Technical Specifications

Concrete

4.00 CONCRETE

4.1 General
This section includes the supply by the Contractor of all the materials, labour and equipment
necessary for the construction of all works in concrete: un-reinforced, reinforced, precast.
The reinforced concrete is to comply with the requirement of the British Standard
Specifications BS 8110 or equivalent standard.

4.2 Cement
The cement used shall be Portland cement or Portland Blast-Furnace Cement of approved
manufactured Portland Cement shall comply with the requirement of B.S. 12 or equivalent
standard for “Ordinary Portland and Rapid-Hardening Portland Cement. Portland Blast-
Furnace Cement shall comply with the requirements of B.S. 145 for Portland Blast-Furnace
Cement not exceeding 65 percent blast furnace slag. Manufacturer’s general certificates of
test will in general be accepted as proof of soundness, but the Engineer may require
additional test to be carried out on any cement which appears to him to have deteriorated
through age, damage to containers, improper storage or for any other reason. The
Engineer may, without tests being made, order that any bag of cement, a portion of the
contents of which has hardened, or which appears to be defective in any other way, be
removed from the site forthwith. The Contractor may elect to use either ordinary Portland,
Blast-Furnace or Rapid-Hardening cement but no extra amount will be paid on account of
using a cement priced higher than the price entered for normal Portland Cement in the
Schedule of Rates under the Contract, unless work using such cement is ordered in writing
by the Engineer.

The cement shall be transported to the Site in covered vehicles adequately protected
against water. It shall be stored in a weatherproof cement store to the approval of the
Engineer and shall be taken for use in the Works in the order of its delivery in the store.
Cement required for use within 24 hours may be stored in the open on a floor raised 300mm
high above ground if covered by tarpaulins.

4.3 Aggregates General

The fine and coarse aggregates shall be naturally occurring sand, gravel or stone, crushed
or uncrushed, and shall comply with the requirements of B.S. 882 “Concrete Aggregate
From Natural Source”. They shall be obtained from a source approved by Engineer and
shall be hard, strong, durable, clean and free from adherent coatings or harmful organic
impurities and shall not contain any harmful material in such a form or sufficient quantity as
to affect adversely the strength, durability or permeability of the concrete or to attack the
steel reinforcement. They shall not contain water-soluble sulphur trioxide (SO 3) in excess of
0.1 percent.

4.4 Fine Aggregate

The fine aggregate shall not contain silt or other fine material exceeding 6 percent by
volume when tested according to the Standard method given in B.S. 812 Clause 15, neither
shall it contain organic material in sufficient quantity to show a darker colour than the
standard depth of colour No. 3 when tested according to the method in B.S. 812 Clause 28
“organic impurities”.

4.5 Coarse Aggregate

The coarse aggregate shall be granite or other hard stone from a source approved by the
Engineer. The aggregate shall not contain clay lumps exceeding 1% by weight. A
representative dry sample shall not show an increase in weight exceeding 8% Clauses 19 –
21, it shall be well shaped and not flaky. The nominal size of coarse aggregate shall be as
stipulated below.

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4.6 Grading Aggregates

Coarse Aggregate
The grading of coarse aggregate shall be within the limits given in the following table:

Percentage by Weight Passing

B.S. Sieve
B.S. Sieve

Nominal Size of Graded Aggregate

38mm to 5 mm 9mm to 5mm

75mm 100 -
38mm 95 - 100 -
19mm 30 - 70 95 - 100
10mm 10 - 35 25 - 35
5mm 0-5 0 – 10

4.7 Fine Aggregate

The grading of fine aggregate shall be within the limits given in the following table:

Percentage by Weight Passing

B.S. Sieve B.S. Sieve

Natural Sand or Crushed Crushed Stone Sand

Gravel Sand
5mm
No. 7 95 - 100 90 – 100
No. 14 70 - 95 60 – 90
No. 25 45 - 85 40 – 80
No. 52 25 - 60 20 – 50
No. 100 5 – 30 5 – 30
0 - 10 0 - 15

Notwithstanding that the coarse and fine aggregates may each separately comply with the
requirements stated above, they will not be accepted unless when mixed together in
suitable proportions the combined aggregates produce uniformly graded and compacted
dense concrete of the strength required with adequate workability for the position in the
work.

