‫‪Abu Dhabi Specification‬‬ ‫خصائص أبوظبي الفنية‬

‫‪ADS 15 / 2015‬‬ ‫خ أ ف ‪2015 /15‬‬

‫‪First Edition‬‬ ‫اإلصدار األول‬

‫‪Interlocking Concrete Pavers‬‬ ‫مـعــــايـــــير مواد البناء‬

‫البالط المتشابك‬
Table of Contents Pages
About the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council 3
Foreword 3
Scope 3
Acknowledgements 4
General 5
Products 5
References 10
Definitions 11

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Amendment Page

To ensure that each copy of this ADS contains a complete record of amendments, the
Amendment Page is updated and issued with each set of revised/new pages of the document.
Amendment Discard Insert

No Date *Sections Changed Page(s) Issue no Page(s) Issue no

1 28-Jun-2015 Document launched - - 11 1.0

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 About the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council
The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC) was established by law No. 3 of
2009, issued by His Highness Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the
UAE.

QCC is responsible for the development of Abu Dhabi Emirate’s Quality Infrastructure,
which enables industry and regulators to ensure that products, systems and personnel
can be tested and certified to UAE and International Standards.

Products certified by QCC receive the Abu Dhabi Trustmark. The Trustmark is designed
to communicate that a product or system conforms to various safety and performance
standards that are set by Abu Dhabi regulators.

1 Foreword
The QCC Working Group for Building Materials was established with a view to improve
the quality of building materials used in Abu Dhabi’s built environment. This would be
achieved by reviewing the existing standards & draft standards relevant to various
building materials, recommending the use of particular standards and, if necessary,
preparing guidance documents for the special conditions and requirements found in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

2 Scope
This Abu Dhabi Specification recommends the use of particular standards for helping
to ensure quality of interlocking pavers, a common hardscape surfaces for pedestrians
and low-volume traffic in Abu Dhabi.

This document should be used on conjunction with Abu Dhabi Guideline ADG7/2015,
which recommends the use of particular methods during installation and other relevant
activities to help ensure quality of interlocking pavers.

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3 Acknowledgements
QCC would like to thank the members of the Working Group for their contributions.

Name Entity

1 Dr. Salim Jameel Sulaiman Department of Transport (DoT) (Chairman)

2 Ahmed Al Saedi Abu Dhabi Municipality

3 Yousef AlAli Abu Dhabi Municipality

4 Ramin Yazdani Abu Dhabi Municipality

5 Abdullah Hasan Fadel Al Rahman Al Ain Municipality

6 Ahmed Ali Almahrouqi Al Ain Municipality

7 Muhannad Abdulkadr Haj Rubaeih Western Region Municipality

8 Bilal Farhan Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC)

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4 General
4.1 Description

Interlocking concrete pavers shall comply with the requirements specified herein.

A. Paver thickness shall be 60mm for pedestrian areas and 80-140 mm for
vehicular areas. Dimensions are based on ASTM C936.
B. The paving block manufacturers shall achieve the desired aesthetic appearance
and finish of the paving blocks by careful combination of fine and coarse
aggregates within the general grading limits specified herein to ensure an
acceptable smooth surface is achieved.

5 Products
5.1 Constituent Materials Specifications

The constituent materials of the interlocking concrete pavers shall comply with the
requirements of the following articles.

A. Cement: The cement to be used in the manufacture of paving blocks shall be

sulphate-resisting Portland cement Type-V, or ordinary Portland cement with
partial cement replacement by supplementary cementitious materials such as
fly ash and ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS), and microsilica, etc.,
in accordance with ASTM C150.
B. Aggregates: The aggregates to be used in the manufacture of the paving blocks
shall be from crushed rocks and from approved sources, conforming to the
requirements of BS EN 12620:2002+A1:2008. The sand shall be washed and
free from deleterious substances. The aggregate shall not contain harmful
material such as coal, mica, shale or similar laminated materials which cause
strength deterioration.
1. Coarse Aggregate: Coarse aggregate for paving blocks shall meet the
following requirements:

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 Table 1. Coarse Aggregate for Interlocking Concrete Pavers

Properties Test Method(1) Permissible Limit

As per BS EN
Particle Size Distribution BS EN 933-1:2012
12620:2002+A1:2008
Clay Silt & Dust BS EN 933-1:2012 Max 1%

Organic Matter Content BS 1377-3:1990 Nil

Water Absorption BS EN 1097-6:2013 Max 1.5%

Relative Density BS EN 1097-6:2013 Min 2.6

Shell Content BS EN 933-7:1998 Nil

Flakiness Index BS EN 933-3:2012 Max 25%

Elongation Index BS 812-105.2:1990 Max 25%

Soundness (Mg SO4) 5 cycles ASTM C88-13 Max 5%

BS EN 1744-
Sulphate Content (SO3) Max 0.3%
1:2009+A1:2012
BS EN 1744-
Chloride Content (Cl) Max 0.20%
1:2009+A1:2012
Aggregate Crushing Value BS EN 1097-2:2010 Max 25%

Los Angeles Abrasion AASHTO T 96-02 Max 25%

Note: 1) All standards refer to the latest version unless otherwise specified.

