A new standard developed by ASTM International’s dimension stone committee (C18) provides the first quantitative field test for determining the shear bond strength of stone tile.

According to ASTM member Donato Pompo, the new standard will allow for meaningful on-site assessment of shear bond strength. It can be applied to newly adhered stone installations for quality assurance testing or to existing stone installations to verify bond strength. Previously, the only standard shear bond strength test available was a laboratory test.

“Building codes referenced another standard as a requirement to test for shear bond strength on exterior veneer applications,” says Pompo, founder of Ceramic Tile and Stone Consultants. “However, this laboratory test cannot be done at the building site or be used to measure the actual performance of the stone that is attached to a building.”

Pompo notes the new standard will be useful for architects to incorporate as part of field quality assurance to verify the installed stone is performing as intended. He adds that it will also greatly assist forensic investigators to verify if a stone installation meets the respective codes or performance specifications.

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Media Inquiries: Dan Bergels, tel +1.610.832.9602; dbergels@astm.org
Committee Contact: David Lee, tel +1.610.832.9681; dlee@astm.org

Release #11101

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