4.8 Samples of Aggregates

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Samples of both fine and coarse aggregates are to be submitted to the Engineer for testing
at least two weeks before commencing deliveries. No deliveries in bulk are to be
commenced until samples have been approved by the Engineer as complying with the
Specifications.

Samples of the fine and coarse aggregate approved by the Engineer shall be kept on site,
and shall give a fair indication of the general quality of the aggregates for comparison with
the aggregates delivered during the course of work. Tests shall be carried out on samples
of the latter taken at intervals as required by the Engineer. The method of sampling and the
amount of aggregate to be provided for the tests shall be in accordance with B.S. 812
Section 1 “Sampling and Aggregate”. These tests shall be those laid down in B.S. 812
Section 2 – 6 inclusive. The tests will be carried out by the Engineer or his Representative.
Should a sample fail to comply with any of the tests the Engineer may, at this discretion,
either reject the batch from which the sample was taken, order it to be washed and/or
screened or permit it to be used with variations in proportions of the concrete mixes
specified.

Any batch of aggregate rejected by the Engineer shall be removed from the works site
forthwith.

4.9 Water
The water shall be clean and free from harmful matter and shall be from a source approved
by the Engineer. The Contractor shall make adequate arrangements to deliver and store
sufficient water at the works site for use in mixing and curing the concrete. Water shall
comply with the requirements of the latest edition of B.S. 3148 or equivalent standard.

REINFORCEMENT

4.10 Quality
The reinforcement shall be either rolled mild steel or high tensile steel bent by an approved
bar-bending machine. The bending dimensions and tolerances and dimension of all
anchorages, hooks, binders, stirrups, links and the like shall be in accordance with B.S.
1478 “Bending Dimensions of Bars for Concrete Reinforcement” or equivalent. The internal
radius at the corner of the stirrups and binders shall be not less than the radius of the
longitudinal bars embraced by the stirrups or binders. The steel fabric reinforcement is to
be hard drawn steel wire fabric and is to comply with B.S. 1221 or equivalent and of the
weight and reference specified. Manufacturer’s test certificate shall be supplied as required
by the Engineer. Every consignment of steel shall be accompanied by the Manufacturer’s
certificate stipulating compliance with above specifications. Steel reinforcement shall be
obtained from a source approved by the Engineer.

4.11 Testing Reinforcement

Test Specimens from the steel reinforcement delivered to the Site are to be taken by the
Contractor from any consignment as required by the Engineer notwithstanding the existence
of a Manufacturer’s test certificate in accordance with the requirements of B.S. 785 or
equivalent and sent, carriage paid, to the Nominated Testing Authority for testing. No steel
is to be used before such testing and until steel has been approved in writing by the
Engineer.

Any consignment not meeting the specification shall be removed from the Site at the
Contractor’s expense within 24 hours upon notification to do so by the Engineer. Not less
than one such test specimen shall be taken from every diameter of each cast. Where one

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cast exceeds 25 tonnes, a second specimen shall be taken from each diameter from that
cast. The Contractor is to make arrangements with the steel suppliers so that the cast
number shall be clearly given on a label attached to each consignment and if one
consignment shall include steel from more than one cast, the steel from each cast shall be
bundled separately from any other cast.

4.12 Placing of Reinforcement

The reinforcement shall be placed in the forms and held firm against displacement, by
approved types of small precast concrete fixing blocks and wire ties, in the exact position
shown in the drawing. Fixing blocks may be left embedded in the concrete in cases where
the Engineer approves. Bars intended to be in contact when passing each other shall be
securely held together at intersection points with tying wire binders and stirrups shall tightly
embrace the longitudinal reinforcement to which they shall be securely wired or spot
welded.
The wire ties shall be No. 16 SWG soft annealed steel wire; the ends shall be turned in from
the face of the formwork and shall not be left projecting beyond the reinforcing bars. The
reinforcement shall be inspected and passed by the Engineer or his representative before
concrete is placed in the forms. The exact amount of cover over the reinforcement shall be
obtained when the reinforcement is placed and shall be held during concreting.

