Designation: C 129 – 03

Standard Specification for

Nonloadbearing Concrete Masonry Units1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 129; 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.

This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope* C 426 Test Method for Drying Shrinkage of Concrete Ma-

1.1 This specification covers hollow and solid nonloadbear- sonry Units3
ing concrete masonry units made from portland cement, water, C 595 Specification for Blended Hydraulic Cements4
and mineral aggregates with or without the inclusion of other C 618 Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined
materials. These units are intended for use in nonloadbearing Natural Pozzolan for Use as a Mineral Admixture in
partitions, but under certain conditions they may be suitable for Concrete2
use in nonloadbearing exterior walls above grade where C 989 Specification for Ground Granulated Blast Furnace
effectively protected from the weather. Slag for Use in Concrete and Mortars2
1.2 The text of this standard references notes and footnotes C 1157 Performance Specification for Hydraulic Cement4
which provide explanatory material. These notes and footnotes C 1209 Terminology of Concrete Masonry Units and Re-
(excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered lated Units3
as requirements of the standard. C 1232 Terminology of Masonry3
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded 3. Terminology
as the standard. The values given in parentheses are for
information only. 3.1 Terminology defined in Terminology C 1209 and Ter-
minology C 1232 shall apply for this specification.
NOTE 1—Concrete masonry units covered by this specification are
made from lightweight or normal weight aggregates, or both. 4. Classification
NOTE 2—When particular features are desired, such as weight classifi-
cation, surface texture for appearance or bond, finish, color, fire resistance,
4.1 Nonloadbearing concrete masonry units manufactured
insulation, acoustical properties, or other special features, such properties in accordance with this specification shall conform to one of
should be specified separately by the purchaser. However, local sellers three weight classifications prescribed in Table 1.
should be consulted as to the availability of units having the desired
features. 5. Materials and Manufacture
5.1 Cementitious Materials—Materials shall conform to the
2. Referenced Documents
following applicable specifications:
2.1 ASTM Standards: 5.1.1 Portland Cement— Specification C 150.
C 33 Specification for Concrete Aggregates2 5.1.2 Blended Hydraulic Cements— Specification C 595.
C 140 Test Methods for Sampling and Testing Concrete 5.1.3 Hydraulic Cement—Specification C 1157.
Masonry Units and Related Units3 5.1.4 Hydrated Lime, Type S—Specification C 207.
C 150 Specification for Portland Cement4 5.1.5 Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag—
C 207 Specification for Hydrated Lime for Masonry Pur- Specification C 989.
poses4 5.1.6 Pozzolans—Specification C 618.
C 331 Specification for Lightweight Aggregates for Con- 5.2 Aggregates—Aggregates shall conform to the following
crete Masonry Units2 ASTM specifications, except that grading requirements shall
not necessarily apply:
1
5.2.1 Normal Weight Aggregates—Specification C 33.
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C15 on
Manufactured Masonry Units and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee 5.2.2 Lightweight Aggregates—Specification C 331.
C15.03 on Concrete Masonry Units and Related Units. 5.3 Other Constituents—Air-entraining agents, coloring
Current edition approved Aug. 10, 2003. Published September 2003. Originally pigments, integral water repellents, finely ground silica, and
approved in 1937. Last previous edition approved in 2001 as C 129 – 01.
2
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
other constituents, shall be previously established as suitable
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.05. for use in concrete masonry and shall conform to applicable
4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.01. ASTM standards or shall be shown by test or experience not to

*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.

