Designation: C 503 – 08a

Standard Specification for

Marble Dimension Stone1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 503; 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.

1. Scope 4. Classification
1.1 This specification covers the material characteristics, 4.1 Dimension marble is classified as follows:
physical requirements, and sampling appropriate to the selec- 4.1.1 I Calcite.
tion of marble for general building and structural purposes. 4.1.2 II Dolomite.
Refer to Guides C 1242 and C 1528 for the appropriate NOTE 1—See Terminology C 119 for definitions of calcite and dolo-
selection and use of marble dimension stone. mite.
1.2 Dimension marble shall include stone that is sawed, cut,
split, or otherwise finished or shaped into blocks, slabs or tiles, 5. Soundness
and shall specifically exclude molded, cast and artificially 5.1 Marbles are further classified into four “Soundness”
aggregated units composed of fragments, and also crushed and groups: A, B, C, and D. Classifications are based on the
broken stone. properties encountered in fabrication and has no reference
whatsoever to comparative merit or value. Marble is classified
2. Referenced Documents
by its producer.
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 5.2 The Soundness classifications indicate what repairs may
C 97 Test Methods for Absorption and Bulk Specific Grav- be necessary prior to or during installation, based on standard
ity of Dimension Stone trade practices.
C 99 Test Method for Modulus of Rupture of Dimension 5.3 The groupings A, B, C, and D, should be taken into
Stone account when specifying marble, for all marbles are not
C 119 Terminology Relating to Dimension Stone suitable for all building applications. This is particularly true of
C 170 Test Method for Compressive Strength of Dimension the comparatively fragile marbles classified under Soundness
Stone Groups C and D, which may need additional fabrication before
C 241 Test Method for Abrasion Resistance of Stone Sub- or during installation. Only Soundness Group A marble should
jected to Foot Traffic be used for exterior installations, or any applications that
C 880 Test Method for Flexural Strength of Dimension require the stone panel to resist lateral loads or to bear weight
Stone without reinforcement.
C 1242 Guide for Selection, Design, and Installation of 5.3.1 The four groups are:
Dimension Stone Anchoring Systems Group A—Sound marbles with uniform and favorable
C 1353 Test Method Using the Taber Abraser for Abrasion working qualities; containing no geological flaws, voids,
Resistance of Dimension Stone Subjected to Foot Traffic spalls, cracks, open seams, pits or other defects.
C 1528 Guide for Selection of Dimension Stone for Exte- Group B —Marble similar in soundness to Group A, but
rior Use with less favorable working qualities; may have some minor
3. Terminology small holes or voids that may require a limited amount of one
or more of the following: waxing3, sticking4, and filling5.
3.1 Definitions—All definitions are in accordance with Ter- Group C—Marble with some variations in working quali-
minology C 119. ties; geological flaws, voids, and lines of separation are
common. It is standard practice to repair these variations by

