Concrete Specification for Aggregate Sizes and Grading

Specification Concrete Work Sc /1
CONCRETE WORK
1.0 Quality of Material and Standard of Workmanship
1.1 All concrete work shall conform to the requirements of the following codes and
standards :-
.1 BS 12 Portland Cement (Ordinary and rapid hardening)

.2 BS 785 Rolled steel bars for concrete requirements
.3 BS 4499 High Tensile steel bars for concrete reinforcements
.4 BS 812 Method for the sampling and testing of mineral aggregates, sand and
fillers
.5 BS 882 Concrete aggregates from natural sources
.6 BS 1881 Method of testing concrete
.7 BS 1856 General requirements for the metal – arc welding of mild steel
.8 BS 709 Method of testing fusion welds, welded joints and weld metal
(applicable to the electric – arc welding of steel)
.9 BS 1926 Ready mixed concrete
.10 BS 8110 Structural use of reinforced concrete in buildings
.11 CP 116 The structural use of precast concrete
1.2 Materials used in the works shall be of the qualities and kinds equal to the approved
samples. Delivery shall be made sufficiently in advance to enable further samples to
be taken and tested if required. No materials shall be used until and unless approved
and materials not approved shall be immediately removed from the works at the
Contractor’s cost.
1.3 Materials shall be transported, handled and stored on the site or elsewhere in such a
manner as to prevent damage, deterioration or contamination and made available for
to inspection at any time and at any place of storage.
1.4 So far as is practicable, or unless otherwise specified, materials shall comply with the
appropriate British Standards where these exist, with preference for materials of local
manufacturer. Where a British Standards quoted in this specification has been
amended or superseded, the current Standard shall apply. If required, the Contractor
shall supply the appropriate certificate of compliance with the Standard.
1.5 Tests shall be carried out as and when directed in accordance with the relevant British
Standard or equivalent National Standard. Materials for tests shall be provided and
delivered by the Contractor at his cost, to an approved laboratory. All testing fees shall
be borne by the Contractor.
2.0 Cement
2.1 Cement shall be ordinary Portland Cement of approved manufacturer’s and shall
comply with BS 12.
2.2 The manufacturer’s test certificates will in general be accepted as proof as soundness
but independent tests may be ordered to be carried out to verify quality of cement.
2.0 Cement (Cont’d)
2.3 All cement shall be fresh and delivered to the site in the sealed and branded bags of
the manufacturer, transported in covered vehicles adequately protected against water
and if supply is in bulk, cement shall be stored in properly designed and approved
silos and with certificate showing date and place of manufacture of each batch of
supply. Such silo shall be of a size such that not more than one week’s supply can be
stored at any time.
2.4 All cement shall be stored in waterproof cement store not more than 10 bags high, the
floor of which shall be more than 300mm above natural ground level with ample
under floor ventilation and shall be taken for use in the order of its delivery into the
store. Cement shall not be kept on the site longer than 3 months but at least sufficient
cement for one weeks consumption shall be left in the store.
2.5 Cement of different types such as Ordinary Portland Cement, High Alumina Cement,
Rapid Hardening, Sulphate Resisting Cement and Super Sulphated Cement and of
different manufacture and consignment shall be stored apart and shall not be mixed
with one another.
2.6 Cement shall be kept in the store until it is actually required for use and any cement
temporarily placed near the mixer or elsewhere after removal from the store shall be
adequately protected by approved means. Cement shall not be kept in temporary store
except in so far as is necessary to allow efficient organization of the mixing plant.
2.7 No cement which is in any way affected by dampness or aeration and has partially
hardened or been otherwise damaged shall be used on the job, and any cement which
is considered to be unfit for use will be condemned without any further tests. All
cement rejected for any cause shall be removed from the site immediately.
2.8 Bulk cement shall be used only if approval in writing is first obtained. Automatic
weighing equipment shall be used for weighing the cement to be added to each batch
and for purposes of proportioning cement to aggregate, 50kg of cement shall be taken
as equivalent to 0.035 cubic meters.
3.0 Aggregate
3.1 Generally
1. Materials used as aggregates shall be natural occurring sand and crush stone
obtained from a source known to produce aggregate satisfactory for concrete
work. The aggregate shall conform to the requirements of BS 812 : 1975.
2. All aggregates shall be hard, strong, durable, clean and free from adherent
coatings of clay or any other deleterious matter, and shall be non-porous and
not liable to flake and shall not contain any harmful material in sufficient
quantity to affect adversely the strength, durability or impermeability of
concrete or to attack the steel reinforcement and shall not contain water
soluble sulphur trioxide (SO3) in excess of 0.1%.
3.0 Aggregate (Cont’d)
3.1 Generally (Cont’d)
3. Aggregates shall be stored in properly constructed open bins with clean, hard,
adequately drained floors. Each size of aggregate shall be stored in a separate
bin and intermingling of materials of different sizes or contamination should
be prevented. Stock piles of aggregate shall be levelled off at the top to
prevent segregation.
4. The Contractor shall draw samples of aggregates from the stock piles at
intervals as and when required and have them tested by an approval local
testing authority in accordance with Part 1 of BS 812 Section 2 to 6 inclusive.
5. Samples of the approved fine and coarse aggregate shall be kept on site and
shall give a fair indication of the general quality of the aggregate comparison
with the aggregate delivered during the course of work.
6. Should a sample of the aggregate fail to conform to any of the tests, the batch
of aggregate from the which sample was taken shall either be rejected and
immediately removed from the site or washed, screened and graded until
requirements are met or may be permitted to be used with variations in the
proportions of the concrete mixes specified.
7. Any alteration in the source of supply of aggregate or the manner of

manufacture shall be notified in writing.
3.2 Aggregate Grading
1. The grading of aggregate shall be analyzed by the method given for sieve analysis
in BS 812, and shall be within the limits given below:
Percentage by weight passing BS Sieve
BS 410 Coarse Aggregate Fine Aggregate All In Aggregate

Test Sieve Nominal Nominal Grading Grading 1 ½” ¾”
Size 1 ½ “ Graded 3/4“ Graded Zone 2 Zone 3 Nominal size Nominal Size
1 ½ “ Graded
3” 100 - - - 100 -
1 ½” 95-100 100 - - 95-100 100
¾” 30-70 95-100 - - 45-75 95-100

/
3/8” 10-35 25-55 100 100 - -
3/16” 0-5 0-10 90-100 90-100 25-45 30-50
No.7 - - 75-100 85-100 - -
No.14 - - 55-90 75-100 - -
No.25 - - 35-59 60-79 8-30 10-35
No.52 - - 8-30 12-40 - -
No.100 - - 0-10 0-10 0-6 0-6
2. The grading between the limits specified above shall be to the satisfaction of the
Architect and when tested as provided for in this section, shall approximate
closely to the grading of the samples approved by him. If it should be found
necessary, the fine aggregate shall be washed and/or screened to comply with the
foregoing standards and requirements of the Architect.
4.0 Water
4.1 Water shall be clean fresh water free chemical, organic or harmful impurities.
4.2 Water shall be obtained from public supply or taken from any other source only if
approved and storage tanks of sufficient size shall be maintained on the site to ensure
an abundant service under pressure at all times. Sea water or water from excavation
shall not be used.
4.3 Only water of approved quality shall be used for washing out forms, curing concrete
and similar purposes.
5.0 Admixtures
5.1 If the Contractor proposes admixtures to the concrete mix, he shall submit
details of his proposal for prior approval. Mix designs shall take into account
all admixtures proposed and approved for use. When more than one type is
used, they shall be of same manufacturer, wherever possible, to assure
compatibility.
5.2 No admixtures containing calcium chloride will be permitted in prestressed

concrete construction and concrete which has metal items (other than
reinforcement and anchor bolts) such as conduit, piping, door frames and dry
aluminium or galvanized steel, embedded, built in, of permanently in contact
with the concrete.
6.0 Batching and Mixing Plant
6.1 Cement and aggregates shall be batched by weight and water by weight or by
volume. The accuracy of the weighing equipment shall be +2.5% of the
required weight of the cement or of the total weight of the aggregates. The
accuracy of volumetric weighing equipment shall be +2.5% of the indicated
quantity.
6.2 Before commencement of work and subsequently as often as may be directed,

