EN 992:1995

Overview

EN 992:1995 - Determination of the dry density of lightweight aggregate concrete with open structure is a CEN European standard that specifies a method for measuring the dry density of lightweight aggregate concrete (LAC) with an open, interconnected pore structure. The standard was adopted nationally (e.g., as SIST EN 992:2001 in Slovenia) and is intended for use in material testing, quality control and product characterization of lightweight concretes.

Key topics and technical requirements

The standard addresses the essential elements needed to determine dry density of open-structure LAC, including:

• Scope and definitions relevant to lightweight aggregate concrete (LAC) with open porosity.
• Specimen selection and preparation to ensure representative material sampling.
• Moisture conditioning (drying to a specified state) prior to measurement to obtain a consistent dry mass.
• Mass and volume measurement procedures required to calculate dry density accurately.
• Calculation and reporting of dry density (mass per unit volume) and presentation of results with appropriate environmental or conditioning notes.
• Considerations for the influence of open pore structure and moisture on measured density and repeatability of results.

Note: EN 992 specifies the method framework and reporting expectations rather than prescribing application-specific thresholds.

Applications

EN 992 is used wherever accurate dry density data for open-structure lightweight aggregate concrete are required:

• Quality control in manufacture of lightweight concrete products (blocks, panels, precast elements).
• Material characterization in structural design and performance assessment, where density affects load, thermal, and acoustic properties.
• Research and development of lightweight aggregates and concrete mixes.
• Compliance documentation for product certification and material specifications in procurement and contracts.
• By testing laboratories, manufacturers, structural engineers, specifiers, and building authorities who need standardized, comparable density measurements.

Related standards

EN 992 is part of the suite of CEN standards for concrete testing. For comprehensive evaluation of lightweight concrete, laboratories typically combine density measurement with other standardized tests for:

• Sampling and specimen preparation
• Moisture content and conditioning
• Mechanical properties (e.g., compressive strength) Refer to the relevant CEN/EN concrete testing standards and national adoptions for complete test suites and procedural cross-references.

Keywords: EN 992, lightweight aggregate concrete, LAC, dry density, open structure, concrete testing, CEN standard, quality control.