1.

0 CONCRETE

1.1 SCOPE

This section covers the supply of materials for concrete, design of concrete mixes, quality
control of concrete, mixing, transporting, placing and curing of concrete, and testing of
concrete.

The standard of materials and workmanship shall not be inferior to the recommendations of
the current:

 British standard 8110 : Structural Use of Concrete

 British Standard Code of Practice BS 8007 1987 : Design of Concrete Structures for
Retaining Aqueous liquids.

 Appropriate Malaysian Standards approved by the Employer’s Representative

Unless otherwise specified, all reinforced concrete for retaining aqueous liquids shall comply
with BS 8007 and shall be of grade C35A designed to resist Class 2 Sulphate Conditions as
defined in BS 5238: Part 1 Table 7.

1.2 TEST CERTIFICATES

Unless otherwise directed by the Employer’s Representative, manufacturer's test sheets

shall be supplied with each consignment of cement and admixture certifying compliance
with the relevant standard.

The Sub-Contractor shall also submit to the Employer’s Representative certificates of

calibration for the weighing and dispensing equipment on the concrete batch mixing plant,
certified test results for all tests carried out on aggregate, water, fresh concrete and
hardened concrete, all as specified.

1.3 AGGREGATE SAMPLES

Prior to the commencement of the trial mixes of concrete the Sub-Contractor shall submit
for approval samples 50 kg in weight of each aggregate which he proposes to use.

The source of each aggregate shall be clearly marked on the container of each sample.

Certified test results demonstrating compliance with the relevant quality standard shall be
submitted at the same time. Samples approved by the Employer’s Representative shall
remain preserved at site for reference.

1.4 RECORDS OF CONCRETING

An accurate and up to date record showing dates, times, weather and temperature
conditions when various sections of the works are concreted shall be kept by the Sub-
Contractor and shall be available for inspection by the Employer’s Representative. The Sub-
Contractor shall also record the results of all tests of concrete and shall identify these results

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 with the parts of the works of which the samples material is representative.

For each grade of concrete, the Sub-Contractor shall submit to the Employer’s
Representative, not later than twenty-four hours after concreting, a daily return of the
number of batches mixed, the number of batches and total volume of concrete placed, the
number of batches wasted or rejected and the weight of cement used.

The return shall also include specific details of each location in the works where concrete is
placed, together with the grade of concrete, total volume of concrete placed and the
number of batches used for each location.

1.5 CONCRETE MIXES

At the commencement of the works the Sub-Contractor shall design a mix for each grade of
concrete which will be required for use in the works and shall submit full details of the mix
designs to the Employer’s Representative for his approval. Each mix design shall be
according to the requirements of BS 5328.

1.6 CONSTRUCTION JOINTS AND LIFTS

The Sub-Contractor shall submit to the Employer’s Representative for his approval, as soon
as is practicable after the acceptance of his tender and not less than three weeks before the
commencement of concreting, drawings showing his proposals for placing concrete on which
the position of all construction joints and lifts shall be shown. No concreting shall be started
until the Employer’s Representative has approved the method of placing, the positions and
form of the construction joints and the lifts. The construction joints shall be located so as to
impair the strength of the structure.

Rebates, keys or notches shall be formed and waterstops inserted as the Employer’s
Representative may require. The position of construction joints and the size of formwork
panels shall be so coordinated that where possible the line of any construction joint
coincides with the line of a formwork joint and that in any case all construction joint lines
and formwork joint lines appear as a regular and uniform series.

For all exposed horizontal joints and purposely inclined joints, a uniform joint shall be
formed with a batten of approved dimensions to give a straight and neat joint line.

1.7 CEMENT

The cement used for any particular mix shall comply with whichever of the following
standards is relevant:-

Ordinary Portland cement BS 12

Sulphate-resisting Portland cement BS 4027

Portland Pulverised-Fuel Ash cement MS 1227

Portland Blastfurnace Cement MS 1389

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 For water retaining structures, the cement used shall be a blended cement comprising
ordinary portland cement from an approved source and conforming to BS12 and containing
25%, by mass, of pulverised fuel ash (PFA) to the requirement of MS 1227, or containing
50%, by mass, of ground granulated blast-furnaced slag (GBSB) to the requirement of MS
1389. The cement used shall be an approved brand of Malaysian manufacture unless
otherwise approved.

In addition to the requirements for soundness of cement given in the relevant British
Standard for the type of cement being used, the cement shall also be tested for soundness in
accordance with ASTM C151-77 `Standard Test Method for Autoclave Expansion of Portland
Cement'. The expansion of the cement bar resulting from this test shall not exceed 0.8
percent.

The Sub-Contractor shall provide from each consignment of cement delivered to the site
such samples as the Employer’s Representative may require for testing. Any cement which
is, in the opinion of the Employer’s Representative, lumpy and partially set shall be rejected
and the Sub-Contractor shall promptly remove such cement from the site. Cement which
has been stored on the site for more than forth days and cement which in the opinion of the
Employer’s Representative is of doubtful quality shall not be used in the works unless it is
retested and the test results show that it complies in all respects with the relevant standard.

1.8 STORAGE OF CEMENT

Immediately upon arrival at the site, cement shall be stored in silos designed for the purpose
or in dry weather-tight and properly ventilated structures with floors raised 500 mm above
ground level with adequate provision to prevent absorption of moisture. All storage
facilities shall be subject to approval by the Employer’s Representative and shall be such as
to permit each access for inspection and identification. Each consignment of cement shall be
kept separately and the Sub-Contractor shall use the consignments in the order in which
they are received.

Cement of different types and from different sources shall be kept in clearly marked
separate storage facilities. Cement delivered to the site in drums or bags provided by the
supplier or manufacturer shall be stored in the unopened drums or bags until used in the
works.

Any cement in drums or bags which have been opened on the site shall be used immediately
or shall be disposed of.

1.9 AGGREGATES

Aggregates for concrete shall be obtained from an approved source and shall conform with
the requirements of BS 882.

Sampling and testing of aggregates shall be carried out as required by Employer’s

Representative in accordance with the requirements of the appropriate clauses of BS 812.
Water absorption of aggregates when tested in accordance with the standard procedure
prescribed in Part 2 of BS 812, shall not exceed 3%.

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 The aggregates to be supplied shall not give rise to any alkali reaction with the cement,
whether silica or carbonate. Potential reactivity or otherwise of aggregates shall be
determined in accordance with ASTM C 289.

In addition, the soluble chlorides and sulphates content of the aggregates shall be such that
the concrete mix as a whole complies with the specified limits of salt content.

Tests for chlorides and sulphates and for potential alkali reaction shall be carried out when
required by the Employer’s Representative.

Notwithstanding any provisions contained herein, limestone aggregates shall not be used in
underground and water retaining structures.

1.10 STORAGE OF AGGREGATES

The Sub-Contractor shall provide means of storing the aggregates at each point where
concrete is made such that:

(i) Each nominal size of coarse aggregate and fine aggregate shall be kept separated at
all times;

(ii) Contamination of the aggregates by the ground or other foreign matter shall be
effectively prevented at all times;

(iii) Each heap of aggregate shall be capable of draining freely.

The Sub-Contractor shall ensure that graded coarse aggregates are tipped, stored and
removed from store in a manner that does not cause segregation.

Wet fine aggregate shall not be used until, in the opinion of the Employer’s Representative,
it has drained to a constant and uniform moisture content of the fine aggregate continuously
and adjusts the amounts of fine aggregate and added water in each batch of concrete mixed
to allow for the water contained in the fine aggregate. If necessary to meet the
requirements of this clause, the Sub-Contractor shall protect the heaps of fine aggregate
against inclement weather.

1.11 WATER

Water for washing aggregates and for mixing concrete and curing shall be clean and free
from harmful matter and shall satisfy the recommendations in the Appendix to BS 3148.
When required by the Employer’s Representative, the Sub-Contractor shall take samples of
the water being used for which it is proposed to use for mixing concrete and test them for
quality, including determining the concentration of sulphates and chlorides, which shall be
such that the concrete mix as a whole complies with the specified limit for salt content.