measuring equipment shall be calibrated with known weights.
6.3 Bagged cement shall be of constant nett weight per bag and one or more
complete bags shall be used for each batch. Cement shall be on no account be
measured by volume or by part bag.
7.0 Concrete Mixes
7.1 Designed Concrete Mixes
1. The Contractor shall mix designed Concrete Mix which shall comply with the
following requirement: -
Grade of Concrete 60 50 40 35 30 25 20 15 10
Characteristic 50 40 30 22.2 26.25 18.75 15 11.25 -
Strength N/mm2- 7
days
Characteristic 60 50 40 35 30 25 20 15 -
Strength
N-mm2 - 28 days
Minimum cement 460 440 425 415 405 360 325 290 250
content in kg/m3 of
fully compacted
concrete
Maximum cement 550 550 550 550 550 550 550 550 550
content in kg/m3 of
fully compacted
concrete
Maximum water / 0.4 0.4 0.43 0.45 0.45 0.5 0.55 0.55 0.65
cement ration
7.2 Mix design shall be based on target average strength equal to the specified minimum
works cube strength plus twice the expected standard or plus 7 N/mm2 whichever is
greater.
7.3 Concrete mix proportions shall be so adjusted that no segregation shall occur with the
method of handling adopted on site.
7.4 Segregation or patches of uncompacted concrete shall be taken as incorrect mix

design or improper workmanship and shall be removed or replaced with concrete
meeting the specification at the Contractor’s expenses.
7.5 Excess bleeding of the concrete shall likewise require adjustments to the concrete mix
proportions.
7.6 Segregations and bleeding shall be determined by visual inspection.
7.7 No concrete shall be placed in the works until the Contractor has received approval
for the mix design based on cube tests.
8.0 Workability and Consistency
8.1 The workability shall be such as to produce a concrete which can be well compacted,
be worked into the corners of the shuttering and around the reinforcement and give
the specified surface finish and attain the specified strength.
8.2 Once suitable proportions of the mix have been determined, the resulting consistency
shall be maintained throughout the corresponding parts of the work.
8.0 Workability and Consistency (Cont’d)
8.3 The method of determining the consistency of the concrete shall be by means of the
Slump Test or the Compacting Factor Test, or both, as may be directed.
8.4 Both test shall be performed in accordance with the provisions of BS 1881; Method of
Testing Concrete.
8.5 For pile caps and pre cast sections, the slump shall not exceed 75 mm in any case
unless specifically approved. For each part of the work, the swamp shall not vary by
more than 25mm.
9.0 Ready Mixed Concrete
9.1 Ready mixed concrete conforming to British Standards Institution Specification for
ready mixed concrete, BS 1926, may be approved for use provided it also satisfies all
the requirements of this Specification.
9.2 Ready mixed concrete shall be obtained from approved supplier chosen by the
Contractor. Arrangements shall be made by Contractor for the supplier’s yard for
preparations of ready mixed concrete to be inspected and approved.
9.3 For each batch of concrete, the following information shall appear on the delivery
tickets :-
1. Water content (liquid measures, liters)
2. Water added at site, if any
3. Cement content (bags/ cu m or kg/cu m )
4. Maximum size aggregate
5. Weights of fine and coarse aggregates
6. Admixtures with quantity / m3
7. Medication that ingredients are as previously certified or approved
9.4 Periodic tests shall be made to determine the moisture content of the aggregate and
the amount of water added to the materials shall be adjusted accordingly.
9.5 The time of arrival of all lorries shall be carefully recorded at the site and be available
for inspection at all times.
9.6 A Record Book must be kept on site containing the following information : -
.1 Time of arrival of lorry
.2 Time of mixing of concrete materials and adding water

9.0 Ready Mixed Concrete (Cont’d)
.3 Registration number of lorry and name of Depot
.4 Time when concrete is placed in position and left undisturbed
.5 Mix
.6 Position where concrete is placed
.7 Whether test cubes were taken from this delivery
.8 Slump
9.7 The Contractor shall be responsible for the performance of the ready mixed concrete
supplier. The Contractor may be ordered to change the supplier or to stop further use
of ready mixed concrete during the progress of the works if any of the requirements
has not been satisfactory complied with.
9.8 If the concrete in a transit mixer has been standing idle on site no water shall be
permitted to be added within the period of retardation to make up for slump lost.
9.9 Concrete with a slump outside the limits specified when measured just prior to
pouring shall be rejected.
9.10 The concrete shall be placed in its final position and left undisturbed within one hour
maximum of the time when the cement first comes into contact with the wetted
aggregate, i.e. from the time when hydration of the cement commences.
9.11 Notwithstanding any such inspection and / or approval; the Contractor shall take full
responsibility for ensuring that all ready mixed concrete complies with the
requirements of this Specification.
10.0 Site mixing Concrete
10.1 Cement shall be measured in whole bags. The fine and coarse aggregates shall be
measured by weight individually, allowance being made for any free water.
10.2 The amount of water added shall be measured.
10.3 Concrete shall be thoroughly mixed together in a batch type mechanical mixer
complying with the requirements of BS 1350 “ Batch Type Concrete Mixer “ and
shall be equipped with a power elevated loading hopper and automatic water
measuring tank fitted with a device for locking the discharge setting. The quantity of
material in each batch shall not exceed the rated capacity of the mixer.
10.4 The mixer shall be operated by at all times and the speed recommended by the maker.
10.0 Site mixing Concrete (Cont’d)
10.5 The minimum mixing time shall not be less than 2 minutes for mixers of 1 m3
capacity and less. For larger capacities, the mixing time shall be increased by 15
seconds for each additional m3.
10.6 The mixing time shall be measured from the time when all solid materials are in the
mixer. No portion of the time required for discharging shall be considered a part of the
mixing time.
10.7 Where by reason of delay it is desired to hold a batch in the mixer, mixing may be
continued for a maximum of 10 minutes. For longer periods, up to a maximum of 1
hour the batch may be held in the mixer and turned over at intervals as directed.
10.8 Concrete which has had the initial mixing water added to it more than 1 hour prior to
placing shall not be used in the work.
10.9 The mixing plant must be arranged so that the mix may be observed and its
consistency checked visually until the concrete is uniform in color and consistency.
10.10 The entire contents of the drum shall be discharged before the materials for the
succeeding batch are fed into the drum.
10.11 Partly set or retempered concrete and any concrete surplus to immediate requirements
shall not be used and shall be thrown away.
10.12 Mixers which have been out of use for more than 30 minutes and at the completion of
each shift or at the end of concreting operations shall be thoroughly cleaned and the
mixer drum, chute, weight hopper and knife edges serviced before any fresh concrete
mixed.
10.13 No concrete shall be mixed by hand except for small quantities of concrete, which are
to be used for special purpose. Where such approval is granted, the Contractor shall at
his own expenses increase the proportion of cement by 10%.
11.0 Concrete Compressive Strength Tests
11.1 Test cubes shall be prepared, cured and compressive strength of works cube tested in
accordance with BS 1881 shall be the basis of acceptance of the mixes.
11.2 For each grade of concrete, a minimum of six test cubes shall be made on each
concreting day but not less than six cubes shall be made for each 100 m3 of concrete
placed during the day.
11.3 Each cube shall be made from a single sample taken from a randomly selected batch
of concrete. The samples shall, where applicable, be taken at the point of discharge
from the mixer, or in the case of ready mixed concrete, at the point of discharge from
the delivery vehicle.
11.0 Concrete Compressive Strength Tests (Cont’d)
11.4 All six cubes shall be made from the same batch of concrete. Three of the six
cubes shall be tested at 7 days at the remaining three at 28 days.
11.5 In addition to the minimum numbers stated above, the Contractor might be required to
make additional test cubes from whichever batch chosen.
11.6 Test shall be carried out in an approved laboratory. If the Contractor chooses to install
and operate a Concrete Testing Laboratory on or near the site, the requirements may
be modified to permit control of the concrete strength by an approval statistical
method and the tolerance shall be fixed to suit the degree of control.
11.7 The appropriate strength requirements may be considered to be satisfied if for each set
of three cubes tested at the specified age: -
1. None of the strength of the three cubes is below the specified cube strength; or
2. The average strength of the three cubes is not less than the specified cube
strength and the difference between the greatest and the least strength is not
more than 20% that average.
WORKS CUBE STRENGTH