4.13 Welding
Welding of reinforcement by electric arc may be permitted by the Engineer under suitable
conditions and with suitable safeguards. Welding shall be carried out in accordance with
B.S. 1856 “General Requirements for the Metal Arc Welding of Mild Steel”. But welds shall
be of the double V type and two butt weld bend tests shall be carried out on a specimen
prepared to represent each form of butt welded joint used in welding the reinforcement and
for each position of welding. The method of making butt-weld tests shall be that laid down
in B.S. 709. The specimen shall pass the tests to the satisfaction of the Engineer before the
approval is accorded to use the joint, which the specimen represents. Tack welds between
reinforcing bars, used merely to fix them in position shall not be subjected to tests.

4.14 Storage of Aggregates and Reinforcement

The fine and coarse aggregates shall be stored in properly constructed open bins with hard,
clean drained floors. Each size of aggregate shall be stored in a separate bin. The
reinforcement shall be stacked tidily in a manner that permits its inspection.

4.15 Concrete Mixes

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The concrete for structural works shall be designated mixes which will comply with the
minimum requirements specified. The batches are to be gauged appropriately to obtain the
strength specified in the table below.

Cubic Strength at an age of:

Characteristic
Concrete
Strength 7 days 2 months 3 mths 6 mths 1 year
Grade
N/mm2
N/mm 2
N/mm 2
N/mm 2
N/mm 2
N/mm2
20
20.0 13.5 22.0 23.0 24.0 25.0
25
25.0 16.5 27.5 29.0 30.0 31.0
30
30.0 20.0 33.0 35.0 36.0 37.0
40
40.0 28.0 44.0 45.5 47.5 50.0
50
50.0 36.0 54.0 55.5 57.5 60.0

The Engineer may require allowance to be made in the gauging of fine aggregate to
counteract the increase in volume (often termed “building”) due to moisture content.

4.16 Workmanship General

The aggregates are to be gauged by weight; the weights of aggregates per batch must be
accurately determined and agreed with the Engineer.

The quantity of cement in a concrete mix is always to be measured by weight and the mixer
is to be of sufficient size to ensure that a batch of the specified mix may be made using
whole bags of cement to achieve this. The 50kg. bag is to be considered to be of a volume
of 0.355mm3 in calculating volumetric proportions. The amount of water used is to be the
minimum consistent with practical workability and is to be varied as required to suit the
moisture content of the aggregates.

When the amount of water per batch has been determined by trial, the water is to be
measured at this fixed amount throughout the concreting by means of water gauge on the
batch mixer or by a marked measuring can. In no circumstances is water to be added to the
mix after it has left the batch mixer.

All concrete is to be mechanically mixed in batch mixer of approved type. The dry concrete
materials are to be mixed for at least three turns in the mixer, after which the gauge amount
of water is to be generally added while the mixer is turning. When the water has been
added, the concrete is to achieve a uniform mix. On the cessation of work, the mixer and all
handling plants are to be washed out clean.

4.17 Testing Generally

Prices for concrete and steel reinforcement are to include for supplying all test cubes, slump
cones and rods and steel test specimens and for carrying out all tests specified as and
when required to the satisfaction of the Engineer and for making curing and sending test
cubes and steel specimens carriage paid to the Nominated Testing Authority and for the
cost of the testing of unsatisfactory cubes and specimens, etc. The cost of Laboratory
Testing of satisfactory cubes and specimens is allowed for elsewhere.

4.18 Testing Concrete

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The consistency of the concrete shall be determined at all times by means of the standard
slump test. For normal concrete, the slump shall not exceed 100mm: for mechanically
vibrated concrete the slump shall not exceed 40mm.