1.12 ADMIXTURES

Admixtures shall mean material added to the concrete materials during mixing for the
purpose of altering the properties of the concrete mix.

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 Admixture containing calcium chloride shall not be used.

Admixtures shall not be used unless the Employer’s Representative has given his prior
approval in writing for each instance. Both the amount added and the method of use shall
be approved by the Employer’s Representative who shall also be provided with the following
information:-

(i) The typical amount added and the detrimental effects if any, due to an increase or
decrease in this amount;

(ii) The chemical name(s) of the main active ingredient(s) in the admixture;

(iii) Whether or not the admixture leads to the entrainment of air when used at the
amount the manufacturer recommends.

Any approved admixture shall conform to whichever of the following standards is

appropriate:-

 Air entraining admixtures BS 5075 Part 2

 Water reducing admixtures BS 5075 Part 1

 Retarding admixtures BS 5075 Part 1

 Fly ash and raw or calcined natural

 pozzolans for use as a mineral admixture ASTM C 618

1.13 TEST EQUIPMENT

The Sub-Contractor shall furnish all equipment and materials necessary for collecting
samples and carrying out field laboratory tests on materials for concrete and on fresh and
hardened concrete. Laboratory equipment shall be housed in a suitable laboratory building
on the site, which shall also incorporate space for storage of field test equipment, and for
curing of concrete test cubes in an orderly manner so that they are readily accessible for
testing on the due date. The Sub-Contractor shall also furnish all weights, containers and
other equipment necessary for testing the weight-batching equipment for concrete
materials and the dispensers for admixtures.

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1.14 GRADES OF CONCRETE

Grades of concrete for use in the work shall be as shown in the table below:-

Concrete Maximum Characteristic Minimum Maximum Maximum

grade aggregate strength at 28 cement cement Free
size (mm) days content content water /
(N/sq.mm) (kg/cu.m) (kg/cu.m) cement
ratio

C40 20 40 325 550 0.55

C35A*** 20 35 325 400* 0.55**

C35A*** 40 35 300 550 0.60

C30 20 30 275 550 0.65

C25 20 25 250 550 0.70

C20 20 20 225 550 -

C15 20 15 205 550 -

* Maximum cement content 400 kg/m3 where OPC or cement containing GGBS is used.
Maximum cement content 450 kg/m3 where cement containing PFA is used.

** Maximum free water cement ratio is 0.55 where OPC or cement containing GGBS is used.
Maximum free water cement ratio is 0.50 where cement containing PFA is used.

*** Blended cement comprising Portland cement and PFA or PFA as specified.

Concrete grade is that number which represents its 28 day characteristic strength expressed
in N/sq.mm.

Characteristic strength is that value of cube crushing strength below which none of all test
results fail. This condition shall be deemed to be satisfied when test results comply with the
specified test requirements.

Maximum free water/cement ratios shall be based on aggregates being in a surface-dry

condition.

1.15 FREE WATER/CEMENT RATIO

In designing and establishing approved mixes of concrete for any part of the works the Sub-
Contractor shall keep strictly within the limitations on free water/cement ratios which may
be shown on the drawings or expressly stated elsewhere as applying to concrete for
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 particular parts of the works.

1.16 LIMITS OF SALT CONTENT

No concrete shall contain more than the following total quantities of substances expressed
as percentages by weight of cement :-

(a) For mixes containing ordinary Portland cement to BS 12 :

Total water soluble chlorides 0.4% (as chloride ions)

b) For mixes containing cements complying with BS 4027 :

Total chlorides 0.2% (as chloride ions)

c) For mixes used for prestressed concrete (all cement types) :

Total chlorides 0.1% (as chloride ions)

d) For all mixes :

Total acid soluble sulphates 4.0% (as SO3 ions)

Tests shall be carried out in accordance with the following standards :-

 Chlorides in aggregates ASTM D 1411

 Sulphates in aggregates BS 1377 Test 9
 Chloride ion in mixing water ASTM D 512
 Sulphates in mixing water ASTM D 516

1.17 WORKABILITY

The workability of each grade of concrete shall be such that satisfactory compaction can be
obtained when the concrete is placed and vibrated and that there is no tendency to
segregate when it is handled, transported and compacted by the methods which the sub-
Sub-Contractor proposes to use in the works.

For reinforced concrete, the compacting factor, determined by the method described in BS
1881, shall not be less than 0.85 nor greater than 0.92. For unreinforced concrete the
compacting factor shall be not greater than 0.85. Where pumping of concrete is permitted,
the compacting factor may be increased to 0.95, provided that the conditions in clause
2.3.15 are not varied. In any case no pumped concrete shall be used for all water retaining
structures.

1.18 DESIGN OF CONCRETE MIXES

Each mix design shall be such that:

(i) The aggregate shall comprise both fine aggregate and coarse aggregate. The
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 maximum size of coarse aggregate shall be 20 mm or 40 mm as approved by the Employer’s
Representative.

(ii) The cement content shall not be below the minimum specified for the grade of
concrete.

(iii) The maximum free water/cement ratio shall be the maximum water/cement ratio
when the aggregate is saturated but surface dry.

(iv) The mixes shall be designed to produce a targeted mean concrete cube strength at
28 days after manufacture and shall be greater than the characteristic strength at 28 days by
a margin of at least 10 N/sq.mm for grade 15 and 15 N/sq.mm for grade 20, 25, 30, 35A and
40.

(v) Where sufficient data can be produced by the Sub-Contractor to show that the
standard of acceptance for characteristic strength can be maintained using a lower margin,
the mix may be redesigned to have such reduced margin. Sufficient data shall consist of
cube test results from at least 40 separate batches of concrete produced over a same plant
under similar supervision. The reduced margin shall be 1.64 times the standard deviation of
the test results considered, but not less than 5 N/sq.mm for grade 15 and 7.5 M/sq.mm for
grades 20, 25, 30, 35A and 40.

For any concrete containing admixtures, the strengths shall not be less than those specified
but the mixes for the grade of concrete shall be separately designed to take account of the
effects of the admixtures, and shall have separate trial mixes made and tested.

1.19 TRIAL MIXES

As soon as the Employer’s Representative has approved each of the concrete mix designs,
two batches from a trial mix for each grade shall be produced in a laboratory using cement
and surface dry aggregates known to be typical of the proposed source of supply. The
proposed mix proportions of each grade shall be approved only if both batches have the
correct cement content and free water cement ratio at or below the maximum value for the
proposed degree of workability.

When mix proportions have been approved by the Employer’s Representative, three further
batches of concrete for each grade shall be made at site under full scale production
conditions using the same mixing time and handles by means of the same plant which the
Sub-Contractor proposes to use in the works.

The proportions of cement, aggregates and water, shall be carefully determined by weight in
accordance with the Sub-Contractor's approved mix design, and sieve analyses shall be
made, by the method described in BS 812, of fine aggregate and each nominal size of coarse
aggregate used.

The compacting factor of each batch of each trial mix shall be determined immediately after
mixing by the method described in BS 1881 and shall not be outside the limits specified in
clause 2.3.18.

Three 150 mm compression test cubes from each of the three batches shall be made by the

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 Sub-Contractor in the presence of the Employer’s Representative from each trial mix. The
cubes shall be made, cured, stored and tested at 28 days after manufacture in accordance
with the method described in BS 1881. If the average value of the compressive strength of
the nine cubes taken from any trial mix is less than the target mean strength used in the mix
design or if any individual cube test result falls below 85% of the target mean strength, the
Sub-Contractor shall redesign that mix and make a further trial mix and set of test cubes.

A full scale test of the workability of each trial mix of each grade of concrete shall be made
by the Sub-Contractor in the presence of the Employer’s Representative. The trial mix of
each grade of concrete shall be batched, mixed and then transported a representative
distance in the manner that the Sub-Contractor proposes to batch, mix and transport the
concrete to be placed in the works. After discarding the first batch so made, the concrete
from later batches shall be placed and compacted in trial moulds both for reinforced and
mass concrete with dimensions typical of the works in accordance with the procedures
described in later clauses, the sided of the moulds being capable of being stripped without
undue disturbance of the concrete placed therein. The sides of the moulds shall be stripped
after the concrete has set and the workability judged by the surface appearance and
compaction obtained. If the workability test shows that the workability required is not
attained for any trial mix for any grade of concrete, the trial mix shall be re-designed by the
Sub-Contractor and a further full scale workability test undertaken for that trial mix.