GRADE 7 DAYS 28 DAYS
1:1:1½ 21 MN/m2 30MN/m2
1:1½:3 17.50 MN/m2 25MN/m2
1:2:4 14MN/m2 20MN/m2
11.8 The above cube strength applies to ordinary Portland cement and Sulphate Resisting
Cement. If any other cement is used, the required works cube strengths shall be
specified for the Contractor’s compliance.
11.9 The density of the concrete at the time of test as calculated from the weight and
dimensions of the cubes shall not be less than 2350 kg/m3
11.10 Concrete falling to reach the specified cube strengths at 7 days may be accepted if the
required cube strength at 28 days is attained.
11.11 Any section of concrete or portion of works represented by the concrete cubes which
fail the tests shall either be removed and replaced by concrete meeting the strength or
otherwise remedied at the Contractor’s own expenses.
11.12 Laboratory Test Certificates or true copies must be forwarded immediately after they
are received by the Contractor and the results of the tests shall be kept in tabulated
form in a suitable book kept on the site.
12.0 Apparatus
12.1 The Contractor shall provide at the commencement of the works and shall be
responsible for each safe keeping and cleaning after use and maintaining in good
condition all necessary apparatus such as: -
.1 Slump cone, rod and base plate (one to each mixer)
.2 Steel moulds for 150 mm concrete cubes complete with rods

(one set of 12 to each mixer)
.3 Gammon – Morgan water in sand estimator
.4 Container for storing samples of aggregates, cement, etc.
.5 Six 1000 cc graduated measuring cylinders
.6 Weighing apparatus
.7 Lockable water tight curing tank in a shaded spot of approved material

and design minimum internal dimensions 760 x 530x 660 mm deep
complete with BRC mesh cover and tray, overflow and drain plug
(where more than 6 cubes are required to be made per day, two or more
tanks are required so as to enable all test cubes made on any three
consecutive days to be stored.)
12.2 When any apparatus is broken, defective or damaged the Contractor shall have the
same replaced immediately.
13.0 Tests on Hardened Concrete
13.1 For the purpose of determining the relative strength of various areas of the structure,
rebound hammer test by means of impact hammers, sonoscopes or other non-
destructive testing devices are required to be carried out. The tests shall be performed
in accordance with Clause 504C of CP 116.
13.2 Test results so obtained, unless properly calibrated and co - related with other test
data, shall act as an aid in evaluating concrete in place and shall not be used as a basis
for acceptance or rejection.
13.2 Whenever directed or where cube failure occurs, cores may be taken from the portion
of works, which the cube represents for the purpose of examination and testing. Such
costs and that of subsequent tests carried out on the cores shall be borne by the
Contractor.
13.3 The cutting equipment and method of coring shall be approved and prior to
preparation for testing the specimens shall be made available for examination.
13.4 Core test shall be conducted in accordance with Part 15, BS 1881 or ASTM C42.
13.0 Tests on Hardened Concrete (Cont’d)
13.5 At least three representatives cores shall be taken from each member or area of
concrete in the place that is considered potentially deficient.
13.6 Strength of cores from each member or area shall be considered satisfactory if their
average is equal to or greater than the specified strength.
13.7 Core holes shall be plugged solid and to have at least the same strength as the
concrete specified.
14 Quality Control
14.1 It is emphasized that all concreting work shall conform to the recommendation of the
latest CP 110.
14.2 Whichever method of mix proportioning is adopted, the Contractor shall employ a
competent person whose first duty shall be to supervise all stages in the preparation
and placing of the concrete, and also the maintenance and calibration of all mixing
and measuring plant.
14.2 The Contractor adopting designed mixes shall maintain such statically records
required for quality control
14.3 The Contractor is referred to Section Two and Appendix B of CP 116, “ The Structural
Use of Pre cast Concrete” for guidance on quality control.
14.4 Where any of the finished work or materials or workmanship in any part of the works
do not comply with all the relevant requirements, the part of the works shall be
classed as defective work.
14.5 All work classed as defective work shall be cut out and removed from the works and
replaced
14.6 The extent of the work to be removed and the methods to be used in the removal and
replacement of this works shall be in accordance with the directions.
14.7 All removal and replacement of defective work and all costs or charges arising from
such removal or replacement shall be at the Contractor’s own expenses.
15 Distribution of Concrete
15.1 The concrete shall be distributed from the mixer as rapidly as possible to the position
of placing in the works by approved means such as clean skips, vehicles, containers or
chutes which do not cause segregation or otherwise impair the quality of the concrete.
15.2 Concrete which has become unduly segregated shall be remixed by hand before they
are deposited in the works.
15.0 Distribution of Concrete (Cont’d)
15.3 Details of any proposed pumping, conveyor belt or chuting plant must be approved
before such plant is delivered to the site. Concrete transported by these methods shall
be deposited on working platforms and remixed by hand before placed in its final
position.
15.4 Mixing and distributing equipment shall be cleaned before commencing mixing and
distribution of the concrete and such equipment must be kept free from set concrete.
16 Placing Concrete
16.1 No concrete shall be placed until the depositor of the steel reinforcement has been
checked and approved and the Contractor shall notify 24 hours before placing
concrete in any section.
16.2 All concreting operations shall be performed in good daylight or under adequate
lighting conditions.
16.3 The Contractor may be directed that placing of concrete shall not commence if there
is likely to be rain which would adversely affect the concrete.
16.4 No concrete shall be placed while rain falls at the site. However, concrete may be
permitted to be placed during wet weather provided the entire area the pour is
satisfactorily covered or other protective measures are taken.
16.5 All concrete shall be placed in the dry and all water shall be removed from excavation
before placing concrete
16.6 Before proceeding to place the concrete, the shuttering shall be re - aligned if
necessary and water and rubbish therein shall be removed by approved means.
16.7 Immediately prior to placing the concrete, the shuttering shall be well wetted and
inspection openings shall be closed.
16.8 The interval between adding the water to the dry materials and the completion of the
placing of the concrete shall not exceed twenty five minutes.
16.9 Suspended runways for the workmen placing and vibrating the concrete are to be
provided wherever possible and so constructed as to avoid damaging and displacing
the reinforcement.
16.10 Steel fixers shall be constantly in attendance white concreting is in progress to

maintain the reinforcement in correct position.
16.11 Concrete shall be deposited as near as practicable to its final position and placed in
the shuttering by shovels or other approved implements.
16.0 Placing Concrete (Cont’d)
16.12 Concrete shall not be dropped from a height greater than 1.25m or dumped in large
quantities away from its final position or handled in a manner which will cause
segregation.
16.13 Accumulations of set concrete on the reinforcement shall be avoided.
16.14 Concrete shall be placed directly in the permanent position and shall not be worked
along the shuttering to that position.
16.15 In the construction of concrete walls or other vertical sections, the concrete shall be
placed and compacted in successive layers not exceeding 0.5m in depth
16.16 Each layer of concrete while being placed shall be compacted by approved methods
of ramming, tamping, or mechanical vibration to form a dense material free from
honeycombing and tolerably free from water and air holes or other blemishes.
16.17 Any water accumulating on the surface of the newly placed concrete shall be removed
by approved means and no further concrete shall be placed thereon until such water be
removed.
16.18 No unset concrete shall be brought into contact with unset concrete containing cement
of a different manufacturer.
16.19 Unless otherwise approved, concrete shall be placed in a single operation to the full
thickness of slabs, beams and similar members and shall be placed in horizontal
layers.
16.20 Concrete shall be placed continuously until completion of the part of the work
between construction joints or of a part of approved extent.
16.21 At the completion of a designated or approved part, a construction joint shall be made
and if stopping of concrete placing becomes unavoidable elsewhere, a construction
joint shall be made where the work is stopped.
16.22 Tremies, bottom opening skips, or other equipment used for placing concrete under
water shall be of approved design and shall be used as instructed.
16.23 No pumping that may adversely affect the concrete being placed shall be done while
placing or within twenty four hours of placing the concrete.
17 Compaction of Concrete by Vibration
17.1 Concrete shall be thoroughly compacted by means of approved mechanical vibrators

and/or hand methods and carefully worked around the reinforcement and embedded
fixtures and into corners of the formwork
17 Compaction of Concrete by Vibration (Cont’d)
17.2 Compaction shall be such that all surfaces of the concrete shall be free of
honeycombing and air bubbles and shall represent a continuous uniform solid surface
17.3 At least one vibrator of each type shall be provided as a reserve for emergency use.
17.4 The types of vibrator to be used under various conditions are as follows: -
.1 Internal vibrators shall be used in all sections which are sufficiently

large to permit their use
.2 For slabs, screed vibrators shall be used in conjunction with internal
vibration if the depth of the slab is such that the latter may be used
.3 From vibrators shall be used when sections are too small for the
internal use
17.5 Vibrators shall be of sturdy construction, adequately powers and capable of

