Designation: C 1491 – 03

Standard Specification for

Concrete Roof Pavers1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 1491; 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* C 1262 Test Method for Evaluating the Freeze-Thaw Dura-

1.1 This specification covers concrete roof pavers that are bility of Manufactured Concrete Masonry Units and Re-
machine-made from hydraulic cement, water, and suitable lated Concrete Units3
mineral aggregates with or without the inclusion of other
3. Terminology
materials, for use as roof ballast and protection of roof
membranes. 3.1 Terminology defined in Terminology C 1209 and Ter-
minology C 1232 shall apply to this specification.
NOTE 1—The design of roof ballast systems for resisting wind uplift is
beyond the scope of this specification. Building codes and other standards 4. Material
should be consulted in designing for wind uplift resistance.
4.1 Cementitious Materials—Materials shall conform to the
1.2 The text of this standard references notes and footnotes following applicable specifications:
that provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes 4.1.1 Portland Cement—Specification C 150.
(excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered 4.1.2 Modified Portland Cement—Portland cement con-
as requirements of the standard. forming to Specification C 150, modified as follows:
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded 4.1.2.1 Limestone—Limestone, with a minimum 85 % cal-
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for cium carbonate (CaCO3) content, shall be permitted to be
information only. added to the cement, provided the requirements of Specifica-
tion C 150 are modified as follows:
2. Referenced Documents
(1) Limitation on Insoluble Residue—1.5 %.
2.1 ASTM Standards: (2) Limitation on Air Content of Mortar—Volume percent,
C 33 Specification for Concrete Aggregates2 22 % max.
C 140 Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Concrete (3) Limitation on Loss on Ignition—7 %.
Masonry Units and Related Units3 4.1.3 Blended Cements—Cement conforming to either
C 150 Specification for Portland Cement4 Specification C 595 or Specification C 1157.
C 331 Specification for Lightweight Aggregates for Con- 4.1.4 Pozzolans—Specification C 618.
crete Masonry Units2 4.1.5 Blast Furnace Slag—Specification C 989.
C 595 Specification for Blended Hydraulic Cements4 4.2 Aggregates—Aggregates shall conform to the following
C 618 Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined specifications, except that grading requirements shall not
Natural Pozzolan for Use as a Mineral Admixture in necessarily apply:
Concrete2 4.2.1 Normal Weight Aggregates—Specification C 33.
C 989 Specification for Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace 4.2.2 Lightweight Aggregates—Specification C 331.
Slag for Use in Concrete and Mortars2 4.3 Other Constituents—Air-entraining agents, coloring
C 1157 Performance Specification for Hydraulic Cement4 pigments, integral water repellents, finely ground silica, and
C 1209 Terminology of Concrete Masonry Units and Re- other constituents shall be previously established as suitable for
lated Units3 use in concrete roof pavers and shall conform to applicable
C 1232 Terminology of Masonry3 ASTM standards or shall be shown by test or experience
satisfactory to the purchaser to be not detrimental to the
1
durability of the units or any material customarily used in
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C15 on
Manufactured Masonry Units and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee concrete roof pavers.
C15.03 on Concrete Masonry Units and Related Units.
Current edition approved June 10, 2003. Published August 2003. Originally 5. Physical Requirements
approved in 2001. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as C 1491–01a.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
5.1 At the time of delivery to the work site, the units shall
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.05. conform to the physical requirements of Table 1 and shall have
4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.01. a minimum net area average compression strength (average of