The re-design of the concrete mixes and the making and testing of trial mixes of concrete
shall be repeated for each grade of concrete until trial mixes of concrete have been
established which meet the specified requirements and have the required workability as
demonstrated in the full scale workability test described above.

If at any time during the construction of the works the Employer’s Representative approves a
change in the source of cement or aggregate or if the grading of the aggregate alters to such
an extent that the fraction of aggregate retained on any sieve cannot be maintained within
two percent of the total quantity of fine and coarse aggregate when adjusted as specified for
sampling and testing of aggregates, then further trial mixes of concrete shall be made,
tested and approved for use.

1.20 MATERIAL BATCHING

All cement used in the manufacture of concrete shall be measured by weight either with an
approved weighing machine or by making the size of each batch of concrete such as to
require an integral number of complete bags or drums of cement.

For concrete of grades 20, 25, 30, 35A and 40, the fine aggregate and the several nominal
sizes of coarse aggregates shall be measured singly or cumulatively by weight using weight-
batching machines.

For concrete of grade 15, the fine and coarse aggregate shall be measured separately either
by weight using weight-batching machines or by volume in gauge boxes.

Weight-batching machines shall provide facilities for the accurate control and measurement
of the aggregates either singly or cumulatively and shall be capable of immediate
adjustment by semi-skilled operators in order to permit variations to be made to the mix.
All weigh dials shall be easily visible from the place at which filling and emptying of the

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 hoppers is controlled.

Every concrete mixing machine shall be fitted with a device to measure added water by
weight and shall be so constructed that the water inlet and outlet valves are interlocked so
that either one of them cannot be opened unless the other is fully closed. The weighing
device shall be provided with an overflow with a cross-sectional area at least four times that
of the inlet pipe and with its discharge point clear of the mixing plant. The entire water
system shall be maintained free of leaks at all times and the measuring device shall be fitted
with a drain pipe which allows the full quantity of water being measured to be drained off
for checking the measurement. The outlet arrangement of the measuring device shall be
such that between five and ten percent of the water enters the mixer before the other
materials and further five to ten percent of the water enters the mixer after the other
materials. The remainder of the water shall be added at a uniform rate with the other
materials. The water measuring device shall be readily adjustable so that the quantity of
water added to the mixer can, if necessary, be varied for each batch.

Where volume batching is permitted by the Specification, gauge boxes shall be soundly
constructed of timber or steel to contain exactly the volume of the various aggregates
required for one batch of each mix. They shall have closed bottoms and shall be clearly
marked with the mix and aggregate for which they are intended.

When calculating the size of the gauge box for fine aggregate, an allowance shall be made
for the bulking of the fine aggregate due to the average amount of moisture contained in the
stockpiles on the site. Before the Sub-Contractor puts any gauge box into use on the site he
shall obtain the approval of the Employer’s Representative of the size and construction of
such gauge box.

Any admixtures which may be used shall be measured separately in calibrated dispensers.

All mixing and batching plants shall be maintained free of set concrete or cement and shall
be clean before commencing mixing. The accuracy of calibration of any weighing plant,
water measuring plant and admixture dispenser, shall be checked before carrying out trial
mixes, before mixing concrete for inclusion in the work, after each service or adjustment to
the mixing plant, and in any case at least once per month.

1.21 MIXING CONCRETE

Concrete shall be mixed in batches in plant capable of combining the aggregates, cement
and water (including admixtures, if any) into a mixture uniform in colour and consistency,
and of discharging the mixture without segregation.

On commencing work with a clean mixer, the first batch shall contain only half the normal
quantity of coarse aggregate to compensate for the adhesion of the other materials to the
drum.

The moisture contents of the aggregates shall be determined before the commencement of
each day's concreting and at such intervals during each day as may be necessary. The Sub-
Contractor shall make due allowance for the water contained in the aggregates when
determining the quantity of water to be added to each mix, and shall adjust the amount of
water added to each mix to maintain constant the approved free water/cement ratio of the

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 mixed concrete.

1.22 READY-MIXED CONCRETE

Ready-mixed concrete shall not be used in any part of the works without written approval by
the Employer’s Representative, which may be withdrawn at any time.

The Sub-Contractor shall satisfy the Employer’s Representative that ready-mixed concrete
complies with the Specification in all respects, add that the manufacturing and delivery
resources of the proposed supplier are adequate to ensure proper and timely completion of
each concreting operation.

The specified requirements as to the sampling, trial-mixing, testing and quality of concrete of
various grades shall apply equally to ready-mixed concrete which shall furthermore be made
and delivered in accordance with BS 5328 : 1981.

Any additional facility, which the Employer’s Representative may require for the supervision
and inspection of the batching, mixing and transporting of ready-mixed concrete, shall be
allowed to be used after 45 minutes of initial mixing.

1.23 HIGH ALUMINA CEMENT

The composition of high alumina cement shall comply with B.S. 915 Part two. It shall consist
of a minimum of 32% of alumina and the minimum compressive strengths of mortar cubes
at one and three days shall be 42 N/sq.mm and 48 N/sq.mm respectively.

High alumina cement shall be refrained from being used in structural concrete including
foundations as a substantial reductions in strengths is observed under the vulnerable
tropical conditions.

1.24 REPARING FOR CONCRETING

Before placing concrete the Sub-Contractor shall remove from the surface of the foundations
or previously placed concrete, all oil, loose fragments of rock, earth, mud, timber and other
debris, and standing water, to the satisfaction of the Employer’s Representative.

Where specified and elsewhere as ordered by the Employer’s Representative, the excavated
surfaces shall be prepared as specified under concrete protection.

1.25 TRANSPORTING CONCRETE

Concrete shall be conveyed from the mixer to its place in the works as rapidly as possible by
methods which will prevent segregation or drying out and ensure that the concrete is of the
required workability at the time of placing. If segregation has nevertheless occurred in any
instance, the materials shall be remixed or rejected.

1.26 PLACING CONCRETE

Concrete shall be placed and compacted before the initial set has occurred and, in any event,
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 not later than 45 minutes from the time of mixing.

When pneumatic placers are used, if the end of the placer pipe is not equipped with an
energy absorbing device, it shall be kept as close to the work as practicable. Mortar or water
used at the beginning or end of a run shall be discharged outside the formwork.

When pumps are used, the end of the supply pipe shall be kept immersed in the concrete
during placing to assist compaction. Mortar and water used at the beginning or end or a run
shall be discharged outside the formwork.

1.27 CONCRETING IN HOT WEATHER

In hot weather, the Sub-Contractor shall take steps to ensure that the temperature of the
concrete as placed shall not exceed 32 deg. C and that the maximum internal temperature
attained during setting does not exceed 70 deg. C.

To achieve this, the Sub-Contractor shall provide sun shades over stockpiles of aggregate,
cement silos, mixing water tanks and pipelines and in addition shall carry out the first and as
necessary other of the following procedures which shall be submitted to the Employer’s
Representative for approval:

(i) Cool the mixing water and replace part of the water by chipped ice. The ice shall be
completely melted by the time mixing is completed.

(ii) Spray clean cool water over the aggregate stockpipes. The Sub-Contractor shall carry
out regular tests on the aggregates to ensure that concentrations of sulphates or
chlorides do not rise to unacceptable levels, and to ensure that moisture content
determinations allow for such spraying.

(iii) Shade or wet outside of the formwork.

(iii) Apply a fine moisture (fog) spray of clean cool water to shaded areas immediately
prior to placing concrete.

(iv) Pour concrete at night.

1.28 COMPACTION

All concrete placed in-situ shall be compacted with power driven internal type vibrators
supplemented by hand spading and tamping except as otherwise approved by the
Employer’s Representative. The vibrators shall at all times be adequate in number,
amplitude and power to compact the concrete properly and quickly throughout the whole of
the volume being compacted. Spare vibrators shall be readily on hand in case of breakdown.