transmitting to the concrete not less than 5000 impulses per minute.
17.6 The vibration shall be sufficiently intense to cause the concrete to flow or settle into
place and to visibly affect the concrete over a radius of at least 450mm when used
with a concrete having 25 mm slump.
17.7 A sufficient number of vibrators shall be employed so that at the required rate of
placement, vibration throughout the entire volume of each layer of concrete and
complete compaction secured and expulsion of the air from it is at the same rate as it
is deposited in the forms.
17.8 Vibrators shall not be left stationary in one position for more than 30 seconds.
17.9 Internal vibrators shall be placed in the concrete with a slow and uniform motion and
shall be kept there until the escape of air bubbles from the concrete ceases when they
shall be withdrawn with a slow and uniform motion in order that a pocket shall not be
left in the concrete at the point from which the vibrator is withdrawn.
17.10 The vibrator shall be applied in like manner at points uniformly spaced and not further
apart than the radius over which the vibrator is visibly effective.
17.11 Vibrators shall be applied close enough to the formwork to effectively vibrate the
surface concrete.
17.12 Screed vibrators shall be applied only long enough to embedded the coarse aggregate
and bring enough mortar to the surface for satisfactory finishing.
17.13 When screed vibrators are used for the compaction of concrete in thin slabs, two
passes shall be made, one for compacting and one for finishing.
17.14 For the compacting pass, the concrete shall, before application of the screed, be
roughly levelled off at a height above the level of the forms, this height or surcharges
shall be determined during trials on the first slab to be compacted in this manner.
17 Compaction of Concrete by Vibration (Cont’d)
17.15 Compaction shall be obtained by lifting the screed forward in increments on to the
surcharged concrete and keeping it in position after each increment of forward
movement until the concrete beneath the screed has settled to the level of the forms.
17.16 The finishing pass shall be made at the sufficiently short interval after the compacting
pass as will enable any further finishing or floating required to be done by hand to be
completed before the concrete attains its initial set.
17.17 Form vibrators shall be attached to or held to the formwork in such manner as to
effectively transmit the vibration to the concrete and shall be raised in lifts as the
filling of the formwork proceeds, each lift being not more than the height of the
concrete visibly affected by the vibration.
17.18 They shall be placed horizontally at distance not greater apart than the radius through
which the concrete is visibly affected.
17.19 With internal and form vibrators, the vibration shall be such that the concrete becomes
uniformly plastic.
17.20 Vibration, with any type of vibrator, shall not be continued in any one spot to the
extent that pools of grout are formed or allowed to cause segregation, or the draw
mortar from the surrounding concrete or to damage partly hardened concrete.
17.21 Care shall be taken to avoid any disturbance of concrete which has become too stiff to
regain plasticity when vibrated and vibration shall not be applied directly to
reinforcement.
17.22 Vibration shall not be used as a means of disturbing heaped concrete in position.
17.23 After being placed and compacted, the concrete must be left absolutely undisturbed
while setting.
18 Construction Joints
18.1 The Contractor shall submit a drawing showing the intended sequence of placing
concrete, location and details of proposed vertical and horizontal construction joints.
18.2 Whenever the work of placing concrete is delayed until the concrete is in danger of
taking its initial set, the point of stoppage shall be deemed a construction joint.
18.3 However if the stoppage occurs at a point considered to be unsuitable for a

construction joint, hand mixing may be used until a suitable location for a joint is
reached, or the concrete shall be removed from the forms back to a point suitable for a
construction joint, whichever is directed.
18.4 Construction joints shall be of an approved shape and shall be vertical or horizontal,
as required, except that in an inclined or curved member the joint shall be at the right
angles to the axis of the member.
18 Construction Joints
18.5 A joint shall be formed horizontally at the top of the foundation and 75mm below the
lowest softfit of the beams meeting at the head of the column.
18.6 A joint shall be formed in the rib of a large tee beam and ell beam and 25mm below
the soft fit of the slab.
18.7 Concrete in a haunch or a splay on a beam or a brace and in the head of a column
where one or more beams meet, shall be placed without a joint at the same time as
that in the beam or beams or brace.
18.8 Concrete in the splay at the junction of the wall and a slab shall be placed without a
joint at the same time as that in the slab.
18.9 Concrete in a beam shall be placed throughout without a joint, but if the provision of a
joint is unavoidable, the joint shall be vertical and at the middle of a span.
18.10 Floor slabs larger than 8 m in any direction and wall slabs exceeding 8m in length
must be subdivided by construction joints into panels whose dimensions do not
exceed these limits. The panels shall be poured in separate operations with the
provision that no panel shall be poured until the concrete in the adjacent panels with
which it is to make contact is at least 14 days old.
18.11 This requirement will generally be fulfilled by concreting the slab in alternate bays.
Such bays need not all be of the maximum permitted dimension (8m). It may be
preferred to arrange the bays in alternate long and short lengths, the long bays being
concreted first.
18.12 In the alternate bay type of construction it is desirable in floors and straight walls to
arrange the bays and concreting sequence so that no reinforcing bars extend right
across any infill bay into the previously cast bays on each side. If the Contractor
adopts this or other approved methods to deal with shrinkage, the 14 days requirement
may be reduced but in no case will the period be less than 4 days.
18.13 A joint in slab shall be vertical and parallel to the principal reinforcement, where it is
unavoidable at right angles to the principal reinforcement, the joint shall be vertical
and at the middle of the span.
18.14 Joints in base slabs shall be provided accurately and neatly at the required location by
one of the following methods:-
1. Permanent Inserts
(a) Place approved dummy joint strip so that top is flush with slabs
surface
18 Construction Joints (Cont’d)
2. Sawed
(a) After 4 hours and generally before 12 hours after finishing

concrete, when it is firm enough to resists raveling, tearing or
dislodging of aggregate, make out to depth shown on the
drawings, using powers saw, and wash or blow joint clean.
3. Keyed Joints
(a) For all construction joints located by the Contractor, a groove

