ASTM D4753-25 PDF

Full title and description

Standard Guide for Evaluating, Selecting, and Specifying Balances and Standard Masses for Use in Soil, Rock, and Construction Materials Testing (ASTM D4753-25). This guide provides guidance for selecting and specifying general-purpose balances and standard masses used in soil, rock and related construction-materials testing, and for describing selected balances in a uniform way for standards and test methods.

Abstract

ASTM D4753-25 is a short guide that summarizes minimum requirements and recommended practices for balance selection and the use of standard masses in geotechnical and construction-materials laboratories. It clarifies terminology (favoring “mass” over “weight”), identifies the intended limits of the guide (general-purpose testing, not high‑accuracy research balances), and points users to more detailed verification documents such as NIST Handbook 44.

General information

• Status: Active.
• Publication date: July 1, 2025 (current edition D4753‑25).
• Publisher: ASTM International (Book of Standards, Vol. 04.08).
• ICS / categories: 17.060 (Measurement of volume, mass, density, viscosity).
• Edition / version: D4753‑25 (2025).
• Number of pages: 6 pages.

Scope

The guide sets out minimum requirements and recommended descriptions for general-purpose balances and standard masses used in testing soil, rock, and related construction materials. It is intended to aid users and standards writers in selecting and specifying balances appropriate to routine testing and reporting; it does not prescribe specialized high‑accuracy balances, nor does it provide detailed verification/test procedures (users are referred to documents such as NIST Handbook 44 for verification methods).

Key topics and requirements

• Definitions and preferred terminology (use of “mass” vs “weight”).
• Minimum performance considerations for general‑purpose balances used in soil/rock testing (accuracy expressed as overall combined error rather than individual error components).
• Guidance for specifying balance capacity, readability, and stability appropriate to common test methods.
• Use and description of standard masses (tolerances referenced to recognized metrology bodies).
• Limitations—exclusions for nongraduated balances and for research/specialized high‑accuracy requirements.

Typical use and users

Laboratories and testing agencies performing geotechnical, soil, rock and construction‑materials tests; standards developers and test method writers who must specify balance performance or describe the balance used in a procedure; inspection organizations and procurement teams seeking standardized descriptions of balance capability for purchase specifications. The guide is intended for routine testing contexts rather than metrology laboratories requiring national‑level calibration traceability procedures.

Related standards

Referenced metrology and verification publications include NIST Handbook 44 and OIML recommendations for masses and balances; related ASTM documents appear across Committee D18 publications (Book of Standards Vol. 04.08) and other D18 test methods that reference balance requirements. Users should consult specific test methods for any stricter balance or mass tolerances.

Keywords

balance, balances, standard mass, standard masses, scale, mass measurement, soil testing, rock testing, construction materials, metrology, calibration, NIST Handbook 44, OIML.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ASTM D4753‑25 is a short guide published by ASTM International that provides guidance for evaluating, selecting, and specifying general‑purpose balances and standard masses for use in soil, rock, and related construction‑materials testing.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers recommended descriptions and minimum performance considerations for balances and standard masses used in routine geotechnical and construction‑materials testing, defines preferred terminology, and identifies exclusions (for example, it does not cover highly specialized high‑accuracy balances or nongraduated balances).

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Test laboratories, standards writers, inspection bodies, and procurement or quality managers in the fields of soil, rock and construction‑materials testing use the guide to ensure consistent specification and reporting of balance capabilities.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: The current edition is D4753‑25 (approved July 1, 2025) and is listed as active. It replaces earlier editions (for example D4753‑24 and prior revisions). Users should verify they have the D4753‑25 text for the most recent editorial and technical content.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: D4753 is maintained under ASTM Committee D18 (Soil and Rock) and appears in the Book of Standards Volume 04.08; it complements other D18 standards and test methods that reference balance or mass requirements.

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: balance, standard mass, scale, mass measurement, soil testing, rock testing, construction materials, calibration, NIST, OIML.