Vibrators shall be inserted into the uncompacted concrete vertically and at regular intervals.
Where the uncompacted concrete is in a layer above freshly compacted concrete the
vibrator shall be allowed to penetrate vertically for about 100 mm into the previous layer. In
no circumstances shall vibrators be allowed to come into contact with the reinforcement or
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 formwork nor shall they be withdrawn quickly from the mass of concrete but shall be drawn
back slowly so as not to leave voids. Internal type vibrators shall not be placed in the
concrete in a random or haphazard manner nor shall concrete be moved from part of the
work to another by means of the vibrators.

The duration of vibration shall be limited to that required to produce satisfactory

compaction without causing segregation. Vibration shall on no account be continued after
water or excess grout has appeared on the surface.

1.29 ATTENDANCE OF STEEL FIXER AND CARPENTER

During the concreting of all reinforced concrete, including prestressed concrete, a

competent steel fixer and carpenter shall be in attendance on each concreting gang, to
ensure that the reinforcement, formwork and embedded fittings are kept in position as work
proceeds.

1.30 CURING OF CONCRETE

Concrete shall be cured by protecting the surface from the effects of sunshine, drying winds,
frost, rain, running water or mechanical damage for a continuous period of four days when
the cement used in the concrete is sulphate-resisting Portland cement, Portland Pulverised-
Fuel Ash cement or Portland Blastfurnace Cement. The protection shall be applied as soon as
practicable after completion of placing by one or more of the following methods as
approved by the Employer’s Representative:

(a) By water sprays in continuous operation;

(b) By covering with hessian or similar absorbent material, or sand, kept constantly wet;

(c) After thorough wetting, by covering with a layer of waterproof fabric kept in contact
with the concrete surface.

(d) By the application of an approved non-staining liquid curing membrane which is

either self-removing or easily removed following curing period and which has a 75%
moisture retention standard. The liquid shall be applied to formed surfaces immediately
after stripping the formwork.

Liquid curing membrane (d) shall not be used on Class U1 surfaces where laitance is to be
removed and aggregate exposed to provide a satisfactory bond for placing further concrete
or mortar screeds or on surfaces where the Employer’s Representative is of the opinion that
the appearance of the concrete surface will be affected.

1.31 CONSTRUCTION JOINTS

A construction joint is defined as a joint in the concrete introduced for convenience in

construction at which special measures are taken to achieve subsequent continuity without
provision for further relative movement.

Concrete placed to form the face of a construction joint shall have all laitance removed and
the large aggregate exposed prior to the placing of fresh concrete.
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 The laitance shall wherever practicable be removed when the concrete has set but not
hardened by spraying the concrete surface with water under pressure or brushing with a
wire brush sufficient to remove the outer mortar skin and expose the large aggregate
without being disturbed. Where the laitance cannot be removed due to hardening of the
concrete, the whole of the concrete surface forming the joint shall be treated by high
pressure water jet, sand blasting, use of a needle gun or a scaling hammer to remove the
surface laitance.

Before concreting is resumed, all loose matter on the existing concrete surface shall be
removed and the surface slightly wetted.

1.32 DIMENSIONS AND SURFACES OF FINISHED CONCRETE

Workmanship in formwork and concreting shall be such that concrete shall require no
making good, surfaces being perfectly compacted, smooth and with no irregularities.
Concrete surfaces for the various classes of unformed and formed finishes shall in any event
not exceed the maximum permitted tolerance which shall be as shown in the table below
except where expressly stated otherwise in the Specification or Drawings.

In the table "line and level" and "dimension" shall mean the lines, levels and cross-sectional
dimensions shown on the Drawings.

Surface irregularities shall be classified as "abrupt" or "gradual". Abrupt irregularities

include, but shall not be limited to, offsets and fins caused by displaced or misplaced
formwork, loose knots and other defects in formwork materials, and shall be tested by direct
measurement. Gradual irregularities shall be tested by means of a straight, template for
plane surfaces or its suitable equivalent for curved surfaces, the template being 3.0 m long
for unformed surfaces and 1.5 m long for formed surfaces.

Maximum tolerance (mm) in :

Class of Line and Abrupt Gradual Dimension

finish level irregularity irregularity

U1 +/-12 6 +/ -6 -

U2 +/ -6 3 +/ -3 -

U3 +/ -6 3 +/ -3 -

F1 +/-12 6 +/ -6 +12, -6

F2 +/ -6 6 +/ -6 +12, -6

F3 +/ -3 3 +/ -3 +6/ -6

1.33 UNFORMED SURFACES

CS/15
 Finishes to unformed surfaces of concrete shall be classified as U1, U2, U3, spaded' or
`bonded concrete' or such other special finish as may be particularly specified. Where the
class of finish is not specified, the concrete shall be finished to Class U1.

Class U1 finish is the first stage for Class U2 and U3 finishes and for a bonded concrete
surface. Class U2 finish shall be a levelled and screeded, uniform plain or ridged finish,
which (unless it is being converted to Class U2, U3 or bonded concrete) shall not be
disturbed in any way after the initial set and during the period of curing, surplus concrete
being struck off immediately after compaction.

Where a bonded concrete surface is specified, the laitance shall be removed from the Class
U1 finish surface and the aggregate exposed while the concrete is still green.

A spaded finish shall be a surface free from voids and brought to a reasonably uniform
appearance by the use of shovels as it is placed in the works.

Class U2 finish shall be produced by manual or mechanical floating of the concrete surface
after the initial set has taken place and the surface has hardened sufficiently. The concrete
shall be worked no more than is necessary to produce a uniform `sandpaper' finish free from
screedmarks.

Class U3 finish shall be a hard smooth steel-trowelled finish. Trowelling shall not commence
until the moisture film has disappeared and the concrete has hardened sufficiently to
prevent excess laitance from being worked into the surface. The surface shall be trowelled
under firm pressure and left free from trowel marks.

The addition of dry cement, mortar or water will not be permitted during any of the above
operations.

Exposed aggregate finish shall be achieved by exposure of the coarse aggregate using a
method approved by Employer’s Representative. The average depth of exposure shall be 6
mm for concrete with a maximum aggregate size of 20 mm and between 6 mm and 12 mm
for concrete with a maximum aggregate size of 40 mm.

The Sub-Contractor shall prepare sample panels 1000 mm x 500 mm of concrete with an
exposed aggregate finish for inspection and approval by the Employer’s Representative at
the site.

1.34 BUILDING IN PLANT AND GROUTING- IN

Wherever possible, pipes and other items of plant passing through concrete structures shall
be installed and connected to the remainder of the pipework system to ensure proper fit,
and shall be built into the structure as work proceeds.

Where this procedure is impracticable due to programme or other requirements, holes shall
be formed for the items of plant to allow them to be built in later after complete installation
of the plant.

In no case shall individual pipes of a complicated pipework system including flanged joints
be built into concrete structures before accurate fit of the whole system can be checked

CS/16
 after the complete installation.

Where holes are formed these shall be of size and shape sufficient to permit proper placing
and compaction of concrete or grout. The surfaces of the holes shall be treated to produce a
`bonded' surface before installation of plant.

Before grouting-in commences the plant shall be adequately supported in position to

prevent movement or damage during grouting-in.

Concrete used for building-in shall be of the same grade as concrete of the member into
which the plant is being built, except that the mix shall also incorporate an approved
expanding additive used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. Concrete used
for water retaining structures shall be non shrink in nature to ensure water tightness.
Concrete, mortar and grout shall be carefully placed and compacted around the plant to
avoid damaging or moving the plant.

1.35 STRUCTURAL PRECAST CONCRETE

Structural units of precast concrete shall be manufactured in the grade of concrete and to
the sizes and details shown on the Drawings. The concrete shall comply in every aspect with
the provisions of the Contract whether such units are manufactured on the site or obtained
from other manufacturers.

All cement, aggregate and other materials for precast concrete units with faces which are
exposed either internally or externally shall be from the same sources throughout. Exposed
surfaces of the units shall be uniform in colour and in texture.

Formwork and unformed surfaces for precast concrete units shall comply with the
requirements for F3 formed surfaces and U3 unformed surfaces except that the dimensional
variations shall not exceed the values listed below, unless otherwise detailed on the
Drawings.

