The following is taken from the ACM RainBloc Rain Water Penetration Resistance for Masonry Construction.
"Spray Bar Test Method
The RainBloc Spray Bar Test Method subject individual concrete masonry units to continuous water pressure from a standardized spray bar at a rate of 120 gallons of water per hour.
After four hours of continuous exposure, each unit is evaluated using standardized pass/fail criteria. This test method correlates well with ASTM E 514.
A producer's concrete masonry units must pass this rigorous test to be a certified RainBloc producer.
Testing Procedure
- Masonry units are manufactured with RainBloc admixture with assistance from an ACM Chemistries technical service representative.
- Masonry units are shipped to ACM Chemistries for evaluation using the RainBloc Spray Bar Test Method.
- Units are tested for compliance with the ASTM Unit Specification designated for the type of unit manufactured (ASTM C55, C90, C129, C744).
Performance Report
The CMU producer receives a RainBloc Certification Report upon successful compliance with the water repellency performance criteria established by ACM Chemistries, Inc. This report provides evidence to specifiers about the performance and certification of compliance for the water repellent units made by the manufacturer.
Each certified RainBloc producer receives a performance report that includes
- RainBloc Spray Bar Test Method results
- masonry unit physical properties
- certificate of performance
[Note to Specifier: It is strongly recommended by ACM Chemistries, Inc. that the following section be included in your project specification, especially for larger scale projects. The pre-installation conference can establish your strong desire to enforce the requirements for water-repellency, proper flashing techniques, and the use of weeps. Coordinate with Division 01 Section "Project Management and Coordination."]"