The strength of the concrete shall be determined by the testing of 150mm specimen test
cubes taken from the concrete at random during the progress of the work. Four such cubes
shall be taken from each day‘s concreting or for each 15m 3 of concrete placed, whichever is
less. Two cubes are to be tested at 7 days’ age and two at 28 days’ age. The method of
making, marking, recording, curing and testing the cubes is to be agreed with the Engineer
before commencement of concreting work.

The test cubes referred to above, made, cured and tested in accordance with the foregoing
provisions, shall show, to the satisfaction of the Engineer, that the concrete complies with
the following minimum requirements.

28 Days after Mixing

Concrete Grade 7 days after Mixing
N/mm2
N/mm2

10 8.0 12.5
20 13.5 20.0
25 16.5 25.0
30 20.0 30.0
40 28.0 40.0
50 36.0 50.0

Should cubes fail before the specified strength is obtained, the Contractor shall, if so
ordered by the Engineer, cut out and replace at his own expense all the work represented
by these cubes.

The Contractor shall keep on site sufficient 150mm cast iron cube moulds.

Whenever practicable, concrete for test cubes shall be taken immediately after it has been
deposited in the Works. Where this is not practicable, samples shall be taken as the
concrete is being delivered at the point of deposit.

4.19 Placing of Concrete

The concrete shall be placed in the Works as soon as possible after mixing and shall be
thoroughly compacted by both hand tamping and mechanical vibration. It shall be
thoroughly worked into the corners of formwork by hand tamping. After tamping into place
the concrete shall not be subject to disturbance other than such as is incidental to
compaction by vibration. The concrete shall be placed in the formwork in layers not
exceeding 600mm deep. The vibrations shall be used solely for compacting the concrete
and not for distributing it into place. Concreting shall be carried out continuously between
and up to pre-determined construction joint specified below in the one sequence of
operation. The surface of the concrete shall be maintained reasonably level during placing.
In the event of unavoidable stoppage in positions not pre-determined, the concreting shall
be terminated on horizontal planes and against vertical surfaces by the use of stopping-off
boards. A record shall be kept on the Works site of the time and date of placing the
concrete in each portion of the structure, and the reference numbers of the test cubes
pertaining to batches of concrete in particular part of the structure.

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4.19 Compacting
The concrete maintained between two walls of formwork shall be compacted by vibrators of
the internal types and concrete in slab vibrators of the pan type or by a vibrating screen.
The vibrators shall be of ample power and of a kind approved by the Engineer. They shall
be operated by workmen skilled in their use who shall be additional to the labourers
employed on placing and tamping the concrete. The internal vibrators shall be inserted and
withdrawn slowly and at a uniform pace of approximately 100mm per second. Compacting
shall be deemed to be complete when cement mortar appears in a circle around the
vibrators; over-vibrating leading to segregation of the mix must be avoided. The internal
vibrators shall be inserted at points judged by the area of mortar showing after compaction,
with a certain allowance made for overlapping, and they shall not be allowed to come into
contact with the formwork or the reinforcement and shall be inserted at a distance of 75mm
from the former. The pan vibrators shall be placed on the surface of the concrete, which
shall have previously been tamped and levelled leaving an allowance in height for
compaction until the cement mortar appears under the pan. The vibrator shall then be lifted
and placed on the adjoining surface and this operation shall be repeated until the whole
surface has been compacted. Alternatively a vibrating screen spanning the full width of the
surface may also be used.

4.20 Construction Joints

Construction joints shall be located in the position directed by the Engineer and as shown in
the drawings. Such joints shall be in a plane at right angle to the axis of the member
concerned or, when forming the upper surface of lifts in certain walls or beams shall e
horizontal. At joints other than those occurring in a horizontal plane the concrete shall be
prevented from flowing laterally by the use of rigid stopping-off forms. Wooden fillets 50mm,
slightly chamfered, shall be fixed to stopping-off forms to produce rebates in the face of the
joints; these rebates shall be formed centrally in the case of piers and slabs and shall run
the full length of the joint.

Horizontal joints shall have all excess water and laitance removed from the surface after the
concrete has been compacted and before it has set.