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 C 129 – 03
TABLE 1 Weight Classification 8.2 Where units are to be used in exposed wall construction,
Weight Oven-Dry Weight of Concrete, the face or faces that are to be exposed shall not show chips or
Classification lb/ft3 (kg/m3) cracks, not otherwise permitted, or other imperfections when
Lightweight Less than 105 (1680) viewed from a distance of not less than 20 ft (6.1 m) under
Medium Weight 105 to less than 125 (1680 to 2000)
Normal Weight 125 (2000) or more
diffused lighting.
8.2.1 Five percent of a shipment containing chips, not larger
than 1 in. (25.4 mm) in any dimension, or cracks not wider than
be detrimental to the durability of the concrete masonry units 0.02 in. (0.5 mm) and not longer than 25 % of the nominal
or any material customarily used in masonry construction. height of the unit is permitted.
8.3 The color and texture of the units shall be specified by
6. Physical Requirements the purchaser. The finished surfaces that will be exposed in
6.1 At the time of delivery to the purchaser, units shall place shall conform to an approved sample consisting of not
conform to the strength requirements prescribed in Table 2. less than four units, representing the range of texture and color
NOTE 3—The purchaser is the public body or authority, association, permitted.
corporation, partnership, or individual entering into a contract or agree- 8.4 Nonloadbearing concrete masonry units shall be clearly
ment to purchase or install, or both, concrete masonry units. The time of marked in a manner to preclude their use as load bearing units.
delivery to the purchaser is FOB plant when the purchaser or purchaser’s
agent transports the concrete masonry units, or at the time unloaded at the 9. Methods of Sampling and Testing
worksite if the manufacturer or manufacturer’s agent transports the
concrete masonry units. 9.1 The purchaser or authorized representative shall be
6.2 At the time of delivery to the purchaser, the total linear accorded proper facilities to inspect and sample the units at the
drying shrinkage of units shall not exceed 0.065%. place of manufacture from the lots ready for delivery. At least
6.3 Solid Units—The net cross-sectional area of solid units, 10 days shall be allowed for the completion of the tests.
in every plane parallel to the bearing surface, shall be not less 9.2 Sample and test units in accordance with Test Methods
than 75 % of the gross cross-sectional area measured in the C 140 and Test Method C 426 when applicable.
same plane. 9.3 Total linear drying shrinkage shall be based on tests of
concrete masonry units made with the same materials, concrete
7. Dimensions and Permissible Variations mix design, manufacturing process, and curing method, con-
7.1 Minimum face shell thickness shall be not less than 1⁄2 ducted in accordance with Test Method C 426 not more than 24
in. (13 mm). months prior to delivery.
7.2 No overall dimension (width, height, and length) shall
differ by more than 61⁄8 in. (3.2 mm) from the specified 10. Compliance
standard dimensions.
10.1 If a sample fails to conform to the specified require-
NOTE 4—Standard dimensions of units are the manufacturer’s desig- ments, the manufacturer shall be permitted to remove units
nated dimensions. Nominal dimensions of modular size units are equal to from the shipment. A new sample shall be selected by the
the standard dimensions plus the thickness of one mortar joint. Nominal purchaser from remaining units from the shipment with a
dimensions of nonmodular size units usually exceed the standard dimen-
sions by 1⁄8 to 1⁄4 in. (3.2 to 6.4 mm).
similar configuration and dimension and tested at the expense
of the manufacturer. If the second sample meets the specified
8. Finish and Appearance requirements, the remaining portion of the shipment repre-
8.1 All units shall be sound and free of cracks or other sented by the sample meets the specified requirements. If the
defects that interfere with the proper placement of the units or second sample fails to meet the specified requirements, the
significantly impair the strength or permanence of the construc- remaining portion of the shipment represented by the sample
tion. Minor cracks incidental to the usual method of manufac- fails to meet the specified requirements.
ture or minor chipping resulting from customary methods of NOTE 5—Unless otherwise specified in the purchase order, the cost of
handling in shipment and delivery are not grounds for rejec- tests is typically borne as follows: if the results of the tests show that the
tion. units do not conform to the requirements of this specification, the cost is
typically borne by the seller. If the results of the tests show that the units
TABLE 2 Strength Requirements conform to the specification requirements, the cost is typically borne by
the purchaser.
Compressive Strength
(average net area)
min, psi (MPa) 11. Keywords
Average of 3 units 600 (4.14)
Individual unit 500 (3.45) 11.1 concrete masonry units; face shell; flange; linear
shrinkage; nonloadbearing

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 C 129 – 03
SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee C15 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since the last issue, C 129-01
that may impact the use of this standard.

(1) Portland cement was changed to hydraulic cement in 1.1 2 and 5 to identify it as a permissible cementitious material to
(2) C 989 for blast furnace slag cement was added to Sections use in the production of concrete brick.

Committee C15 has identified the location of selected changes to this standard since C 129-00a was published in the 2001
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.05.

(1) In Section 5 on Materials and Manufacture, Specification and identified as hydraulic cement rather than blended cement.
C 1157 was moved from Paragraph 5.1.2 to its own paragraph

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