Length +/-6 mm

Cross-section +/6 mm each direction

Straightness 6 mm (deviation from intended line)

Flatness 3 mm (deviation from a 1.5 m straight edge placed in any position

on a nominally plane surface)

Squareness - when considering the squareness of a corner, the longer of the two adjacent
sides being checked shall be taken as the baseline, and the shorter side shall not vary in its
distance from the normal so that the differences between the greatest and the shortest
dimension exceeds 6 mm. When the nominal angle is other than 90 degrees, the included
angle between the check line shall be varied accordingly.

Twist - any corner on any nominally plane surface shall not be more than 6 mm from the
plane containing the other three corners.

CS/17
 The positions of individual connecting bolts, bolt holes, projecting steel and other devices in
any associated group (eg. the joint of two precast units) shall be within 3 mm of their true
position in the group in which they are cast. The location of any such group shall be within 6
mm of its true position in the unit in which it is cast, provided that such deviation does not
adversely affect the proper assembly of the whole structure.

The Sub-Contractor shall submit to the Employer’s Representative for approval, full details of
his proposed method of carrying out all operations connected with the manufacture and
assembly of precast concrete structural members, including :

 A description of the types of casting bed, mould and formwork for the various types
of members;

 The procedure for concrete casting and the method of curing the concrete;

 The procedure for transporting, handling, hoisting and placing of each type of
precast structural member;

 Full details of temporary supports necessary to ensure adequate stability during

erection, due account be taken of construction loads, including wind.

1.36 INSTALLATION OF PRECAST CONCRETE UNITS

At all stages and until completion of the work, precast members shall be adequately
protected to preserve all permanently exposed surfaces, arises and architectural features.
The protection shall not mark or otherwise disfigure the concrete.

All units shall be laid, bedded, jointed and fixed in accordance with the lines, levels and other
details shown on the Drawings.
Dry-pack mortar jointing for packing shall consist of one part of volume ordinary Portland
cement and two and half parts by volume of fine aggregate passing a 1 mm sieve. The
mortar shall be mixed with only sufficient water to make the materials stick together when
being moulded in the hands. The mortar is thoroughly compacted.

Any precast concrete structural member which is found to be cracked, damaged or

otherwise inferior in quality either before or after erection, shall be rejected and replaced by
the Sub-Contractor.

1.37 PRESTRESSED CONCRETE

The Sub-Contractor shall submit to the Employer’s Representative for approval his proposed
method of carrying out all operations connected with prestressed concrete work and his
proposals for handling, hoisting and placing a position any precast prestressed concrete
units.

Prestressed concrete work whether precast or cast in-situ shall be as detailed on the
Drawings and the Sub-Contractor shall provide full details of his proposed method of
carrying out all operations connected with prestressing including :-
CS/18
 (a) Design of concrete mix

(b) Description of concrete casting and curing operations

(c) Procedure for prestressing and method of checking and recording the prestress, wire
extension and anchorage slip.

(d) Procedure for handling, hoisting and placing of any precast units.

(e) Grouting of ducts

All tendons, duct forming devices, anchorages and other components shall be kept free of
mud, oil (except water soluble oil applied for protection), paint, retarders, loose rust, or
other foreign matter. They shall be placed with a tolerance of +/-3 mm in concrete
dimensions of 300 mm of less or +/- 6 mm in concrete dimensions over 300 mm.

1.38 NO-FINES CONCRETE

No-fines concrete shall be made using a coarse natural aggregate conforming with BS 882
and cement to BS 4027. No fine aggregate shall be used. The grading of the coarse
aggregate shall be;

o Not less than 95% by weight passing a 19 mm BS sieve;

o Not more than 5% by weight passing a 10 mm BS sieve.

The proportion of aggregate, cement and water shall be determined by trial mixes by the
Sub-Contractor starting with a cement : aggregate particles ratio of one to eight by volume.

The trial mix shall be considered suitable when all the aggregate particles are coated with a
film of cement grout. The water content shall be just adequate. The concrete when placed
shall contain no layers of laitance.

No-fines concrete shall not be mixed by hand.

Vibration shall not be used to compact the concrete. Three test cubes of no-fines concrete
shall be made of each trial mix. The minimum crushing strength of the chosen mix shall be 3
N/sq,mm at 28 days.

1.39 PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCTS

(a) Precast concrete products shall where appropriate be constructed in accordance

with British Standards as follows, being hydraulically pressed where possible :

Type of Unit Standard

Concrete blocks BS 6073 : Pt 1 : 1981

Concrete kerbs, etc. BS 7261 : Part 1 : 1990

CS/19
 Concrete flags BS 7263 : Pt 1 : 1990

Concrete sills BS 5642

Concrete lintels BS 5977

The concrete shall comply in every aspect with the provisions of the Specification whether
such products are manufactured on the site or obtained from other manufacturers.

(b) Interlocking concrete paving shall include supply and laying of pavers, preparation of
surface, supply of sand and casting of edge restraint beams.

The pavers shall comply with the requirement of MA 20, Specification for concrete
segmental Paving Units, published by the Concrete Masonry Association of Australia.

1.40 SAMPLING AND TESTING OF AGGREGATE

The Sub-Contractor shall sample and carry out a mechanical analysis of the fine aggregate
and each nominal size of coarse aggregate in use employing the methods described in BS
1881 at least once in each week when concreting is in progress and at such more frequent
intervals as the Employer’s Representative may require.

The grading of all aggregates shall be within specified limits and should the fraction of
aggregate retained on any sieve differ from the corresponding fraction of aggregate in the
approved mix by more than 2% of the total quantity of fine and coarse aggregate,
Employer’s Representative may instruct the Sub-Contractor to alter the relative proportions
of the aggregates in the mix to allow for such difference.

1.41 SAMPLING AND TESTING OF CONCRETE

The Sub-Contractor shall provide the equipment necessary to determine the compacting
factor of freshly mixed concrete at each place where concrete is being made and shall
determine the compacting factor of the freshly mixed concrete by the method described in
BS 1881 on each day or as the Employer’s Representative may direct.

For each grade concrete, works test cubes shall be made whenever required by the
Employer’s Representative but not less frequently than as follows unless otherwise
particularly specified :-

For concrete of one set of cubes per 25 cu.m

Grades 25, 30, 35A, 40 or part thereof concreted per day;
For concrete of one set of cubes per 50 cu.m
Grades 15 or 20 or part thereof concreted per day

Each set of cubes (six cubes per set) shall be made from a single sample taken from a
randomly selected batch of concrete. Three cubes shall be tested 7 days after manufacture
and three cubes 28 days after manufacture.

CS/20
1.42 COMPLIANCE WITH SPECIFIED REQUIREMENTS

The concrete shall be deemed satisfactory provided that :

(i) The average 28 days strength determined from any group of four consecutive sets of
three test cubes exceeds the specified characteristic strength by not less than 7.5 N/sq.mm
for grade 15 concrete and 10 N/sq.mm for grades 20, 25, 30, 35A and 40.

(ii) The average of each set of three test cube results is greater than 100% of the
specified characteristic strength.

If only one set of three cube results fails to meet the second requirement, those results may
be considered to represent only the particular batch of concrete from which the cubes were
taken, provided that the average strength of the group satisfies the first requirement.

If more than one set of three cube results in a group fails to meet the second requirement or
if the average strength of any group of four consecutive sets of three test cubes fails to meet
the first requirement then all the concrete in all the batches represented by all such cubes
shall be deemed not to comply with the strength requirements.

1.43 NON-COMPLIANCE

When the average strength of four sets of three consecutive test cubes fails to meet the first
requirement, no further concrete from that mix shall be placed in the work and the Sub-
Contractor shall establish the cause of the failure and apply such remedies as are necessary.
The Sub-Contractor shall demonstrate by trial mixes and test cube results that the revised
mix is in accordance with the specified requirements.

The Sub-Contractor shall within 24 hours of the date of test, make proposals for agreement
with the Employer’s Representative about action to be taken in respect of any concrete
represented by test cubes which fail to meet either of the requirements. These proposals
may include, but shall not be limited to, cutting and testing cores.