Construction joints in floors shall be located near the middle of spans of slabs, beams or
girders, unless a beam intersects a girder at the middle location, in which case joints in
girders shall be offset a distance equal to twice the width of the beam. Provision shall be
made for transfer of shear and other force through construction joints.

Beams, girders, column capitals and haunches shall be considered as part of a slab system
and shall be placed monolithically therewith.

Before concreting is resumed, the face of the joint already formed shall have all laitance
removed, shall be well roughened, scrubbed clean and thoroughly saturated with water.
The face shall then be rendered with a 12mm thick layer of mortar composed of equal parts
of Portland cement and sand against which the freshly mixed concrete shall be immediately
deposited and thoroughly tamped into the cement mortar.

4.21 Expansion Joints

Expansion joints shall be formed where indicated on the drawings. The Contractor shall
ensure that any space designed to be filled with a compressible material, or which is shown
on the drawings as a void, is kept clean of any rubbish or other material likely to impair the
efficiency of the joint, and shall provide such means as is approved by the Engineer of
sealing the joint until such time as a permanent seal can be made.

4.22 Curing and Protection of Concrete

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Exposed surfaces, immediately after final set, shall be protected from the sun in a manner
approved by the Engineer. All concrete shall be well watered after it has set and shall be
kept continuously damp until thoroughly cured. Provision shall be made for adequate water
distribution to all parts of the works, so that, if required this treatment can be continued
efficiently throughout the whole period of construction. In order to keep the concrete
continuously damp; all exposed surfaces shall be covered with damped gunny sacks or
shall have water impounded on them, for the full period of curing, which shall not be less
than 10 days.

All works shall be protected from damage by shock overloading, etc.

4.23 Surface Treatment

As soon as the formwork has been removed and after inspection by the Engineer, honey
combing or small holes in surfaces shall be cut to a depth and shape required by the
Engineer and made up with fine concrete of equal quality. No further treatment shall be
given to concealed surfaces. Permanently visible surfaces shall be then treated as follows:

All projecting imperfections shall be rubbed down with carborundum stone or other means
approved by the Engineer, the grit or dirt therefrom, thoroughly washed off with clean water.

As a separate operation, after completion as described above, surfaces shall be brushed

over with coating of Portland cement wash, which shall be rubbed into the pores and
smoothed off with carborundum blocks. The finished surfaces shall be protected against
drying too rapidly by use of damp sacking or other approved means.

Top surfaces of slabs and other surfaces for which formwork is not provided shall be floated
to a smooth finish with a wooden float after compaction of the concrete.

4.24 Additives
The use of additives in the concrete, for the purpose of promoting rapid hardening, for
water-proofing, for increasing workability or for other reasons, may be permitted in special
circumstances. Such additives shall be of a brand and type approved in writing by the
Engineer and shall be used strictly in accordance with the maker’s instructions, and to be
used only subject to such preliminary tests as the Engineer may require before permission
is given to use the additives, in any part of the structure.

FORMWORK

4.25 General
The formwork shall be constructed of sound, well-seasoned timber, steel or other suitable
and approved material of such quality and strength as will ensure complete rigidity
throughout the placing, ramming, vibration and setting of the concrete: it shall be sufficiently
tight to prevent loss of liquid from the concrete. Where formwork is not provided with
special lining as specified in Clause CS28, the faces in contact with concrete shall be
planed smooth true to alignment and free from surface imperfections and the joints between
boards shall be tongued and grooved or caulked with tight fitting fillets recessed into
adjacent boards and covering the joint. Internals ties or struts shall be avoided as far as
possible, and if used, they shall be of metal and capable of removal without injury to the
concrete. No part of any metal tie or spacer remaining permanently embedded in the
concrete shall be nearer than 50mm to the finished surface of the concrete. Construction
details shall be arranged to permit easy removal, and wedges and bolts shall be employed
whenever possible in preference to nails.
4.26 Wrot Formwork

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When smooth finish is specified, the concrete shall be brought to a true, smooth and even
surface by rubbing with carborundum stone dipped in cement grout. Such work must be
commenced within one hour of removing the formwork and actively and rapidly pursued
until completed, the object being to complete the finish as soon as possible after removal of
the formwork. Smooth finish surfaces shall be fair faced, true to form and free from all
board marks, honey combing, pitting, etc. All smooth finish work must be lightly washed
with plain, cold water at the completion of the Contract but not within 28 days of such
rubbing down. Rendering on smooth finish surfaces is not permitted.