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 2. Fine Aggregate: Fine aggregate for paving blocks shall meet the following
requirements:

Table 2: Fine Aggregate for Interlocking Concrete Pavers

Properties Test Method Permissible Limit
As per BS EN
Particle Size Distribution BS EN 933-1:2012
12620:2002+A1:2008
Max 3% passing 75 µm
Clay Silt & Dust BS EN 933-1:2012
sieve
Organic Matter Content BS 1377-3:1990 Nil

Water absorption BS EN 1097-6:2013 Max 2%

Relative Density (Apparent) BS EN 1097-6:2013 Min 2.6

Shell Content BS EN 933-7:1998 Max 1%

Soundness (Mg SO4) 5 cycles ASTM C88:13 Max 5%

BS EN 1744-
Acid Soluble Materials Max 25%
1:2009+A1:2012
BS EN 1744-
Sulphate Content (SO3) Max 0.3%
1:2009+A1:2012
BS EN 1744-
Chloride Content (Cl) Max 0.1%
1:2009+A1:2012

C. Water: The water to be used in mixing and curing the precast concrete blocks
shall be of drinking quality, clean and free from injurious substances of sewage,
oil, acids, strong alkalis, vegetable matter, clay and other such substances
harmful to the finished product.
D. Pigment: Pigment shall comply to ASTM C979 to be used in manufacturing of
precast concrete interlocking blocks shall be in the form of dry, soft powder of
mineral oxides and shall not contain chemical compounds capable of affecting
adversely the setting and development of strength of the cement and other
properties of the finished products and shall be compatible with other
admixtures used in the same mix. Pigments can be used throughout the
concrete or for the top layer only in double mix production. Surface protection
against color fading or chemical attaches are possible, but must be specifically
recommended by purchaser.

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5.2 Design Mix

The design mix shall comply with the requirements of the following articles.

A. Combined Aggregate Grading: The combined grading shall satisfy the following
limits.

Table 3: Combined Aggregate Grading for Interlocking Concrete Pavers

Diameter Limit (Percent Passing (1,2))

8.0 mm 100%

4.75 mm 72-82%

2.36 mm 41-61%

1.18 mm 25-46%

600 μm 16-31%

300 μm 8-17%

150 μm 3-8%

75 μm 0-3%
Notes: 1. Smooth, non-gap graded curve is expected.
2. Central tendency should be attempted.

B. Cement Content: The cement content shall be a minimum of 430 Kg/m3.

C. Water Cement (W/C) Ratio: The water cement ratio shall be a maximum of 0.42.
D. Pigment Content: Only mineral oxide type from reputable source with test
certificates. The pigment content shall not exceed 10% by mass of cement.

5.3 Physical & Mechanical Properties

The physical and mechanical properties of the interlocking concrete blocks shall
conform to the following requirements.

A. Bulk Density (min. 48 hrs. immersion):

1. Average > 2.375 T/m3
2. Minimum = 2.330 T/m3

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 B. Bulk/Apparent Density Ratio (min. 48 hrs. immersion)
1. Average > 0.88
2. Minimum = 0.87
C. Water Absorption (min. 48 hrs. immersion, tested according to ASTM C140)
1. Maximum = 3% for aggressive exposure zones1, and 4.5% for less
aggressive exposure zones2
D. Compressive Strength (min. 48 hrs. Immersion, tested according to BS
6717:1993)
1. Average ≥ 55 Mpa for aggressive exposure zones, and 49 for less aggressive
exposure zones
2. Minimum = 47 Mpa for aggressive exposure zones, and 44 for less
aggressive exposure zones
E. Abrasion Resistance (for vehicular areas only, tested as per ASTM C418)
1. Average thickness loss < 3 mm
2.
Maximum volume loss = 150 mm3 per 500 mm2
3. Or comply with BS EN 1338 (maximum volume loss 20,000 mm3 per 5,000
mm2
F. Flexural Strength (tested according to ASTM C293 / C293M: 10)
1. Average Flexural Strength > 5 Mpa (Dry)
2. Minimum Flexural Strength = 4.5 Mpa (Dry)
G. At least 4 out of 5 of all tested specimens shall meet the specified average
criteria for all physical and mechanical properties specified.
H. The paving block manufacturers may achieve the physical properties specified
herein for their products through various means such as addition of mineral
and/or chemical admixtures to the concrete mix for the paving blocks.
I. Concrete paving blocks shall be adequately cured, as specified, so that they
comply with all the physical and mechanical properties upon delivery to site.

1
Aggressive exposure zones are those areas where a shallow water table is known to be present. This
underground water is generally brackish, where salt and other mineral content is capable of attacking
Interlocking Concrete Pavers. This type of zone is generally found in Abu Dhabi City and other coastal
areas throughout the Emirate.

2
Less aggressive exposure zones have deeper water tables, comprising more fresh water. This type of
zone is generally found in regions of Al Ain and Al Gharbia.

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 J. Any consignments delivered to site that do not comply with the specified
physical and mechanical properties shall be rejected by the Purchaser and the
Manufacturer shall remove the consignment from site.
K. Durability Criteria:
1. AS/NZS 4456.10:2003, method B
2. Resistance to sodium sulphate and sodium chloride
3. Conduct the test for 40 cycles and record the total loss
4. Total loss after 40 cycles < 1% of mass of specimen

5.4 Dimensional Tolerance

A. The length or width of each unit shall not differ by more than ±1.6mm from the
designated dimensions.
B. The height of each unit shall not differ by more than ±3% from the specified
standard thickness.

6 References
1) ASTM C88
2) ASTM C150
3) ASTM C293
4) ASTM C418
5) ASTM C936
6) BS 812
7) BS 1377
8) BS 6717
9) BS 7533
10) BS EN 933
11) BS EN 1097
12) BS EN 12620
13) BS EN 1744
14) AASHTO T 96-02

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7 Definitions
AASHTO American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials
ASTM American Society of Testing and Materials
BS British Standard
BS EN British Standard European Norm
Hz Hertz
Kg Kilogram
m Meter
mm Millimetre
MPa Mega Pascal
QCC Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council
T Tonnes
µm Micrometre

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