shall be formed with formwork planted on at edge to provide a
key for the next concrete pour.
18.15 Before placing new concrete against concrete that has already hardened, the forms
shall be retightened, the face of the old concrete shall be cleaned and roughened and
scum and loose aggregate and foreign matter and laitance removed there from; in the
case of horizontal surfaces, any laitance on the surface shall be removed by spraying
the surface with water and brushing to expose the coarse aggregate
18.16 Immediately before placing the new concrete, the face shall be thoroughly wetted and
a thin coating of new cement mortar (1:2) applied thereto and shall be kept back
50mm from the edge of the joint at outside exposed faces.
18.17 The new concrete shall be well rammed against the prepared face before the grout
sets.
18.18 In the case of columns and walls, forms shall be filled to a depth of 25mm with 50mm
from the edge immediately before placing fresh concrete. Where the concrete wall is
monolithic with the floor slab or footing, the pouring of the wall shall commence
within 14 days of placing the floor slab or footing with which it corresponds.
Succeeding lifts in the wall shall be placed within 7 days.
18.19 Concreting shall be carried out continuously between any construction joints
irrespective of any meal hours and where no joints or where construction joints are
required, prior approval must be obtained.
19 Structure Joints
19.1 Expansion joints, contraction joints or other permanent structure joints shall be
provided in the position and of the form of construction as shown in the drawings.
19.2 If a propriety make of joint has been shown and the Contractor wishes to use some
other make, this may be permitted if the alternative is in no way inferior. Such
requirements, however, must be verified.
19.3 Joints shall be constructed in such a manner that there is no adhesion between the new
and old concrete and shall be protected against the entry of debris which might
interfere with the closing of the joints.
19 Structure Joints (Cont’d)
19.4 The installation method and the selection, mixing, applications and curing of all
materials shall comply with the drawings and the manufacturers’ recommendation.
19.5 The joint and its supporting area shall be protected from loading and disturbance until
they have reached adequate strength.
20 Curing and Protection of Concrete
20.1 Newly placed concrete shall be protected by approved means from rain, sun and
drying wind and exposed surfaces of concrete are to be kept moist and covered for a
minimum period of seven days after placing or such period as may be directed.
Particular care must be taken in this respect when High Alumina cement is used.
20.2 Alternatively, except when High Alumina cement is incorporated in the mix, approved
membranes curing compound may be used. These shall be applied strictly in
accordance with the manufacturers instruction, within half an hour of striping the
formwork or placing the concrete and shall contain a dye.
20.3 The Contractor shall provide sufficient battens, sand, etc. to keep the building paper in
position during the curing period.
20.4 Concrete damaged through improper or insufficient curing shall be make good at the
Contractor’s expense
20.5 Concrete placed below the ground shall be protected from falling earth during and
after placing. Concrete placed in ground containing deleterious substances shall be
kept free from contact with such ground and with water draining there from during
placing and for a period of three days or as otherwise instructed thereafter.
20.6 The ground water around a structure below the ground shall be kept to an approval
level by pumping, or the works shall be flooded or other approved means taken to
prevent flotation.
20.7 Approved means shall be taken to protect immature concrete from damage by debris,
excessive loading, vibration, deleterious ground water, mixing with earth or other
materials, flotation and other influences that may impair the strength and durability of
the concrete.
21 Hot Weather Concreting
21.1 Concreting shall be carried out as quickly as possible and exposed surfaces and
shuttering shall be covered and kept moist by approved means immediately after
placing so as to control evaporation.
21.2 The Contractor shall be responsible for reinstating any concrete affected by cracking.
22 Reinforcement
22.1 Hot rolled steel bars for the reinforcement of concrete shall comply with BS 4449.
22.2 Cold worked steels bars for the reinforcement of concrete shall comply with BS 4461.
22.3 Steel fabric for the reinforcement of concrete shall comply with BS 4483.
22.4 Any steel properties not inferior to those of the materials above may be proposed and
permission must be obtained before they can be used for the reinforcement of
concrete.
22.5 Where the letter Y is used in the structural detailing, it shall mean that such
reinforcement shall be high yield steel reinforcement bars having a characteristic
strength of not less than 460N/mm2.
22.6 The letter R, where used, shall indicate that such reinforcement shall be mild round
steel bars with a minimum characteristic strength of 250 N/mm2.
22.7 Reinforcement bars not designed by any letter shall be of mild round steel conforming
to BS 4449.
22.8 Reinforcement shall be free from pitting, loose rust, mill scale, paint, oil grease,
adhering earth or any other material that may impair the bond between the concrete
and the reinforcement or that may cause corrosion of the reinforcement or
disintegration of the concrete.
22.9 No adhering limewash or cement grout shall be permitted.
22.10 Neither the size nor the length of a bar shall be less than the size or length shown in
the drawings.
22.11 Each consignment of reinforcement shall be tested for compliance with the relevant
British Standard. Certificates of origin shall be produced. Selection of test pieces shall
be made. The Contractor shall bear all costs involved in making these tests including
cost reinforcement bars multilated in obtaining the test pieces.
23 Bending Reinforcement
23.1 Reinforcement bars shall be bent by the machine or other approved means producing
a gradual and even motion.
23.2 Bars shall be bent cold unless approved otherwise.
23.3 Bars of over 25mm in diameter bent hot shall not be heated beyond cherry red color
and after bending shall be allowed to cool slowly without quenching.
23.4 Bars bending on cold working for their strength shall always be bent cold.
23 Bending Reinforcement (Cont’d)
23.5 Bars incorrectly bent shall be used only if the means used for straightening and
rebinding be such as will not injure the material. No reinforcement shall be bent down
on position in the works without approval, whether or not it is partially embedded in
hardened concrete.
23.6 All bending, cutting and fixing of reinforcement bar shall conform to BS 4446 “
Bending Dimensions and Scheduling of Bars for the Reinforcement of Concrete”
24 Fixing Reinforcement
24.1 Reinforcement shall be accurately fixed and by approved means maintained in the
position described on the drawings or elsewhere. Bars intended to be in contact at
passing points shall be securely wired together at all such points with 3 strands of
0.9mm diameter soft iron tying wire.
24.2 Binders and the like shall tightly embrace the bars with which they are intended to be
in contact and shall be securely wired of if approved welded thereto.
24.3 Reinforcement shall be accurately held by blocking from the forms with concrete or
plastic chairs or other approved means and shall not be supported on pieces of wood,
brick, aggregate or like material or on bare steel supports which extend to the surfaces
of the concrete, this requirement is of the utmost importance.
24.4 Supports for reinforcement shall take into account construction traffic.
24.5 Special care shall be taken to ensure the correct level of top bars cantilevers, and over
supports or beams.
24.6 No tie wire shall extend to the surface of the concrete under any circumstances.
24.7 Immediately before concreting, the reinforcement shall be examined for accuracy of
placing and cleanliness and corrected, if necessary.
24.8 No concreting shall be commenced until the reinforcement in position has been
inspected and approved.
24.9 Reinforcement projecting from work being concreted or already concreted shall not
be bent out of its correct position for any reason unless approved and shall be
protected from deformation or other damages.
24.10 Cover to reinforcement shall be measured as the minimum distance between the
outside of any reinforcement embedded in the concrete and carrying calculated stress
(including stirrups, ties, helices, etc.) and the nearest permanent surface of the
concrete.
24 Fixing Reinforcement (Cont’d)
24.11 Unless otherwise specified or shown on the drawings, reinforcement is to have the
following minimum cover of concrete:-
.1 For main bars in sub structure including columns and beams below
ground – not less than 50mm
.2 For main bars in columns – not less than 40mm
.3 For main bars in beams and walls – not less than 25mm nor less than
the diameter of such bars
.4 For main bars in slabs – not less than 13mm nor less than the diameter
of such bars
24.12 The covers shall be provided and maintained with a tolerance 3mm under and over
(except where specified as a minimum) by means of distance pieces or cement mortar
or other approved materials.
24.13 The vertical distances required between successive layers of bars in beams or similar
members shall be maintained by the provision of mild steel spacer bars of the size of
the larger main reinforcement and inserted at such intervals that the main bars do not
perceptibly sag between adjacent spacer bars.
24.14 Where bars are joined longitudinally, they shall over lap for a distance of forty
diameters unless otherwise indicated in the drawings.
25 Welding Reinforcement
25.1 Butt jointing of reinforcement bars welding may be permitted under suitable
conditions and with suitable safeguards, in accordance with BS 693 “ General
Requirements of Oxy acetylene Welding of Mild Steel” or BS 1856 “ General
Requirements for the Metal - arc Welding of Mild Steel”.
25.2 Attention is drawn to the report of the Institute of Welding on “Welding of Mild and
Cold worked Steel Bars for reinforced Concrete Construction” dated March 1963.
25.3 Welding shall not be done unless approved and/or shown on the drawings and all
welding shall be done by men skilled.
25.4 Twisted bars or other reinforcement, the strength of which depends cold working,
shall not be welded.
26 Shuttering
26.1 Material
.1 Shuttering for concrete shall be rigidly constructed of approved

materials and shall be true to the shape and dimensions described on
the working drawings.
.2 Timber shall be well seasoned, free from loose knots and, except where
otherwise approved wrot on all faces.
.
.3 Faces in contact with concrete shall be free from adhering grout,
projecting nails, splits or other defects.
26.2 Protection
.1 All steel components shall be protected from corrosion. All timber

shall be stored off the ground in an adequate position to prevent
warping.
.2 Formwork which is not being employed for the next 7 days shall be
cleaned, oiled and stored flat and protected against gross changes of
moisture by tarpaulin or similar waterproof cover.
26.3 Design
.1 The Contractor shall engage the services of a Professional Engineer to

design, submit calculations, supervisor the erection and ensure the
adequacy and safety of shuttering proposed to be used on the works.
.2 Shuttering shall be so designed and constructed that concrete can be

properly placed and thoroughly compacted without loss of water.
.3 Form work shall be adequately shuttered, braced or tied; it shall be

capable of adjustment to the line and the finished concrete and be
sufficiently strong to withstand the pressure resulting from placing the
concrete, whatever method of compression is employed, without undue
deflections or loss of alignment.
.4 Shuttering shall be provided for the top faces of the sloping work and
anchored to prevent floatation where the slop exceeds 1’ in 2.5.
.5 If the shuttering for a column is erected to the full height of the

column, one side shall be left open and shall be built up in sections as
placing of the concrete proceeds.
26 Shuttering (Cont’d)
26.4 Sample Panels
.1 Where fair face concrete is required, the formwork is to have a wrot

face so as to present a smooth finished appearance, free of voids, holes,
etc.
.2 Care must be given not to allow cement slurry to run down vertical
planes and spoil the surface below.
.3 Before the commencement of a fair face concrete wall, the Contractor

is to erect a sample of the form work and cast the sample finish and the
finished approved must be maintain throughout the Contract.
.4 Where the resulting finish is considered not to meet the standard of the
approved sample panel, the Contractor may be required to remove the
work completely and reconstruct or carry out such surface treatment as
may be directed and this work shall be done entirely at the Contractor’s
expense.
.5 For other concrete finishes the Contractor shall be prepare sample

