EN 1521:1996

Overview

EN 1521:1996 is a CEN European standard that specifies a laboratory method for the determination of flexural (tensile) strength of lightweight aggregate concrete with open structure (LAC). The procedure applies to prismatic test specimens taken from prefabricated components and is intended to provide reproducible measures of bending/tensile performance for quality assessment and comparison. (ICS: 91.100.30)

Key topics and requirements

• Scope and applicability - focuses specifically on lightweight aggregate concrete with an open (porous) structure and on prismatic specimens extracted from prefabricated products.
• Specimen provenance - requires that specimens are taken from actual prefabricated components to reflect in-situ material and manufacturing effects.
• Test objective - measures flexural (tensile) strength under a standard bending arrangement to characterize mechanical behavior in bending and to support design verification.
• Conditioning and preparation - standardizes specimen handling and conditioning prior to testing to ensure consistent results (see standard for detailed pre-test requirements).
• Measurement and reporting - defines the required measurements, calculation of flexural strength results, and the format for reporting results to ensure traceability and comparability across tests.
• Reference to prEN 1520 - the method aligns with principles in prEN 1520 as cited in the scope.

Note: EN 1521:1996 sets the method and reporting conventions; consult the full standard for precise procedural parameters (dimensions, loading arrangements, and calculation formulae).

Applications

• Quality control in precast concrete production: verify flexural capacity of LAC elements taken from production batches.
• Structural verification: provide data for engineers assessing the bending performance of lightweight concrete members in non-critical or secondary structural roles.
• Research and development: compare formulations, aggregates, or manufacturing processes for porous lightweight concretes.
• Third‑party testing and certification: laboratories use the standard to produce standardized test reports for compliance, tendering, or product certification.

Who should use this standard

• Precast and lightweight concrete manufacturers
• Materials and structural testing laboratories
• Structural and materials engineers specifying or verifying LAC components
• Standards bodies and compliance auditors

Related standards

• prEN 1520 (referenced in EN 1521 scope)
• Other CEN/EN concrete testing standards for compressive and tensile strength (consult CEN catalogue for specific references)

Keywords: EN 1521:1996, lightweight aggregate concrete, LAC, flexural strength, tensile strength, prismatic specimens, prefabricated components, CEN standard.