ASTM E196-06(2018)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation: E196 − 06 (Reapproved 2018)
Standard Practice for
Gravity Load Testing of Floors and Low Slope Roofs
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E196; 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 (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope E631 Terminology of Building Constructions
1.1 This practice covers static load testing of floors and low
3. Terminology
slope roofs (roofs having a slope of less than 1 in 12) under
3.1 Fordefinitionsoftermsinthispractice,seeTerminology
actual or simulated service conditions, and is applicable to
E631.
typical elements or sections of structures fabricated for test or
to actual existing building components. This practice is in-
4. Significance and Use
tended for use in determining the strength and stiffness of
elements or sections of floors and roofs of buildings under 4.1 This practice is intended to be used by parties involved
gravity loads, as well as in checking the design, materials, in the testing of floors and roofs of structures either in the field
connections, and the quality of the fabrication of such building or the laboratory. Tests are either proof tests or tests to failure,
constructions. and are applicable to all construction materials. The practice is
not intended for use in routine quality control testing of
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as
individual building elements or constructions.
standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical
conversions to inch-pound units that are provided for informa-
5. Types of Tests
tion only and are not considered standard.
5.1 Proof Tests—Proof tests are intended to give assurance
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
that the construction will support a specified load or will not
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
exceed a given deflection under this load, or both. If the floor
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
or roof is to be placed in service after the proof test, or is part
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter-
of an existing structure which must remain in service after the
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.
test, great care must be exercised to determine that structural
1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-
damage has not occurred, or that if failure did occur, damage is
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
minimal and the safety of personnel is not jeopardized.
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
5.2 Failure Tests—Failure tests are carried out to obtain
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
more detailed information on the performance, ultimate load
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
carrying capacity, the mode of failure, the adequacy of the
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
connections, and to develop the complete load-deflection curve
2. Referenced Documents for the construction(s).
2.1 ASTM Standards:
6. Test Specimens
E575 Practice for Reporting Data from Structural Tests of
6.1 The area or size of the test specimen shall be a
Building Constructions, Elements, Connections, and As-
representative section, taken to duplicate the structural perfor-
semblies
mance of the actual floor or roof, or shall be a typical element
or bay of an existing structure. When a loading test is
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E06 on Perfor-
performed on a particular floor or roof composed of many
mance of Buildings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E06.11 on
identical segments, the selection of a representative test section
Horizontal and Vertical Structures/Structural Performance of Completed Structures.
shallbeapprovedbythebuildingofficialorpartyforwhomthe
Current edition approved July 1, 2018. Published July 2018. Originally approved
test is being performed. Normally only one representative
in 1962. Last previous edition approved in 2012 as E196 – 06 (2012). DOI:
10.1520/E0196-06R18.
portion of the structure need be tested, except where various
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
areas of a floor or roof are subject to differing types of loading,
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
or where a number of structural elements or sections in a
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. building are suspect and to be proof loaded.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
E196 − 06 (2018)
6.2 The condition of the materials in the assembly to be 8.5 Safety Considerations—Adequate precautions shall be
tested shall be reasonably equivalent, at the time of test, to the taken to prevent injury to personnel during loading tests, by
conditionsassumedinthedesignorrepresentativeoftheactual avoiding the danger of a complete collapse of the floor or roof
in-service conditions. in case of a failure. This shall be done by providing, when
necessary, adjustable shoring or supports on the underside of
7. Simulated Structures the floor or roof to support the construction in case of failure,
and shall be arranged to catch the main load-carrying members
7.1 When a loading test is carried out on a simulated
of the floor or roof construction and not merely the covering
structure, the support conditions and the fixity of the edges of
surface such as the roof sheathing or a false ceiling. This
the floor or roof developed in the actual structure shall be
shoring system shall be capable of taking the full dead weight
reproduced as closely as possible in the test specimen.
of the floor or roof plus the full test load and shall be adjusted
7.2 The materials, structural shapes, connections,
during the test to leave a gap for deflection and observation.To
connectors, and construction used in the simulated structure
minimize the damage to a structure in the event of a failure
shallduplicateascloselyaspracticalthoseusedorintendedfor
during a proof-load test, the loading medium shall have
use in the actual structure.
back-up restraint to keep it from becoming a following-type
load.The load shall be located so as to facilitate quick removal
8. General Testing Arrangement
and limit the damage in the event that structural problems
become evident.
8.1 Verification of Design Assumptions—Floors or roofs
shall be loaded in a manner satisfying the original design
9. Measurements
assumptions. Floors or roofs designed for uniform loading
9.1 Deflections—Deflection measurements shall be taken
shall be tested under uniform loading or by a method that will
during the loading tests on the floor or roof at the center line
simulate the forces and moments generated by a uniformly
and quarter points of the two main axes of the loaded area and
distributed load. When structures with protrusions or structural
at other specified locations. Where the deformation of support-
elements that are located above the surface to be loaded are
ing members affects the rigidity of the unit being tested, the
tested, care shall be taken to ensure that the loading procedure
deflection of the supporting members shall also be measured.
used does not inadvertently restrain lateral buckling of these
Deflections are permitted to be measured using dial gages, a
elements.
surveyor’s level, or other methods that will limit the error to
8.2 Uniform Live Load—An actual uniform live load is
62 % of the total deflection. The deflection gages shall be
applied to the test specimen(s). This shall be achieved using an
supported so as to be unaffected by the application of the load
air bag, a vacuum chamber, water, or other suitable materials.
or by local deformations caused by the load. A means of
If water is used as a loading medium, care must be taken to
monitoring deflections and test assembly performance from
minimize the effects of ponding which will produce a nonuni-
remote locations is the use of video tape equipment.
form load. One means of minimizing the ponding is by
9.2 Accuracy of Loading—The loading medium or applied
dividing the area to be loaded by water into a series of separate
loads shall be measured by a method that will limit the error to
compartments that are filled individually.
65 % of the specified design live load. Loading methods that
NOTE 1—The unintentional failure of a test structure loaded by water
do no
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