EN 12390-3 : Testing hardened concrete - Part 3: Compressive strength of test specimens.

The NBN EN 12390-3:2019 standard specifies the method for determining the compressive strength of hardened concrete using cubic, cylindrical, or cored test specimens. It sets out the requirements relating to the specimens, their preparation (grinding or capping of the bearing surfaces), the use of a compliant testing machine, as well as the positioning of the specimen and the application of a continuous load until failure. The compressive strength is calculated from the maximum recorded load and the cross-sectional area of the specimen. The standard also describes the types of valid and invalid failure, the mandatory information to be included in the test report (identification, dimensions, failure load, compressive strength, anomalies, etc.), and the precision criteria (repeatability and reproducibility). Annexes provide detailed methods for preparing the bearing surfaces and the procedure to follow when the dimensions of the test specimens fall outside the specified tolerances.