panels to assess the self finishing properties of the chosen mix.
26.5 Camber
.1 The Contractor is required to make allowance for any settlement or

deflection of formwork which is likely to arise during construction so
that the hardened concrete shall conform accurately to the specified
line and level.
.2 Unless otherwise shown on the drawings the soffits of beams and slabs
of 6m span and over shall be given a camber towards the center of
5mm for every 3m span.
.3 In the case of cantilevered members the extremities shall be elevated

by 6mm for every 2m of projection.
.4 In the case of post tensioned floors, the Contractor shall provide

sufficient adjustable steel props to ensure that the load of any one floor
is carried by two stressed floors at all times unless that floor has been
stressed.
.5 For post-tensioned walls or beams, the Contractor must obtained

approval before erection of the formwork.
26.6 Supports to Shuttering
.1 The shuttering for beams and slabs shall erected so that the shuttering
on the sides of the beams and of the soffits of slabs can be removed
without disturbing the beams bottom.
.2 Re propping of beams shall not be done unless otherwise approved and

props shall be reinstated in anticipation of loads in excess of the design
load.
.3 Vertical props shall be supported on wedges or other measures shall be

taken whereby the props can be gently lowered vertically when
commencing to remove the shuttering.
.4 Props for an upper storey shall be placed directly over those in the
storey immediately below and the lowest prop shall bear upon work
sufficiently strong to carried the load.
.5 Provision shall be made for removal of shuttering without disturbing

prop required for supporting hardened concrete.
26.7 Joints and edges
.1 Joints shall be sufficiently tight to prevent the leakage of cement grout.
.2 To avoid the formation of fins or other blemishes at construction joints,

shuttering shall be tightly secured against previously cast or hardened
concrete and faulty joints shall be caulked.
.3 Where described on the working drawings or elsewhere, the position

and direction of the joint shall be as so described.
26.8 Formwork Panels
.1 Adjacent panels shall be close fitting and mechanically connected to

each other.
.2 Compressible seals flush with the face shall be provided for full length
of the joint.
.3 Panels shall overlap finished work for a distance of 75mm and the
treatment of vertical and horizontal joints shall be to approval.
26.9 Inspection Openings
.1 Openings for the inspection of the inside of the shuttering and for the
escape of water used for washing out shall be formed so that they can
be conveniently close before placing the concrete
26.10 Connections
.1 Connections shall be constructed to permit easy removal of the

shuttering and shall be either nailed, screwed, bolted, clamped, wired
or otherwise secured so as to be strong enough to retain the correct
shape during consolidation of the concrete.
.2 Ties shall be provided where necessary and this shall be of approved

variety and spaced at a regular acceptable pattern.
.3 All ties anchor against timber shall passed through a washer plate at
least 50 x 50 mm and of sufficient thickness to transfer the load on to
the timber without visible deflection or penetration into the timber.
.4 Wire ties passing through concrete shall be used only where approved
and the ends of the wire shall be concealed and measures taken to
prevent rust stain on the concrete
.5 All holes left after the removal of the shuttering shall be filled with
mortar of approved colour and composition and finished to approval.
26.11 Holes, Pockets, Chases, etc.
.1 Before placing the concrete, bolts and fixing shall be in position and
cores and other devices used for forming openings, holes, pockets,
chases, recesses and other cavities shall be fixed to the shuttering.
.2 No holes shall be cut in any concrete unless approved.
.3 The Contractor may be required to cut out and re-execute work at his
own expense where such openings, holes, etc. which he may
reasonably be expected to anticipate from the drawings have not been
formed and cutting may impair the strength of the work.
26.12 Cleaning and Treatment
.1 All rubbish, chippings, shavings, etc. shall be remove from the interior
of the formwork immediately before concrete is placed.
.2 Approved mould oil or other materials shall be applied to faces of

shuttering in contact with wet concrete to prevent adherence of the
concrete.
.3 Such coatings shall be insoluble in water, non staining and not

injurious to the concrete and shall not become flaky or be removed by
rain or wash water.
26.12 Cleaning and Treatment (Cont’d)
.4 Liquids that retard the setting of concrete shall only be used when
approved.
.5 Mould oil, retarding liquid and similar coatings shall be kept from
contact with the reinforcement and does not accumulate at the bottom
of the formwork
26.13 Use of Vibrators
.1 Internal vibrators shall be kept away from the face during concreting.
.2 External vibrators where approved shall be applied to framing

members and not to individual boards on the face.
26.14 Fiberglass Pans
.1 Where moulded fiberglass pans are to be used as formwork the pans

must be moulded so that the cast concrete conforms to shapes and
dimensions shown and must be sufficiently rigid to prevent any undue
deflection from the pressure of the wet concrete.
.2 The surface shall be moulded with and alkali resistant resin to prevent
excessive deterioration.
.3 The method of fixing forms to the deck, attaching sleeves and other
fixtures shall be to approval and care must be taken in placing
reinforcing steel to prevent damage to the pan forms.
.4 An approved form oil shall be used to facilitate stripping and pans shall
be blown out with compressed air and cleaned after stripping.
27.0 Removal of Shuttering
27.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for any injury to the work and any consequential
damage cause by or arising out of the removal of the formwork, any advice,
permission or approval given on the removal and striking of the shuttering shall not be
relieve the Contractor from the responsibility here defined.
27.2 If the Contractor has been permitted to use rapid hardening Portland Cement other
than where specified to expedite for his won advantage the progress of the works, it
shall be understood that notwithstanding the advantage in time which is gained by the
earlier stripping of shuttering, no extra payment shall be made for the use of
alternative cements.
27.3 Shuttering shall be removed by gradual easing without jarring.

27.0 Removal of Shuttering (Cont’d)
27.4 Before removal of the shuttering, the concrete shall be examined and removal shall
proceed only in the presence of a competent supervisor and if the concrete has
attained sufficient strength to support its own weight and any load likely to be
imposed upon it.
27.5 If the imposition of a load exceeding the design load is anticipated, props shall be
provided in an approved manner after the removal of the shuttering and before the
imposition of the load.
27.6 The Contractor shall record on the drawings or elsewhere the date upon which the
shuttering is removed there from.
27.7 The normal minimum period which must elapse between the placing of the concrete
and the removal of the shuttering for the various part of the structure shall be as tabled
hereunder: -
Period of Removal (Days)

Structural Member
Ordinary Rapid
Portland Hardening
Beam sides, walls and columns
2 1
Soffits of slabs unloaded
3 2
(with props left under)
Soffit of beams unloaded
7 4
(with props left under)
Removal of Props under slabs 7 4
Removal of Props under beams 16 8
27.8 The shuttering for a part of structure suspended from concrete placed subsequently to
that in or on shuttering concerned shall not be removed until the supporting concrete
has matured and such shuttering shall be prominently marked as a warning against
premature removal.
27.9 Under no circumstances should formwork be struck until concrete reaches cube
strength or at least twice the stress to which concrete may be subjected at the time of
striking.
27.10 All formwork should be removed without such shock or vibration as would damage
the reinforced concrete.
27.11 Wrecking bars shall not be used when stripping moulded fiberglass pans.
28.0 Finishes
28.1 Normal Finishes
.1 On removal of the shuttering and after removal, honeycombed surface shall be

made good immediately by an approved method and superficial water and air
holes shall be filled in.
.2 Unless instructed to the contrary, the face of exposed concrete placed against
shuttering shall be rubbed down with a Carborundum stone immediately upon
removal of the shuttering to remove fins or other irregularities.
.3 The face of concrete for which shuttering is not provided, other than slabs,
shall be smoothed with a wooden float to give a finish equal to that rubbed
down face where shuttering is provided.
.4 Concealed concrete faces shall be left as from the shuttering except that
honeycombed surfaces shall be made good.
.5 Faces of the concrete intended to be rendered shall be roughened by an

approved means to form a key.
.6 Faces of concrete intended to be rendered shall be roughened by approved

means to form a key.
.7 Faces of concrete that are to take finishes other than those specified shall be
prepared in an approved manner as instructed.
28.2 Slab Finishes without Topping
.1 The top face of a slab which it is not intended to cover with other materials
shall be levelled and floated while unset to a smooth finish at the level or falls
shown on the drawings or elsewhere.
.2 The floating shall be done so as not to bring an excess of mortar to the surface
of the concrete.
.3 Indentations in the surface of the concrete shall be formed by approved