Concrete which is ultimately found not be comply with any of the requirements of the
Specification shall be rejected and shall be broken out and replaced or otherwise dealt with
as agreed with the Employer’s Representative.

1.44 CUTTING AND TESTING OF CORE SAMPLES

As and where discussed by the Employer’s Representative, cylindrical core specimens of 150
mm nominal diameter shall be cut normal to the face of the hardened concrete for the
purpose of examination and testing. The procedure for drilling, examination, measurement
and testing for comprehensive strength shall be in accordance with BS 1881. Prior to
preparation for testing, the specimen shall be made available for examination by the
Employer’s Representative. If the crushing strength of the specimen determined in
accordance with paragraph 114 of BS 1881 is less than the characteristic strength at 28 days
for the grade requirements in other respect, the concrete in that part of the works of which
it is a sample shall be considered not to comply with the specified requirements.

CS/21
1.45 INSPECTION PROCEDURES

Before any concrete is placed, the Sub-Contractor shall carry out an inspection to ensure that
all preparations are complete, including the provision of the necessary equipment and
personnel, and shall ensure that sufficient materials are available to complete the work
proposed.

After completion of this inspection, the work shall be offered for inspection by the
Employer’s Representative, sufficient time being allowed for inspection and correction of
any defects. No concrete shall be placed until the Employer’s Representative has inspected
and approved the surfaces upon which the concrete is to be placed the formwork and the
reinforcing steel.

Where required by the Employer’s Representative, the Sub-Contractor shall institute a `pour
card' system in which a card is made out for each lift of concrete and is initialled by the Sub-
Contractor and the Employer’s Representative, indicating that the inspections have been
carried out.

The `pour card' shall include spaces to identify the concrete being placed and to signify
completion of the inspections by the Sub-Contractor and the Employer’s Representative of
the following items:

 Preparation of surface on which concrete is to be placed;

 Formwork;
 Reinforcement;
 Ready for concrete placing;
 Inspection after removal of formwork (any remedial work shall be agreed and
noted);
 Curing procedures;
 Completion of remedial work (if any)

1.46 CONCRETE PROTECTION SYSTEMS

Where required all structural concrete in contact with the ground shall be protected by one
of the methods specified below. Unless otherwise specified or detailed on the Drawing, in-
situ concrete surfaces which are to be protected shall have either U2 or F2 finish as
appropriate.

(a) Prefabricated membrane tanking :

The membrane shall be preformed consisting of 1.5 mm thick rubber/bitumen compound

formulated for use in hot climates, backed with 0.3 mm thick PVC sheet. The membrane
shall adhere with watertight joints to itself at overlaps and to concrete surfaces prepared
with suitable priming compound.

The membrane and primer shall be applied in accordance with the manufacturer's
instructions to horizontal, inclined and vertical surfaces.

After the blinding concrete has hardened, the membrane shall be applied, bitumen face
downwards, and shall extend at least 150 mm beyond the outer limits of the structure. As
CS/22
soon as the membrane has been applied and before any reinforcement or structural
concrete is placed, the membrane shall be covered by a sand/cement screed 50 mm thick,
extending over the whole area of the base of the structure. The membrane projection of
150 mm shall be temporarily protected with a layer of board as specified below to prevent
mechanical damage.

After the concrete structure has been constructed up to ground level and curing is
completed, the surfaces which will be in contact with the ground, or as detailed otherwise
on the Drawings, shall be primed with the material supplied by the membrane
manufacturer. The vertical membrane shall be bonded onto the projection of the base
membrane and terminated in a chase at the top. Fillets and reinforcing strips shall be used.

Completed areas of vertical membrane shall be protected from mechanical damage during
backfill operations by 12 mm thick cardboard, fibreboard or chipboard secured with suitable
adhesive or by concrete blockwork.

(b) Made-in-place membrane tanking:

As an alternative to prefabricated membrane taking on horizontal surfaces, the Sub-

Contractor may propose to design, supply and install a made-in-place membrane of bitumen
asphalt concrete laid on a tack coat placed on clean original ground.

The bitumen asphalt concrete shall comprise bitumen or asphalt and coarse and fine
aggregates.

The Sub-Contractor shall demonstrate to the Employer’s Representative by testing, by trial

and by experience that made-in-place membrane tanking exhibits characteristics which are
in all respect equal to or better than prefabricated membrane tanking. The system shall be :-

 Waterproof during life of protected structure;

 Robust during preparation for concreting;
 Durable during life of structure;
 Flexible in indifferential settlement;
 Incompressible under weight of structure.

Made-in-place membrane tanking may be used in place of blinding concrete provided that
the Sub-Contractor shall also have demonstrated to the Employer’s Representative the
practicability of this system by testing, by trial and by experience.

Vertical or sloping concrete surfaces shall be protected by prefabricated membrane ranking

as specified which shall overlap and adhere to made-in-place membrane tanking over a
width of 150mm.

The emulsion shall be a rubber-rich bituminous emulsion suitable for use in hot climates and
capable of building up a film with minimum dry thickness of 1.0 mm, which is impermeable
to water penetration and possessing a high degree of flexibility.

A priming mixture shall be made by thoroughly mixing 1 part emulsion with 6 parts fresh
water. Coats other than priming coat shall not be diluted.

CS/23
 Application rates shall be as follows or as necessary to build up a minimum dry film thickness
of 1.0mm.:

Surface Coat Application rate

(sq.mm/litre)
Horizontal 1st (priming) 7
2nd 1
3rd 1.5
Vertical 1st (priming) 7
2nd 2
3rd 2
4th 2

Overcoating shall take place as soon as the previous coat has dried. Immediately the final
coat has been applied to vertical surfaces, bitumenized building paper shall be applied to the
fresh emulsion and pressed into close contact over the whole area of the protection.

Horizontal and vertical surfaces shall be protected from mechanical damage during
subsequent construction work by screed or boarding as specified for membrane tanking.

(c) Polyethylene sheet

250 micron polyethylene sheet shall be placed against vertical or sloping surfaces of
excavated ground before placing concrete directly against such surfaces.

Backfilling with sand against protected surfaces shall be carried out in such a manner that
the protection is not damaged. Nevertheless, if such damage occurs, the damage shall be
made good to the satisfaction of the Employer’s Representative.

1.47 CONCRETE PROTECTION PROCEDURES

Details of concrete protection shall be shown by the Sub-Contractor on the preliminary

working drawings. Such details shall include corners overlaps, brick or board protection and
details for curves faces, etc. Concrete protection systems proposed for use in the works shall
be demonstrated by the Sub-Contractor to the Employer’s Representative for approval
before submission of preliminary working drawings showing use of such systems in the
works.

1.48 MACHINERY BASES AND CLOSURE OF POCKET

Bases to take machinery and associated pipework shall be constructed in fair faced concrete
to the dimensions shown on the approved machinery drawings or as ordered by the
Employer’s Representative. The mounting surface of the base shall be steel floated to true
and level planes.

The structural concrete on which the bases are to be erected shall be prepared by hacking
and cleaning off.

Bases shall be tied to the structural concrete with vertical reinforcement. Horizontal
reinforcement shall also normally be provided at the level of the pockets for the holding
CS/24
 down bolts.

Bolt pockets and lead-ins for grout shall be formed by a means which shall have the approval
of the Employer’s Representative. Polystyrene formers will not be permitted. Where
expanded metal is used as a former it shall be left in.

When the machinery has been erected, the bolt pockets shall on approval of the Employer’s
Representative, be completely filled using a mixture of 2 parts of cement to 3 parts sharp
sand by volume with sufficient water to form a thick creamy consistency.

The machinery shall be run under the supervision of the Sub-Contractor and witnessed by
the Employer’s Representative after the grout has hardened. When so directed the Sub-
Contractor shall complete the grouting operation by filling the space between the top of the
concrete and the underside of the machinery base plate.

No separate payment will be made for complying with the provision of this clause and all
cost shall be deemed to be included elsewhere in the Bill of Quantities.

1.49 MEASUREMENT OF IN-SITE CONCRETE

For concrete placed in-site separate measurements shall be made of plain or mass (ie.
unreinforced) concrete and of reinforced concrete for each of the specified grades of
concrete.

