Workmanship on Building Sites

In-situ & pre-cast concrete Inpre-

Materials, Handling, Preparation Safety

Cement, when mixed with water, releases alkali; take precautions to avoid dry cement entering the eyes, mouth and nose when mixing concrete Prevent skin contact with wet cement or concrete by wearing suitable protective clothing If cement or concrete enters the eyes, immediately wash it out thoroughly with clean water, seek medical treatment

ReadyReady-Mix Concrete Delivery Check Delivery Ticket

Serial number and date, truck number Name of the Purchaser, Location of the Site Grade of Concrete or Mix proportion, Specified workability, Min Cement Content, Cement Type Nominal max size of Aggregate Proportion of Fly-Ash / GGBS in the Mix FlyMax Free w/c Ratio, Type of Admixture, dosage Quantity of Concrete, Time of loading Any other items specified

Handling and Site Storage Reinforcement

Keep clean; store reinforcement of ground; cover with polythene sheet to prevent corrosion Do not permit rusting; if necessary cover the steel to exclude rain, but allow good circulation of air all around the steel Store different sizes separately from each other and ensure that they are clearly labelled Dirt / grease prevents proper bond with the concrete

Storing Accessories
Binding wire, joints sealants, water bars, cover blocks, spaces, admixtures, release agents etc in conditions and temperatures such that they do not deteriorate, becomes damaged, soiled or contaminated

Hot weather: Take precautions to ensure that the temperature of concrete is not higher than 30o C at the time of placing Cold weather: The temperature of concrete should not fall below 5o C at any time during placing and compacting; place the concrete quickly; do not place concrete against frozen or ice and snow covered surfaces Ensure that the concrete temperature is at least 10o C, insulate the concrete surface

In-Situ Concrete InWeather Conditions

In-Situ Concrete InPreparation for Concreting

Clean all rubbish, debris, free water from all surfaces on to which the concrete is to be poured; remove wire nails, screws etc in the case of formwork General inspection: Check availability of Materials including RMC, Labor, Plant and Equipment, Power and Water Supply, Standby Equipment and Spares Confirm setting out checking

In-Situ Concrete InPreparation for Concreting

Confirm inspection earlier permanent work If appropriate, obtain weather forecast Check adequacies of access to points of discharge and access platforms Check readiness of the batching plant Check the communication system Confirm arrangements for transporting, placing, compacting, finishing, curing and testing

In-Situ Concrete InPreparation for Concreting-Earth Faces ConcretingWhen concreting against earth surfaces, check: Stability of earth slopes Safety of earth faces when construction plant is in operation Arrangements for removal of water

In-Situ Concrete InPreparation for Concreting-Other Surfaces ConcretingCheck false-work for conformity with the design, falsestability and bracing, rigidity and pre-camber preFormwork for: Dimensions to within allowable tolerances Strength and rigidity, number of ties Application of release agent Tightness and sealing of joints Final cleanup before concreting Arrangements for removal

In-Situ Concrete InPreparation for Concreting-Joints etc - Check Concreting-

Construction of joints, dowels, water bars etc Inserts and box-outs for accuracy and security boxFixing of stop ends Arrangement for forming kickers Preparation of hardened surfaces

In-Situ Concrete InReinforcement Check

Size, type, markings, location and cover are correct Anchorages and laps are correct That it is rigidly secured Surface condition Use of spacers including type and size The aim of pre-concreting check is to ensure prethat concreting proceeds without delay / defects

In-Situ Concrete InSampling and Testing

Follow appropriate procedures, using equipment in good working order Complete certificates of sampling, cube making, curing and testing to confirm compliance with Specifications Transport concrete cubes to the lab ensuring that they are kept moist, are not damaged and spend the minimum time in transit

In-Situ Concrete InSampling and Testing

The procedures for sampling, specimen making, curing and testing given in IS:516 & IS:1199 are very detailed and involve the use of well maintained standard equipment confirmed at regular intervals to comply with the appropriate Standards Cubes should be stored and tested at an accredited laboratory; store specimens under controlled temperature (27o C in 3o C)

In-Situ Concrete InSampling and Testing

Deviations from standard requirements can affect results significantly and may lead to errors in judgment concerning the quality of the concrete Supervision of personnel trained in the procedures is essential The use of a laboratory accredited for site sampling and specimen making is recommended