implements to the depths and patterns described.
28.3 Slab finish to Receive Topping
.1 The top face of slab intended to be surfaced with mortar, granolithic or similar
materials shall be left with a spaded finish.
.2 When topping is to be placed on the same day as soon as the condition of the
concrete base permits and before it has fully hardened, all laitance, water and
any foreign materials shall be removed from the surface by means of a broom,
which shall leave the coarse aggregate
28.3 Slab finish to Receive Topping (Cont’d)
slightly exposed, or the surface otherwise roughened to improve bond with the
topping.
.3 After concrete in the base slab has settled sufficiently so that water does not
rise to the surface but generally within 2 hours after placing the base slab, the
topping shall be applied.
.4 When topping is not to be placed on the same day the base slab surface shall
be cleaned and prepared for bond by chipping or scarifying.
.5 Just prior to placing the finish, the base slab shall be thoroughly cleaned by
scrubbing to satisfaction.
.6 The base slab shall be thoroughly wetted just prior to the placing of the finish,
but there shall be pools of water left standing on the wetted surface.
.7 A thin coat of neat cement grout shall be broomed into the surface of the slab
for a short distance ahead of the topping.
.8 The wearing surface shall be applied before the grout has hardened.
28.4 Surface Hardener
1. Surface hardener shall be of approved ready for use type containing

proprietary aggregate and high strength cement, proportioned, mixed and
package at factory and delivered to job ready for use as a dry shake without
further additions.
2. Materials shall be formulated and processed under stringent quality control,

and be free from non - ferrous particles, soluble alkaline compounds, rust and
material designed to disguise rust.
29.0 Preparations of Ground Below Permanent Construction
29.1 Plain concrete in foundations or site concrete shall be placed in direct contact with the
bottom of the excavation, the concrete being deposited in such manner as not to be
mixed with the earth.
29.2 Alternatively, where directed or shown on drawings, hardcore and /or sand blinding
shall be used, or a layer of membrane as specified.
30.0 Bonding Ties
30.1 Bond ends of brick wall to reinforced concrete walls or columns with 6mm diameter
mild steel bonding ties 450mm long at 450 mm centers, one end cast into reinforced
concrete wall of column and hooked around reinforcement and the other end built into
brick work or block work.
31.0 Core Holes and Attachments
31.1 Electrical conduits and other pipes whose embedment is allowed shall not,
with their fittings, display the concrete of a column on which stress is calculated or
which is required for fire protection, to a greater extent than 4% of the area of the
cross section.
31.2 Sleeves or other pipes passing through floors, walls, or beams shall not be of such size
or in such location as to impair unduly the strength of the construction.
31.3 Such sleeves or pipes may be considered as replacing structurally the displaced
concrete provided they are not exposed to rusting or other deterioration, are of
uncoated iron or steel not thinner than standard steel pipe, having a nominal inside
diameter not over 50mm and are spaced not less three diameters center to center.
31.4 Except where plants of conduits are provided for, embedded pipes and conduits, other
than those merely passing through, shall not be larger in outside diameter than one
third the thickness of the slab, wall or beam in which they are embedded, nor shall
they be spaced closer than three diameters center to center nor so located as to impair
unduly the strength of the construction.
31.5 Circular uncoated or galvanized screwed electric conduit of iron or steel may be
considered as replacing the displaced concrete.
31.6 Conduits for electrical wiring, embedded in concrete, shall comply with the
requirements of relevant Wiring Rules approved by the Authorities.
32.0 Cover to Pipes and Conduits
32.1 Cover to pipes and conduits shall be the thickness of concrete measured from the
nearest permanent surface of a concrete member of the outside of pipes, conduits, etc.
embedded generally parallel to the surface of the member and in any case shall not be
less than the greatest of 25mm, the outside diameter of the pipe or conduit or socket in
the case of screwed piping or conduit or one third of the nominal maximum size of the
aggregate.
32.2 Where core holes and service lines and fittings are required and not shown on the
drawings, they shall be to approval and generally shall involve slight movement of the
reinforcement.
32.3 No cutting of reinforcement shall be permitted and no cores shall be cut after the
concrete has been poured except otherwise approved.
32.4 The Contractor shall be responsible for accurately positioning all bolts, lugs, and other
fittings to be cast into concrete, templates shall be provided as and when necessary
and Styrofoam pockets shall be fixed to the bolts before pouring the concrete.
32.5 Grouting of bolts after concrete has been placed shall not be permitted unless
otherwise instructed.
33.0 Use of Different Concrete Mixes in Monolithic Works
33.1 Where the concrete mix specified for a column is different from the specified for
beams or slabs supported by the columns, or for walls monolithic with the column,
temporary shuttering shall be used to ensure that the different grades of concrete are
placed without mixture.
33.2 For junctions of beams and slabs with columns, the different mixes of concrete shall
be placed simultaneously, or alternatively, the higher quality concrete may be placed
first.
33.3 Not more than twenty minutes shall elapse between the time of placing the two
qualities of concrete.
33.4 The concrete shall be vibrated continuously during the withdrawal of the temporary
shutters to ensure that the two mixes of concrete bond together.
33.5 Unless otherwise shown on the drawings, the higher quality mix of concrete
shall extend generally to vertical faces located as follows:-
.1 Wall and Column Junction
(a) The higher quality mix extends 75mm into the wall, measured from the
projecting face of the column.
.2 Column and Beam Junction
(b) The higher quality mix shall extend into the beam for its full depth a
distance of 150mm measured from the face of the column at beam
soffit level.
.3 Beam and Slab Junction
(c) Where a beam is specified as having a mix of higher quality than the
adjoining slab the higher the quality concrete shall extend into the slab
for the distance shown on the drawings.
34.0 Tolerance for In situ Concrete Construction
34.1 The Contractor shall ensure that all work constructed does not in any way exceed the
tolerances laid down for his compliance.
34.2 Unless stated otherwise in the drawings, any work constructed which deviates from
these tolerances either in respect of setting out, correct lines and levels, vertically,
sizes and thickness of members, or in any other way is liable to be condemned in
which case it shall be rectified at the Contractor’s expenses to approval.
34.3 If more than one tolerance for any particular surface is indicated, the location of that
surface would be within all the relevant tolerances given.
34.0 Tolerance for In situ Concrete Construction (Cont’d)
34.4 Where different tolerances are given for different lengths, the tolerance for an
intermediate length shall be obtained by interpolation.
34.5 The word “nominal” means that shown on the drawings before allowing for any
tolerance and the degree of tolerance for the concrete work shall be as follows:-
.1 Schedule
(a) Misalignments of any part of any face of the building from the position
shown in the drawings 6mm per 3m length of building face with a
maximum of 25mm.
(b) Notwithstanding the above, no building face shall protrude over

a boundary line.
.2 Footings
(a) Overall eccentricity of a footing with respect to the center line of the
wall or column, as measured in the direction of the eccentricity shall be
not more than 2% of footing width, but not exceeding 50mm.
.3 Perpendiculars
(a) Maximum deviation from the vertical of the lines and surfaces or
walls, piers, columns, and arises shall not exceed 6mm with a
maximum of 13mm.
.4 Levels
Maximum deviation of mean level:
(a) Shall not exceed 6mm in a height of 3m from the next lower floor or
other distinctive feature.
(b) Shall not exceed 13mm in a height of 6m from the next lower floor or
other distinctive feature.
(c) Shall not exceed 20mm in a height of 12m or more from the next lower
floor or other distinctive feature.
.5 Change in Levels
Maximum deviation from the mean level or any part of a floor, ceiling or
beam softfit:-
(a) Shall not exceed 6mm for a surface length of 3m and 3mm for each
additional 3m thereafter, with a maximum deviation of 20mm.
34.0 Tolerance for In situ Concrete Construction (Cont’d)
.6 Change in Conspicuous Horizontals
Maximum deviation from the mean level of edges of exposed lintels,

sills, parapets, horizontal grooves, and other conspicuous line:-
(a) Shall not exceed 6mm for length of edge 6m
(b) Shall not exceed 13mm for length of edges 12m or more
35.0 Joint Fillers, Water stops and Sealants
35.1 For control joints in buildings, joint fillers to be provided shall be none extruding and
resilient bituminous or any approved equivalent type complying to AS MD 1751.
35.2 Waterstops shall be heavy duty “serviseal” or other equal and approved water stop of
the size and type indicated in the drawings and shall be incorporated in all
construction and expansion joints as detailed.
35.3 Joining of waterstops shall be carried out on site using the manufacturer’s
recommended methods and fixing to shuttering prior to concreting shall also be in
accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendation.
35.4 Joint sealing compound for use in concrete floor slab shall be “Thiofex 2000” or other
equal and approved rubber/ bitumen horizontal joint sealing compound conforming to
BS 2499, but formulated with higher softening point for tropical application.
35.5 Joint sealing compound for vertical joints shall consist of one part elastomeric joint
sealant with vulcanized synthetic rubber, highly elastic, and suitable for caulking with
approved caulking gun.
35.6 The colour of the sealant shall be light gray or other approved colour.
35.7 All joint surfaces must be clean and dry before application
36.0 Water tightness and Waterproofing
36.1 Where required, the concrete structural components shall be made waterproof
and watertight
36.2 Chemical additives to be incorporated in the concrete to improve its waterproofing

properties shall be of approved type which does not in any way affect the strength of
concrete
36.3 Technical information together with laboratory test reports shall be submitted and if
permitted shall be used strictly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instruction.
36.0 Water tightness and Waterproofing(Cont’d)
36.4 Waterproofing membrane shall be of approved type as described in the Bill of