In-situ concrete and all work in connection therewith as specified shall be valued by the
measurement of only such items as are set forth in the Bill of Quantities. Except where
expressly shown to the contrary, formwork (excluding formwork for horizontal construction
joints) and steel reinforcement shall be measured separately from and in addition to,
measurement of concrete placed in-situ. Unformed surface finishes class U1, U2 and U3 and
spaded finish shall not be measured for payment.

In-situ concrete shall be measured to the limits shown on the Drawings and any concrete
placed outside such limits by reason of the Sub-Contractor's method of working or due to his
carelessness or error and whether it has been permitted by the Employer’s Representative
or not shall not be measured for payment. In concrete surround to pipes, thrust and anchor
blocks and valve chambers a deduction from the measurement shall be made for the volume
occupied by the pipes. No deduction from the measurement shall be made in respect of:-

(i) Any purpose made hole or opening which has an average cross-sectional area less
than 1600 sq cm or which has a volume of 0.1 cu metre of less;

(ii) Any portion of chases, rebates, channels, pipes, ducts or the like whose cross-
sectional area in 1000 sq mm or less;

(iii) Any chamfer 100 mm wide or less on the splay;

(iv) The space occupied by any steel reinforcement, rails, joints or the like embedded in
the concrete.

Building paper or other protection of foundation surfaces, where ordered by the Employer’s

CS/25
 Representative, shall be measured as the net area so protected and no measurement shall
be made of laps or joints.

Concrete testing shall be separately measurement only if and to the extent that items for
tests are provided in the Bill of Quantities.

1.50 MEASUREMENT OF FORM OPENING OF BUILD IN PLANT

Payment for form opening or build in plant shall be made at the rate per opening tendered.
The rate shall include the cost of handling, provision of false work and labour necessary to
forming opening or building in at the required position. The rate shall be measured
according to the opening size.

1.51 MEASUREMENT OF GROUTING BACK THE OPENING

Payment for grouting back the opening shall be made at the rate per opening tendered. The
rate shall include the cost of handling, provision of falsework, labour, material and
equipment necessary to complete grout the gap. The grout shall be either ordinary Portland
Cement or Non-shrink grout. The rate shall be measured according to the opening size. The
work could only be considered complete after it has passes the water tightness test.

1.52 MEASUREMENT OF PRECAST CONCRETE

Items for precast concrete shall include the manufacture and fixing in the works of the
precast units and all works in connection therewith as specified.

Precast concrete shall be measured as fixed in the works by numbers of units, by volume, by
area or by length as indicated in the Bill of Quantities. Measurement (except where by
numbers) shall included the space occupied by joints between units but not by bedding.
Otherwise all measurement shall be net except that no deduction shall be made in respect of
any purpose formed hole, duct or the like which has an average cross-sectional area less
than 2500 sq.mm.

No separate measurement for payment shall be made in respect of formwork, surface

finishes, reinforcement, joggles, dowels, jointing, bedding or the like for precast concrete
unless separate items are expressly provided in the Bill of Quantities.

Precast prestressed concrete and all work in connection therewith as specified shall be
valued by the measurement of only such items as are provided in the Bill of Quantities.

1.53 SIZES AND SEQUENCE OF CONCRETE POURS

Before commencing concreting the Sub-Contractor shall submit for approval his detailed
proposals for the sequence of placing concrete and the positions of vertical and horizontal
construction joints. The proposals shall comply with the following :-

Where limitations in lengths of floor or roof slabs that may be cast without joints in any
direction are stated on the Drawings, the slabs shall be subdivided by construction joints into
panels of dimensions not exceeding the stated limit on length. The panels shall be
separately concreted in one continuous operation and no panels shall be concreted until the
CS/26
 concrete in adjacent panels is at least 7 days old.

Where limitations in lengths of wall that may be cast without joints are stated on the
Drawings they shall be divided into segments not exceeding the stated maximum length by
vertical joints which are continuous with the floor joints and extend the full height of the
walls in an unbroken alignment. Each segment above the top of the wall haunch and the top
of the wall shall be cast in a series of lifts each of a length and height to be approved by the
Employer’s Representative.

Alternate segments in a lift shall be concreted and an interval of 7 days shall elapse before
the intervening segments in the same lift are concreted.

At each joint rebates shall be formed to receive sealing compounds as shown on the
Drawings.

Each segment of the wall footing and haunch defined by the floor and wall joints shall be
concreted in one continuous operation. Segments shall be concreted alternately and an
interval of at least 7 days shall elapse before intervening segments are concreted.

1.54 TESTING OF WATER RETAINING STRUCTURES

As soon as possible after completion of water retaining structures but not before the
concrete has attained its specified 28 day strength they shall be tested for water tightness by
filling with water up to the designed top water level. The rate of filling shall be reasonably
constant and shall not exceed 2m of depth in 24 hours except in the case of small structures
where the higher rate may be allowed by the Sub-Contractor. After filling the structure shall
be allowed to stand full (being topped up as necessary) for at least 72 hours, for absorption
of water by the concrete to take place, at the end of which period the level shall be
accurately noted. The structure shall then be tested for a further period of at least 72 hours
(48 hours in the case of channels and smaller structures as agreed) and shall be accepted as
watertight if:-

(i) no leaks of damp patches on the backs of walls are discernible during period of the
test (if the backs of walls are wetted by rainfall or any other cause the test must be delayed
until they are dry for at least 72 hours). In the case of individual parts of a structure being
tested independently, the division walls also must be watertight.

(ii) The floor underdrainage system of the structure (if any) remains dry, or the flow in it
before the test is not increased as a result of filling the structure with water

(iii) The recorded change in level of the water in the structure minus the loss of water by
evaporation gives a figure which does not exceed 1/2000 of the depth of water originally in
the structure.

During the 72 hours test period referred to above the loss of water by evaporation shall be
determined by measurement of the loss of water from a shallow watertight tray of 0.4 sq.m
in area containing not less than 75mm depth of water and positioned to float on the surface
of the water in the structure.

CS/27
 The roofs and manhole covers of the closed reservoirs shall be tested for watertightness
before the laying of any roof membrane by general observation from within the reservoir for
damp patches or leaks over a period of heavy and prolonged rain but should such a suitable
occurrence fail to happen, the roof and fittings shall be hosed down vigorously and this shall
be repeated in such a way as to keep the roof wet for 3 successive days.

The roof and fittings shall be deemed satisfactory for watertightness if there are no
discernible leaks or damps patches from inside the reservoir. Remedial measure and
retesting shall be carried out at the Sub-Contractor’s expense until satisfactory.

Should any parts of the structure fail the above tests in any respect, the Sub-Contractor shall
immediately take steps to ascertain the nature and positions of any defects or leakages, shall
empty the structure, and remedy the defects in an approved manner. Note that a damp
patch appearing on the outside of the wall must be rectified from the water face, a repair
making the outer face only watertight shall not be approved, this applies to bobbin holes
also.

When the remedial work has been completed in an approved manner, the testing and if
necessary rectification shall be repeated until a satisfactory test is achieved.

If necessary, in extreme case of lack of watertightness, the structure or any member or

section of a member thereof may be rejected.

Any expense in materials (including the supply of water), plant labour and all other costs
including overhead and profit involved in the satisfactory watertightnes testing of all the
water retaining structures in the works shall be included in the rates entered by the Sub-
Contractor in the Bill of Quantities.

Any costs, incurred by the Sub-Contractor in remedial or replacement work necessary to

achieve the satisfactory testing shall be entirely at the expense of the Sub-Contractor.

1.55 DISINFECTION OF WATER RETAINING STRUCTURES

Disinfection of water retaining structures shall be carried out by the Sub-Contractor after
these structures have passed the watertightness test.

The structure shall be emptied. The internal surfaces of the walls, the internal surface of the
roof, the internal and external surfaces of all pipes and specials inside the structure, and all
other surfaces inside the structure shall be vigorously brushed and flushed with jets of clear,
clean water until all foreign materials, dirt and grit which may have accumulated thereon
are removed. All water and material accumulated in the cleaning operation shall be
discharged or otherwise removed from the structures.

