ASTM C1583/C1583M-20 PDF

Full title and description

ASTM C1583/C1583M-20 — Standard Test Method for Tensile Strength of Concrete Surfaces and the Bond Strength or Tensile Strength of Concrete Repair and Overlay Materials by Direct Tension (Pull-off Method). This test method covers a field- and laboratory-applicable pull-off procedure used to determine near-surface tensile strength of a concrete substrate, the bond strength between repair/overlay materials and the substrate, or the tensile strength of applied repair/overlay materials or adhesives by drilling a shallow core, bonding a steel disk, and applying direct tensile load until failure occurs.

Abstract

This standard specifies the pull-off (direct tension) test for evaluating tensile strength properties related to concrete surfaces and bonded repair or overlay materials. The method is intended as an indicator of surface preparation quality and as a quantitative means to evaluate bond or tensile capacity of repair systems; the recorded failure mode (substrate, bond, or overlay) must be reported for each test. Values are given in SI and inch‑pound units (each treated independently).

General information

• Status: Superseded (original edition published 2020; superseded by ASTM C1583/C1583M-25 published December 15, 2025).
• Publication date: January 4, 2020 (designation: C1583/C1583M-20).
• Publisher: ASTM International.
• ICS / categories: 91.080.40 — Concrete structures.
• Edition / version: ASTM C1583/C1583M-20.
• Number of pages: 5 pages (typical pamphlet format).

Key bibliographic facts above are taken from official standards listings and distributors.

Scope

The test method applies to both field and laboratory determinations of: (1) near-surface tensile strength of a concrete substrate (used to assess surface preparation before repair/overlay), (2) bond strength of a repair or overlay material to a concrete substrate, and (3) tensile strength of a repair/overlay material or adhesive after application. The procedure describes required apparatus (core drill, steel disk, tensile loading device, coupling device), specimen preparation (shallow core perpendicular to the surface), bonding of a loading disk, application of tensile load to failure, recording of failure load and mode, and calculation of nominal tensile stress at failure. Values in SI or inch‑pound units are each treated as separate standards.

Key topics and requirements

• Purpose: measure near-surface tensile strength or bond/tensile strength of applied repair/overlay materials using the pull-off method.
• Specimen formation: drill a shallow core into substrate (leaving core intact and attached) and bond a steel loading disk to the specimen.
• Apparatus: core drill and barrel, steel disk, tensile loading device (calibrated), and coupling device.
• Test procedure: apply increasing tensile load to the disk until failure; record failure load and mode for each test.
• Reporting: report failure mode (substrate, bond, or overlay) for each result; average results only when failure modes are the same.
• Units: separate SI and inch‑pound unit systems — do not mix values from the two systems.
• Safety note: the standard does not address all safety concerns; users must follow appropriate safety and regulatory requirements.

These requirements are summarized from the published standard text and official descriptions.

Typical use and users

Common users include materials and quality-control engineers, concrete repair contractors, inspectors, laboratory technicians, R&D teams evaluating repair systems, and specification writers. Typical uses are pre‑application assessment of substrate preparation, verification of bond strength for repair/overlay systems, field acceptance testing, research on adhesive/overlay formulations, and comparisons between surface preparation methods.

Related standards

Related ASTM and international standards often referenced with C1583 include procedures for surface preparation, adhesion testing, and complementary mechanical tests. Historically, C1583/C1583M-20 revised the 2013 edition (C1583/C1583M-13); the C1583 series is also associated with other test methods for bond or tensile evaluation in repair contexts. Note: C1583/C1583M-20 itself was superseded by ASTM C1583/C1583M-25 (published December 15, 2025).

Keywords

pull-off test, direct tension, tensile strength, bond strength, concrete surfaces, overlay materials, repair materials, tensile bond strength, surface preparation, ASTM C1583.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ASTM C1583/C1583M-20 is the 2020 edition of the ASTM standard that defines the pull-off (direct tensile) test method used to assess near-surface tensile strength of concrete substrates and the bond or tensile strength of repair/overlay materials bonded to concrete.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers specimen preparation (shallow core), apparatus requirements (core drill, steel disk, tensile loading device), test execution (apply tensile load to failure), data recording (failure load and failure mode), calculation of nominal tensile stress at failure, and reporting conventions — including the rule that SI and inch‑pound units are each separate standards.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Concrete materials engineers, repair contractors, inspection and quality-control personnel, laboratories performing adhesion or tensile tests, product developers for repair/overlay systems, and specification authors. It is used both in the field and in laboratory evaluations.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ASTM C1583/C1583M-20 was published on January 4, 2020. As of December 15, 2025, ASTM published a subsequent revision designated ASTM C1583/C1583M-25; therefore the 2020 edition has been superseded by the 2025 edition. Users writing specifications or performing conformity checks should reference the edition currently required by their contract or authority and consider using the 2025 revision where applicable.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: Yes. The C1583 designation is part of the ASTM corpus of concrete and repair testing standards; it has prior editions (for example, C1583/C1583M-13) and follows ASTM numbering conventions for paired SI/inch‑pound standards (the /C1583M suffix denotes dual units). Related ASTM standards address surface preparation, adhesion, and other mechanical property tests for concrete and repair materials.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Pull-off test, direct tension, tensile strength, bond strength, concrete repair, overlay materials, surface preparation, ASTM C1583, tensile bond strength, steel loading disk.