Quantities and shall be applied in strict conformance to the manufacturer’s and
supplier’s recommendations and suggested details.
36.5 Prior to installation of waterproofing membrane, the concrete or screeded surface

shall be dried and brushed free from dust.
37.0 Structural Tests
37.1 The Contractor shall make loading test/s on the works or any part thereof as and when
required and the test/s shall be made at the Contractor’s own cost irrespective of
whether the test/s so instructed to be made arises out of one or more circumstances
attributable to alleged negligence on the part of the Contractor or otherwise.
37.2 Load Testing
1. Building Works
(a) For building works the load testing shall be done generally in
accordance with CP110 Clause 9.5 and 9.6
2. Precast Units
(a) The Contractor shall, at his own expense, supply all necessary units,
labour, implements and transport required for the testing of pre \cast
units and deliver the test samples from the site to an approved
laboratory for testing as and when and in the numbers required.
(b) Where more than one (1) sample from any sample batch of two (2) or
more similar units fail to satisfy the requirements, then the entire batch
of units represented by such samples shall be liable to rejection.
(c) For precast concrete members which are subsequently to form parts of
composite members, any of the following methods may be used.
(i) The pre cast members may be tested along with a load system
equivalent to that producing the most critical conditions in the
composite member.
(ii) The precast member may be made equivalent to the final

composite member by casting the relevant amount of in situ
concrete, and then tested as a composite member.
37.3 If the result of the test is not satisfactory, the Contractor shall be instructed that
the part of the works concerned shall be taken down or cut out and
reconstructed, or that other measures shall be taken to make the works secure.
38.0 Contractor’s Plant Attached To Buildings
38.1 The Contractor shall be responsible for making good any damage to the permanent
structure which may be caused by his plant.
38.2 If the Contractor desires to leave permanently embedded in the concrete any supports
for the shuttering, he must furnish in writing for approval exact details of his proposal
and such supports.
39.0 Loading In Excess Of Design Load
39.1 No loading in excess of the design loading shall be placed on any portion of the
structure without written permission and if such permission is granted, all beams or
other members of the structure which are subjected to loading other than the designed
loading shall be strengthened and supported to satisfaction and the Contractor shall be
responsible for any extra expense and for making good to satisfaction and the
Contractor shall be responsible for any extra expense and for making good to
satisfaction any damage to the permanent structure.
40.0 Damp Proof Membrane
40.1 Lay under concrete ground slabs, where required, an approved sub soil grade
reinforced waterproof membrane or 0.08mm thick polythene sheeting (approximately
13.5m/kg) lapped 150mm and taped to seal at all joints, turned up at edges of slab and
sealed around any through pipes or other fixtures.
41.0 Lightweight Concrete
41.1 Where lightweight concrete is indicated the Contractor shall submit details of
his proposed mix and resulting density of the concrete for approval and is to be mixed
and poured strictly in accordance with the instruction of the manufacturer of the
approved lightweight aggregate used.
42.0 Precast Concrete Slabs And Lintols
42.1 The concrete shall be Grade 20 as described unless otherwise stated, all
exposed faces shall be smooth and even.
42.2 The concrete in one precast piece shall be placed in one operation and no piece
shall be removed from the mould or erected until sufficiently matured to ensure that
no damage shall be done to the piece.
42.3 A piece shall be suspended or supported only at the points described on the
working drawings or elsewhere.
42.4 A piece that is cracked or otherwise damaged during, before or after erection
shall be removed and replaced.
42.5 Pieces shall be bedded or otherwise fixed in their permanent positions as

instructed.
42.0 Precast Concrete Slabs And Lintols (Cont’d)
42.6 Where possible lintols shall be precast and shall not be built on for 14 days after
casting unless adequately strutted.
42.7 Whenever reinforced concrete lintols are not detailed in drawings, they shall be
constructed and reinforced in accordance with the table hereunder, the length of the
reinforcing bar being equal to the minimum length of the lintol.
Reinforcement for Every 114mm

Clear Span of Opening Depth of lintol
Thickness of Wall
Up to 0.60m 150mm One 6mm m.s. bar
0.61m to 0.90m 150mm One 10mm m.s. bar
0.90m to 1.20m
230mm One 10mm m.s. bar

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Concrete Specification for Aggregate Sizes and Grading

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Specification Concrete Work Sc /1

1.0 Quality of Material and Standard of Workmanship

.1 BS 12 Portland Cement (Ordinary and rapid hardening)

2.0 Cement (Cont’d)

3.0 Aggregate (Cont’d)

3.1 Generally (Cont’d)

7. Any alteration in the source of supply of aggregate or the manner of

3.2 Aggregate Grading

BS 410 Coarse Aggregate Fine Aggregate All In Aggregate

1 ½” 95-100 100 - - 95-100 100

¾” 30-70 95-100 - - 45-75 95-100

3/16” 0-5 0-10 90-100 90-100 25-45 30-50

No.7 - - 75-100 85-100 - -

No.14 - - 55-90 75-100 - -

No.25 - - 35-59 60-79 8-30 10-35

No.52 - - 8-30 12-40 - -

No.100 - - 0-10 0-10 0-6 0-6

5.2 No admixtures containing calcium chloride will be permitted in prestressed

6.0 Batching and Mixing Plant

6.2 Before commencement of work and subsequently as often as may be directed,

7.0 Concrete Mixes

7.1 Designed Concrete Mixes

7.4 Segregation or patches of uncompacted concrete shall be taken as incorrect mix

7.6 Segregations and bleeding shall be determined by visual inspection.

8.0 Workability and Consistency

8.0 Workability and Consistency (Cont’d)

9.0 Ready Mixed Concrete

1. Water content (liquid measures, liters)

2. Water added at site, if any

3. Cement content (bags/ cu m or kg/cu m )

4. Maximum size aggregate

5. Weights of fine and coarse aggregates

6. Admixtures with quantity / m3

7. Medication that ingredients are as previously certified or approved

.1 Time of arrival of lorry

.2 Time of mixing of concrete materials and adding water

9.0 Ready Mixed Concrete (Cont’d)

.3 Registration number of lorry and name of Depot

.4 Time when concrete is placed in position and left undisturbed

.6 Position where concrete is placed

.7 Whether test cubes were taken from this delivery

10.0 Site mixing Concrete

10.2 The amount of water added shall be measured.

10.0 Site mixing Concrete (Cont’d)

11.0 Concrete Compressive Strength Tests

11.0 Concrete Compressive Strength Tests (Cont’d)

WORKS CUBE STRENGTH

1:1:1½ 21 MN/m2 30MN/m2

1:1½:3 17.50 MN/m2 25MN/m2

1:2:4 14MN/m2 20MN/m2

.1 Slump cone, rod and base plate (one to each mixer)

.2 Steel moulds for 150 mm concrete cubes complete with rods

.3 Gammon – Morgan water in sand estimator

.4 Container for storing samples of aggregates, cement, etc.

.5 Six 1000 cc graduated measuring cylinders

.7 Lockable water tight curing tank in a shaded spot of approved material

13.0 Tests on Hardened Concrete

13.0 Tests on Hardened Concrete (Cont’d)

15.0 Distribution of Concrete (Cont’d)

16.10 Steel fixers shall be constantly in attendance white concreting is in progress to

16.0 Placing Concrete (Cont’d)

16.13 Accumulations of set concrete on the reinforcement shall be avoided.

17 Compaction of Concrete by Vibration