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1.1 This practice covers the material characteristics, physical requirements, and sampling appropriate for the designation of the rotary kiln produced porous ceramic material as a mineral amendment. The porous ceramic material can be used to replace the sand content of a topsoil or it can be blended into an existing topsoil. Typically 5-20 % by mass of porous ceramics are used when blending with or adding to a topsoil.

1.2 The potential/success of a topsoil amendment is measured/determined by its ability to provide or enhance some or all of the desired properties/characteristics of the topsoil that may be deficient in the unamended topsoil.

1.3 Soils typically consist of three components: water, air and solids. Solids can be further divided into two sub-components: organic matter, such as peat, muck or other decayed matter, and inorganic mineral matter, such as clay, silt and sand. Porous ceramic falls into the inorganic mineral matter sub-component and is generally used in horticultural topsoil applications as a substitute/alternative or addition for the sand component of soil. See Specification D5268, Table 1.

1.4 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses are provided for information only and are not considered standard. Reporting of test results in units other than SI shall not be regarded as nonconformance with this standard.

1.5 All observed and calculated values shall conform to the guidelines for significant digits and rounding established in Practice D6026, unless superseded by this test method.

1.6 This practice offers a set of instructions for performing one or more specific operations. This document cannot replace education or experience and should be used in conjunction with professional judgment. Not all aspects of this practice may be applicable in all circumstances. This ASTM standard is not intended to represent or replace the standard of care by which the adequacy of a given professional service must be judged, nor should this document be applied without consideration of a project’s many unique aspects. The word “Standard” in the title of this document means only that the document has been approved through the ASTM consensus process.

1.7 This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.8 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.

5.1 Landscaping and construction professionals and golf course designers are a few of the typical users of this standard. When physically evaluating a soil, relative to its suitability to support plant growth (primarily grasses), tests must be performed to determine the presence and amount of solid matter compatibility that is then used to determine potential air-void content, water-holding ability, and deleterious materials. Rotary kiln produced porous ceramic material is a mineral amendment that can be added to a topsoil to increase its suitability to support plant growth.

5.2 Typical general ranges of soil content for suitable topsoils are presented in Specification D5268. It should be recognized, however, that in some geographic regions, concurrence with the values in the referenced table could be difficult. In such situations, locally acceptable specifications need to be developed.