the test bar cast in a block of reinforced concrete 600 6 25
Stainless Steel, and Related Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
A01.05 on Steel Reinforcement. mm [24 6 1 in.] long by db+ 200 6 13 mm [db+ 8 6 1⁄2 in.]
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 1999. Published January 2000. Originally wide by a minimum of db+ Cb+ le+ 60 mm [db+ Cb+ le+ 21⁄2
published as A 944 – 95. Last previous edition A 944 – 95. in.] high. A typical test specimen is illustrated in Fig. 2. The
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 03.01.
specimen shall be reinforced by four closed stirrups oriented
4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.07. parallel to the sides of the specimen and two flexural steel

Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

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 A 944

FIG. 1 Schematic of Test Apparatus

reinforcing bars parallel to the test bar, as shown in Fig. 2. cone-type pullout failure at the surface of the concrete. Increases in lead
Transverse steel reinforcing bars similar to those illustrated in length generally result in an increase in bond strength.
Fig. 2 may be used to aid in fabrication and testing. The test bar 5.2 Fabrication—The concrete block shall be fabricated
shall extend from the front surface a distance that is compatible using concrete designed to produce a strength at the time of test
with the test system. Two polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipes shall between 31 and 38 MPa [4500 and 5500 psi]. The specimen
be used as bond breakers to control the bonded length of the shall be cast in approximately equal layers not exceeding 250
bar and to avoid a localized cone-type failure of the concrete at mm [9 in.] in depth. Each layer shall be adequately consoli-
the loaded end of the specimen. The free end of the test bar dated with an internal vibrator to ensure removal of entrapped
shall butt against a hollow steel conduit or other device to air.
provide access to the free end for measuring slip during the
test. The closed stirrups shall be fabricated from Grade 420 NOTE 2—The nominal maximum size course aggregate should be less
than or equal to 3⁄4 of the minimum clear space between reinforcement or
[Grade 60] No. 10 [No. 3] bars for test bars up to and including between reinforcement and the concrete surface of the beam-end speci-
No. 25 [No. 8] and No. 13 [No. 4] bars for test bars larger than men.
No. 25 [No. 8]. The two flexural steel reinforcing bars shall be
selected so as to provide a total area not less than that of the test 6. Conditioning
bar. 6.1 Specimen Conditioning and Curing—The test specimen
NOTE 1—The lead length, shown in Fig. 2, is typically between 13 and shall be cured in the forms using a curing compound or a
100 mm [0.5 and 4 in.]. This unbonded region is used to prevent a plastic membrane, or both, to prevent rapid evaporation of

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 A 944

FIG. 2 Beam-End Test Specimens

water until the concrete has attained a strength of at least 14 8. Report

MPa [2000 psi]. Specimen conditioning and curing shall be 8.1 The report shall include the applicable information
such that the concrete strength shall be between 31 and 38 MPa listed in Practice E 575, and shall specifically include the
[4500 and 5500 psi] at the time of test, unless another concrete following:
strength is required. Standard concrete cylinders shall be 8.1.1 Dates of test and report,
prepared in accordance with Practice C 192 using a represen- 8.1.2 Test sponsor and agency,
tative sample of the concrete used to make the test specimen. 8.1.3 Identification of the bars tested: size, grade, mean
The concrete cylinders shall be cured adjacent to and in the deformation height, mean deformation spacing, and, if re-
same manner as the test specimen. A minimum of two test quired, the relative rib area,
cylinders are required. 8.1.4 Description of the steel reinforcing bar surface condi-
tion and coating (if used): manufacturer, trade name, and
7. Procedure coating designation,
7.1 A tensile load shall be applied to the test bar, as 8.1.5 Description of the fabrication and testing procedures,
illustrated in Fig. 1. The loading rate shall be such that failure if these deviated in any way from this test method,
will not occur prior to 3 min after starting to load the test 8.1.6 Description of the concrete used, including mix de-
specimens. Data recorded for a test shall include, as a mini- sign, aggregate type, compressive strength at the time of test
mum, the initial load and displacement readings and the (average of a minimum of two cylinders), and age of the
maximum load. concrete at the time of test,
NOTE 3—The load rate should be between 10 to 33 % of the bond 8.1.7 Moisture condition of the concrete at the time of test:
strength per min. At least 10 intermediate displacement and load readings saturated surface dry, air dry,
should be taken. 8.1.8 Concrete cover, embedment length and lead length of

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 A 944
the installed reinforcement, in mm [in.], conformance to given criteria and since no generally accepted
8.1.9 Description of the test method, loading procedure method for determining precision and bias of this test method
used, the displacements measured at each load step, and the is currently available. General guidelines provided herein for
actual rate of loading, the specimens, instrumentation, and procedures make the
8.1.10 Individual maximum load value (bond strength), in N results intractable to calculation of meaningful values by
[lb], for each test specimen, statistical analysis for precision and bias at this time.
8.1.11 Photographs, sketches, word descriptions, or combi-
nations thereof, of the failure modes observed, and 10. Keywords
8.1.12 Summary of findings.
10.1 beam-end test; coatings; concrete bond; steel reinforc-
9. Precision and Bias ing bars
9.1 No statement is made on the precision or bias of this test
method since the test results indicate only whether there is

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