The Sub-Contractor shall provide evidence to the satisfaction of the Employer’s

Representative that the chlorine dosage proposed for sterilisation will not adversely affect
joint sealant materials.

Chlorination shall be carried out by Method 1 or Method 2 as set out below. The Sub-
Contractor shall submit details of his proposed method of working to the Employer’s
Representative for approval before commencing disinfections any structure.

CS/28
 Method 1

The structure shall then be filled to the overflow level with potable water to which enough
chlorine is added to provide a free chlorine residual throughout the structure of not less than
10 mg/l at the end of the appropriate retention period. This shall not less than 6 hours when
the water entering the structure has been chlorinated uniformly by gas-feed equipment or
chemical pump or not less than 24 hours when the structure has been filled with water
which has been mixed with calcium hypochlorite within the structure. The procedure set out
in AWWA C652 shall be followed.

At the end of the retention period of free chlorine residual shall be reduced to not more than
2 mg/l by draining and refilling or blending with potable water having a low chlorine
concentration, after which the water within the structure shall be sampled to determine the
free chlorine residual and for bacteriological analysis to check for the absence or coliform
organisms of faecal origin. If the results are unsatisfactory the structure shall be drained and
the disinfection procedure shall be repeated. The costs of any re-testing shall be borne by
the Sub-Contractor.

The chlorine bearing solution/mixture shall be prepared using clear, clean water and
chlorine, either as liquid chlorine, calcium hypochlorite or sodium hypochlorite.

Liquid chlorine shall be introduced into the water filling the structure to give a uniform
concentration during the entire filling operation. Portable chlorination equipment shall be
carefully operated and shall include a liquid chlorine cylinder, gas flow chlorinator, chlorine
ejector, safety equipment and an appropriate solution tube to inject the high concentration
chlorine into the filling water. The solution tube shall be inserted through an appropriate
valve located on the inlet pipe and near the structure so that the chlorine solution will mix
readily with the inflowing water.

Calcium hypochlorite granules, broken to a size not exceeding 0.6mm maximum dimension,
may be poured into the structure from an opening or placed inside on dry surfaces prior to
the introduction of flowing water. They shall be so positioned that a current of water
circulating around the structure shall dissolve them during the filling operation.

Sodium hypochlorite shall be applied to the water entering the structure by means of a
chemical feed pump, or shall be applied by hand-pouring into the structure and allowing the
inflowing water to provide the desired mixing.

Method 2

A solution of 200 mg/l available chlorine shall be applied directly to all surfaces of the
structure which would come into contact with water by suitable brushes or spray
equipment. The disinfected surfaces shall remain in contact with the strong chlorine solution
for at least 30 minutes after which potable water shall be admitted and the structure shall be
filled and tested for bacteriological quality as in Method 1.

1.56 CONCRETE PRODUCTION AT THE SITE

At the commencement of the Contract the Sub-Contractor shall submit for the approval of the

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 Employer’s Representative a method statement detailing with regard to the requirements of
this Specification his proposal for the organisation of concreting activities at the site.

The method statement shall include the following items:-

(a) plant proposed;

(b) laying of concrete production facility;

(c) proposed method of organisation of the concrete production facility;

(d) quality control procedures for concrete and concrete materials;

(e) method of transport and placing of concrete;

(f) striking times for formwork and procedure for temporary support of beams and
slabs.

1.57 STRUCTURAL TESTS

The Employer’s Representative may, if required, call for loading test on the structure, and for
floors, roofs and similar structures. The test load shall be up to 1½ times the design
superimposed load for the areas to be tested. The test load shall not be applied within 84 days
of the casting of the appropriate concrete, and temporary timber supports, in case of failing,
must be immediately available. The test shall be satisfactory if upon removal of that load the
residual deflection does not exceed one quarter of the maximum deflection after 24 hours
loading. If the residual deflection exceeds this amount, the test is to be repeated and if residual
deflection is as above, this may be considered satisfactory. All measurements and levels of the
second test are to be entirely independent of the first test.

The Employer’s Representative may deem tests necessary because :-

(a) Site made test cubes failed to attain specified strengths.

(b) Shuttering was prematurely removed.

(c) Overloading occurred during stages of construction or while concrete was immature.

(d) Concrete was improperly cured.

(e) Any other circumstances attributed to alleged negligence by the Sub-Contractor.

(f) Any other reason.

If the loading test be made wholly or in part for reason (a), the test shall be at Sub-Contractor's
own cost; if for reason (b) to (e) inclusive, then if the test be satisfactory the Sub-Contractor
shall be reimbursed for the cost of the test; if for reason (f) Sub-Contractor shall make the test
and be reimbursed for the cost of same, whatever the test result.

If the result of the loading test be unsatisfactory the Employer’s Representative may instruct

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 that the part of the works concerned be taken down or removed and reconstructed to comply
with this Specification, or that such remedial measures shall be taken as to make the works
secure. If the test was made for one or more of the reasons (a) to (e) inclusive, as detailed
above, the Sub-Contractor shall take down or remove and reconstruct the works or take such
remedial measures as the Employer’s Representative may instruct, all at his own cost.

1.58 ANTI CORROSIVE COATING SYSTEM FOR EXPOSED CONCRETE

Anti corrosive coating system shall be applied to all internal concrete face of clear water
tank, chlorine contact tank, chlorine dosing chamber and any other areas as directed by the
Employer’s Representative. These areas are at risk of being directly exposed to chloride
attack.

This mineral based coating system shall be barrier protection type of non-toxic cement-
bound. Material shall have obtained certificate to proof that the coating is safe to be applied
to potable water structures. The coating system shall be consistently acid- resistant up to pH
1. Material and application of concrete protection shall be in accordance with EN 1504
basing on Principle 1 Protection against ingress: reducing or preventing the ingress of
adverse agents, e.g. water, other liquids, vapour, gas chemicals and biological agents.

Compressive strength and full of strength shall be equivalent or more than concrete used for
the structure.

Concrete surface shall be dried out to saturated surface dry before coating is commenced.
Concrete surface shall be clean and free from all loose particles, dust, oil and other
contaminants before coating is commenced. Cement laitance shall be removed completely.
Pores and cavities must be opened and filled-in before the actual coating is applied. Sub-
Contractor shall ensure all necessary surface preparation and precaution before the
application of approved coating system. Minimum coating layer is 8 mm and permanently
adheres to the substrate. The material shall be applied by spraying except at difficult to
access areas.

The works shall only be carried out by specialist approved by the product supplier.

The Sub-Contractor shall furnish all relevant documents to the Employer’s Representative to
approve the product.

1.59 ANTI-MOULD PROTECTIVE COATING SYSTEM FOR WATER CONTACT CONCRETE

SURFACE

All anti-mould protective coating shall be applied to all internal concrete face of Aeration tank,
Flocculator tank, Sedimentation Tank, Filter compartment, Clear water tank and chlorine
contact tank and water tank at intermediate station as directed by the Employer’s
Representative

This coating system shall be barrier protection type of non-toxic, chemical and corrosion
resistant to concrete and metal surface. Material shall have obtained relevant certificate to
proof that the coating is safe to be applied to potable water structures.

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Concrete surface shall be dried out to saturated surface, clean and free from all loose
particles, dust, oil and other contaminants before coating is commenced. Cement laitance
shall be removed completely. Pores and cavities must be opened and filled-in before the
actual coating is applied. The Sub-Contractor shall ensure all necessary surface preparation
and precaution before the application of approved coating system. The general surface
preparation should be in accordance with ACI 503R-89, Chapter 5, Paragraph 5.4. The
coating layer is 400 microns per coat and permanently adheres to the substrate. The
material shall be applied by spraying except at difficult to access areas.

The works shall only be carried out by specialist approved by the product supplier according to
the product supplier instruction and details.

The product supplier shall advise the Employer’s Representative on the sequence of applying
anti-mould protective coating to the water contact concrete surface if in the event the concrete
surface is also applied with others coating on the same time.

The Sub-Contractor shall furnish all relevant documents to Employer’s Representative to

approve the product including method statement of work.

The manufacturer shall provide 10 years warranty period for the coating applied.

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