In-Situ Concrete InPlacing Concrete

Place concrete in one continuous operation between and up to the construction joints or other limiting features Discharge concrete through the reinforcement or other obstructions with care; avoid dispersal, segregation or loss of ingredients Where reinforcement is congested use chutes or trunking to direct the concrete into position If interrupted, form additional construction joint

In-Situ Concrete InDisplacement while placing Concrete

While placing, ensure no displacement or damage occurs to damp proof membranes reinforcement formwork or embedded fittings If displacement occurs, take corrective action immediately; necessary labor to be available

In-Situ Concrete InCompacting Concrete

Compact the concrete ensuring that a) it forms a solid uniform mass free of voids b) it is packed tight around the reinforcement c) it fills all parts of formwork or excavation d) there is no segregation of ingredients e) it is amalgamated with previous batches f) there is no damage to adjacent concrete g) the required finish will be obtained h) vibrators are operated by trained personnel

In-Situ Concrete InDeep Sections, Walls, Columns, Beams

Place and compact concrete in layers; each layer should extend over the length and width of the section; place succeeding layers without delay and merge them, by compaction, with the layer below Check for plastic settlement cracking and rerevibrate as necessary

In-Situ Concrete InSurface Finish

Fill formwork at a steady rate to allow sufficient time for compaction, but avoid cold joints between succeeding layers Do not permit the vibrator to touch any faces of the formwork Vibrate thoroughly Provide uniformed finish as specified Avoid contact between the formwork face and the vibrator

In-Situ Concrete InCuring

Curing period: 7 days for concrete surfaces subject to direct wear or abrasion 10 days; cure and insulate sections 300 mm or less in thickness when the average air temperature is 7o C or less Curing compound: A one-time application of onecuring compound at the earliest is deemed to satisfy the requirements of this clause

Formwork
Fix all props and struts vertically and where necessary brace them; provide sole plates and seat them firmly throughout their length Seat all supports adequately and securely on their bearings Fix stop ends securely Align forms correctly and ensure their level Reference: Formwork: Guide to Good Practice issued by The Concrete Society, UK

Formwork Construction
Construct formwork to soffits with any preprecamber necessary to allow for deflection of the formwork; any specified pre-camber is for preconcrete itself. Any pre-camber to allow for predeflections of formwork is in addition to this Construct joints in formwork and between formwork and completed work to prevent loss of grout. Use foam plastics strip seals, if required Do not overstress the tie bolts

Formwork Cleaning and Treatment

Before each use of formwork: a) clean the contact surfaces and dry them before applying a release agent b) ensure the release agent is appropriate to the surface to be coated c) coat formwork surfaces evenly and thinly with release agent; treat vertical surfaces before horizontal surfaces and wipe off the excess

Formwork

Striking Time

Remove the formwork only when the concrete has developed sufficient strength; the surface of the concrete should not be damaged; the structure itself is not overloaded in relation to the strength reached and there is no excessive deflection in structural members Prop as necessary after striking the formwork The concrete strength is assessed by testing cubes prepared for the purpose or by reference to Tables of Minimum Striking Times

Formwork - Striking Times

Type of Formwork Minimum Period before Striking Surface Temp of Surface Temp of Conc above 16o C Conc 7o C Vertical formwork 12 hours 24 hours Columns, Walls, Beams 6 days Soffit formwork to 4 days slabs Props to slabs 10 days 15 days Beams soffit Props to beams 10 days 14 days 15 days 21 days

Formwork Making good after Striking

Remove fins etc from the surface Fill in tie holes with 1:3 semi-dry mortar well semirammed in and finished flush with the face of the concrete; fill blow holes exceeding 5 mm across with 1:1.5 mortar rubbed in Take care on permanently exposed concrete surfaces; if strength and durability cannot be assured, agree procedures for repair or replacement

Reinforcement
While fixing reinforcement, check the type of steel (Fe 415 / Fe 500) is correct for its location Steel properties vary, use of lower quality reinforcement could result in structural failure Bend reinforcement cold on proper bending m/c Cut and bend bars in accordance with the IS Do not straighten or re-bend bars without reinstructions; if reinforcement temperature is below 5o C obtain instructions before bending