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

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Apr 16 09:22:38 EDT 2009
Downloaded/printed by
Laurentian University pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
 C 1491 – 03
TABLE 1 Absorption Requirements for Concrete Roof Pavers of the construction. Minor cracks incidental to the usual
Concrete Density,
Maximum Water Absorption, method of manufacture or minor chipping resulting from
lb/ft3 (kg/m3) customary methods of handling in shipment and delivery are
lb/ft3 (kg/m3)
(average of 3 units)
not grounds for rejection.
95 (1522) or less 15 (240)
over 95 to 115 (1522 to 1842) 13 (208)
7.2 Five percent of the units in a shipment are permitted to
over 115 (1842) or more 10 (160) contain chips not larger than 1 in. (25.4 mm) in any dimension,
or cracks not wider than 0.02 in. (0.5 mm) and not longer than
25 % of the nominal height of the unit.
3 units) of 3000 psi (20.68 MPa) with no individual unit
compressive strength less than 2600 psi (17.93 MPa) when 8. Sampling and Testing
tested in accordance with 8.2. 8.1 The purchaser or authorized representative shall be
5.2 Resistance to Flexural Load—The average resistance to accorded proper facilities to inspect and sample the units at the
flexural load for three paver units shall exceed 350 lb (1557 N) place of manufacture from the lots ready for delivery.
and resistance to flexural load of each individual unit shall 8.2 Sample and test units for compressive strength, flexural
exceed 280 lb (1246 N) when tested in accordance with 8.2. load, absorption, density, ballast weight, and dimensional
5.3 Ballast Weight—Requirements for ballast weight per tolerance in accordance with Test Methods C 140.
unit area shall be specified separately. 8.3 When required, sample and test five specimens for
5.4 Freeze-Thaw Durability—In areas where repeated freeze-thaw durability in water in accordance with Test Method
freezing and thawing under saturated conditions occur, freeze- C 1262. Freeze-thaw durability shall be based on tests of units
thaw durability shall be demonstrated by test or by proven field made with the same materials, concrete mix design, manufac-
performance that the concrete roof paver units have adequate turing process, and curing method, conducted not more than 24
durability for the intended use. When testing is required by the months prior to delivery.
specifier to demonstrate freeze-thaw durability, the units shall
be tested in accordance with 8.3. 9. Compliance
5.4.1 Specimens shall comply with either of the following: 9.1 If a sample falls to conform to the specified require-
(1) the weight loss of each of five test specimens at the ments, the manufacturer shall be permitted to remove units
conclusion of 100 cycles shall not exceed 1 % of its initial from the shipment. A new sample shall be selected by the
weight; or (2) the weight loss of each of four or five test purchaser from remaining units from the shipment with a
specimens at the conclusion of 150 cycles shall not exceed similar configuration and dimension and tested at the expense
1.5 % of its initial weight. of the manufacturer. If the second sample meets the specified
NOTE 2—This specification does not include criteria for hail stone requirements, the remaining portion of the shipment repre-
impact. Where required, these criteria should be specified by the pur- sented by the sample meets the specified requirements. If the
chaser. Appendix X1 is provided as guidance to specifying hail-impact second sample fails to meet the specified requirements, the
resistance. remaining portion of the shipment represented by the sample
fails to meet the specified requirements.
6. Permissible Variations in Dimension and Weight
6.1 Overall dimensions for width, height, and length shall NOTE 3—Unless otherwise specified in the purchase order, the cost of
tests is typically borne as follows: (1) If the results of the tests show that
not differ by more than 6 1⁄8 in. (3.2 mm) from the specified
the units do not conform to the requirements of this specification, the cost
standard dimensions. is typically borne by the seller. (2) If the results of the tests show that the
6.2 Ballast weight shall not differ by more than 6 2.0 lb/ft2 units conform to the specification requirements, the cost is typically borne
(9.7 kg/m2) from the specified weight. by the purchaser.

7. Finish and Appearance 10. Keywords

7.1 All units shall be sound and free of cracks or other 10.1 absorption; aggregates; ballast weight; cementitious;
defects that would interfere with the proper placement of the compressive strength; concrete roof pavers; durability; lime-
unit or would significantly impair the strength or permanence stone; portland cement

2
Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Apr 16 09:22:38 EDT 2009
Downloaded/printed by
Laurentian University pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
 C 1491 – 03
APPENDIX

(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. SPECIFYING RESISTANCE TO HAIL STONE IMPACT

X1.1 Where the purchaser’s deign criteria include resis- hail stone diameter 1.8 in. (45.7 mm) or larger.
tance to impact from hail, hailstorm activity can be estimated
from Fig. X1.1. As further guidance, a minimum energy- X1.2 Recommended testing for hail stone impact resistance
impact resistance to hail stones in areas potentially subjected to entails impacting three specimens, supported as they would be
moderate to heavy hailstorm activity shall be 15 ft-lb (20.3 J). in use, each to a series of three blows from a spherical ice ball
This impact energy is related to a hail stone of approximate of a size, configuration, and impact energy as outlined above.
diameter of 1.83 in. (46.5 mm), having a density 90 % of that Failure of any specimen would be defined as the complete
of water, and falling at the terminal velocity for a spherical fracturing of the test specimen through the height of the paver.
shape. Fig. X1.1 is based on hail storm activity reported by the (Dents, chips, or cracks shall not be considered as failure of the
National Weather Service for the time period between 1955 test specimen.)
and 1995 and includes all reported hail storms with average

3
Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Apr 16 09:22:38 EDT 2009
Downloaded/printed by
Laurentian University pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
 C 1491 – 03

FIG. X1.1 Hail Storm Frequency

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee C15 has identified the location of the following changes since C 1491–01a that may impact the use
of this standard.

(1) Portland cement was changed to hydraulic cement in (1) Deleted the word “large” from Note 2, since this specifi-
Section 1.1. cation does not include any criteria for hail impact, regardless
Committee C15 has identified the location of selected changes of stone size.
to this standard since the C 1491–01 edition that may impact
the use of this standard.

ASTM International takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any item mentioned
in this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the risk
of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.

This standard is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years and
if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
and should be addressed to ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the
responsible technical committee, which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you should
make your views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, at the address shown below.

This standard is copyrighted by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,
United States. Individual reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the above
address or at 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or [email protected] (e-mail); or through the ASTM website
(www.astm.org).

4
Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Apr 16 09:22:38 EDT 2009
Downloaded/printed by
Laurentian University pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.