Where wrought formwork has been measured, the Contractor is to allow in his prices for
finishing the concrete smooth as last described, and for the cost of any lining to the
formwork which the Contractor may consider necessary to achieve the finish.

4.27 Lining Formwork

Formwork for all permanently visible concrete surfaces shall be lined with “Pluto” Board
3mm thick lining material or other special linings approved by the Engineer. The Contractor
may use linings for other surfaces if he so desires. The linings shall be carefully joined and
finished so as to present a perfectly smooth and even surface.

4.28 Cleaning and Treatment of Formwork

Before concrete is deposited, the forms shall be thoroughly cleaned and freed from sawdust
shavings, dust, mud or other debris by hosing them with clean water. Temporary openings
shall be provided in the forms to drain away the water and rubbish. Unless otherwise
directed by the Engineer, the inside surface forms shall, before placing of the reinforcement,
be coasted with lime wash or an approved mould oil, care being taken at all times thereafter
to keep the reinforcement free from any such material. There shall be not excess coating
material in the form prior to concreting.

All formwork shall be inspected by the Engineer after preparation and immediately prior to
depositing concrete and no concrete shall be deposited until approval of the formwork has
been obtained from the Engineer.

4.29 Removal of Formwork

Formwork shall be removed without such shock or vibrations as would damage the
concrete. Before general removal of the formwork the concrete shall be exposed over a
small area in order to ascertain that the concrete has sufficiently hardened. The minimum
periods for the removal of the formwork for various parts of the structure are given in the
following table, but compliance with these requirements shall not relieve the Contractor of
the obligation to delay the removal of formwork if the concrete has not sufficiently hardened.

Ordinary Portland Rapid Hardening Portland

Position of Formwork Cement/Days Cement/Days

Beams’ sides, Walls and Columns (unloaded) 3 2

Slabs (prop left under) 4 3
Removal of props to Slabs 10 5
Beams’ soffits (prop left Under) 8 5
Removal of props to Beams 21 8

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The foregoing table is given as a guide for Normal and Rapid Hardening cement, and gives
the minimum times which will normally be approved by the Engineer, who may at his
discretion increase the above time if he considers such increase to be necessary. Any
variations proposed by the Contractor by virtue of the use of other types of cement, or of
additives, shall be subject to the approval of the Engineer.

4.30 Steelwork Cast into Concrete

The surface of all structural steel which is to be cast into the concrete of the structure shall
be thoroughly cleaned of any protective paint or other adherent coatings and shall be wire
brushed clean of surface rust. All oil and other deleterious matter shall be removed from the
surface of the steelwork immediately before casting the concrete.

4.31 Precast Concrete

Precast concrete units, unless otherwise specified, shall be constructed in Grade B1
concrete. They shall be fair faced and true to line with a tolerance of plus zero or minus
3mm on length of units 600mm or less in length and plus zero and minus 12mm for units
exceeding in length. The maximum deviation of any side measured from a straight edge
shall not exceed the equivalent of plus zero and minus 1mm in 1500mm.

Precast concrete paving slabs shall be to B.S. 368 or equivalent.

Precast concrete kerbs and edgings shall be to B.S. 340 or equivalent.

No precast units shall be built into the Works until it has matured for 28 days unless
otherwise agreed by the Engineer.
Units may be rejected if they have any of the following defects:

(a) Broken edges

(b) Repairs
(c) Misplaced reinforcement
(d) Honeycombing or air holes

Rejected units shall be replaced by the Contractor at his own expense.

Precast concrete units shall be cast in approved moulds on clean platforms. All exposed
faces to be left fair and finished smooth as have been so described elsewhere.

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