1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C18 on
3
Dimension Stone and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C18.03 on Waxing refers to the practice of filling minor surface imperfections such as
Material Specifications. voids or sand holes with melted shellac, cabinetmaker’s wax or certain polyester
Current edition approved Oct. 1, 2008. Published November 2008. Originally compounds. It does not refer to the application of paste wax to make the surfaces
approved in 1962. Last previous edition approved in 2008 as C 503 – 08. shinier.
2 4
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or Sticking describes the butt edge repair of a broken piece now generally done
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM with dowels, cements or epoxies. The pieces are “stuck” together, thus “sticking.”
5
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on Filling—voids, such as those which occur naturally in marble, can be filled with
the ASTM website. polyester compounds.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Apr 16 07:33:31 EDT 2009 1
Downloaded/printed by
Laurentian University pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.
 C 503 – 08a
TABLE 1 Physical Requirements
NOTE—The values in Table 1 were established using samples prepared according to the individual test methods. Finishes, other than those specified
in the individual test methods, may result in a deviation from established values.
Physical Property Test Requirements Classification(s) Test Method(s)
Absorption by weight, max, % 0.20 I, II C 97
Density, min, lb/ft3(kg/m3) 162 (2595) I CalciteA C 97
175 (2800) II DolomiteA C 97
Compressive strength, min, psi (MPa) 7500 (52) I, II C 170
Modulus of rupture, min, psi (MPa) 1000 (7) I, II C 99
Abrasion resistance, min, HA B,C,D 10 I, II C 241/C 1353
Flexural strength, min, psi (MPa) 1000 (7) I, II C 880
A
See Terminology C 119 for definitions of calcite and dolomite.
B
Pertains to light foot traffic only. On commercial or institutional stairways, floors, and platforms subject to heavy foot traffic, a minimum abrasion hardness of 12.0 is
recommended. Where two or more marbles are combined for color and design effects, there should be no greater difference than 5 points in abrasion resistance.
C
The supplier of the No. 60 Alundum abrasive, Norton, has indicated that the formula for Norton treatment 138S has been changed. The new abrasive is currrently more
aggressive, resulting in lower abrasive hardness values (Ha) than when the standard was initially established. As such, care should be taken when interpreting Ha values
from tests using the new abrasive, particularly with regard to current ASTM stone standard specification requirements for abrasion resistance, which were developed when
the original abrasive was still in use. Committee C18 is actively studying alternatives to address this issue.
D
Abrasion Resistance Test Method C 1353 will eventually replace Test Method C 241. It is not necessary to perform both tests. Availability of the proper equipment and
materials by the testing laboratory may determine which test is performed.

one or more of the following methods: waxing3, sticking4, 6.3 Marble for interior use may be Soundness Group A, B,
filling5, cementing, or other forms of additional reinforcement. C or D.
Group D —Marbles similar in soundness to Group C, but 6.4 Soundness Group B and C marbles can be reinforced,
containing a larger proportion of natural faults, maximum filled or cemented for use on light- to medium-duty walking
variations in working qualities, and requiring more of the same surfaces and other interior applications.
methods of finishing.6 6.5 Soundness Group D marbles can be reinforced, filled or
cemented for use on vertical interior applications. This group
6. Physical Properties may also be suitable for use in some light-to medium-duty
6.1 Marble supplied under this specification shall conform interior pedestrian surface applications.
to the physical requirements prescribed in Table 1.
6.2 Marble for exterior dimension use shall be Soundness 7. Sampling
Group A stone, free of spalls, cracks, open seams, pits, or other 7.1 Samples for testing to determine the characteristics and
defects that are likely to impair its structural integrity in its physical properties shall be representative of the marble to be
intended use. used.

6
8. Keywords
A “liner” is usually a thin slab of stone cemented to the back of a piece of
finished marble for reinforcing. 8.1 calcite; dolomite; marble

ASTM International takes no position respecting the validity of any patent rights asserted in connection with any item mentioned
in this standard. Users of this standard are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any such patent rights, and the risk
of infringement of such rights, are entirely their own responsibility.

This standard is subject to revision at any time by the responsible technical committee and must be reviewed every five years and
if not revised, either reapproved or withdrawn. Your comments are invited either for revision of this standard or for additional standards
and should be addressed to ASTM International Headquarters. Your comments will receive careful consideration at a meeting of the
responsible technical committee, which you may attend. If you feel that your comments have not received a fair hearing you should
make your views known to the ASTM Committee on Standards, at the address shown below.

This standard is copyrighted by ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959,
United States. Individual reprints (single or multiple copies) of this standard may be obtained by contacting ASTM at the above
address or at 610-832-9585 (phone), 610-832-9555 (fax), or [email protected] (e-mail); or through the ASTM website
(www.astm.org).

Copyright by ASTM Int'l (all rights reserved); Thu Apr 16 07:33:31 EDT 2009 2
Downloaded/printed by
Laurentian University pursuant to License Agreement. No further reproductions authorized.