Concrete Specification for Industry Practices
Concrete Specification for Industry Practices
July 2001
PIP STS03001
Plain and Reinforced Concrete
Specification
PURPOSE AND USE OF PROCESS INDUSTRY PRACTICES
In an effort to minimize the cost of process industry facilities, this Practice has
been prepared from the technical requirements in the existing standards of major
industrial users, contractors, or standards organizations. By harmonizing these
technical requirements into a single set of Practices, administrative, application, and
engineering costs to both the purchaser and the manufacturer should be reduced. While
this Practice is expected to incorporate the majority of requirements of most users,
individual applications may involve requirements that will be appended to and take
precedence over this Practice. Determinations concerning fitness for purpose and
particular matters or application of the Practice to particular project or engineering
situations should not be made solely on information contained in these materials. The
use of trade names from time to time should not be viewed as an expression of
preference but rather recognized as normal usage in the trade. Other brands having the
same specifications are equally correct and may be substituted for those named. All
Practices or guidelines are intended to be consistent with applicable laws and
regulations including OSHA requirements. To the extent these Practices or guidelines
should conflict with OSHA or other applicable laws or regulations, such laws or
regulations must be followed. Consult an appropriate professional before applying or
acting on any material contained in or suggested by the Practice.
This Practice is subject to revision at any time by the responsible Function Team
and will be reviewed every 5 years. This Practice will be revised, reaffirmed, or
withdrawn. Information on whether this Practice has been revised may be found at
[Link]
PRINTING HISTORY
PIP STS03001
Plain and Reinforced Concrete
Specification
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose
This Practice provides the contractor with a specification for cast-in-place
concrete construction.
1.2 Scope
This Practice describes the technical requirements for furnishing and installation
of all materials, proportioning, mixing, placing, testing, and curing of plain and
reinforced concrete.
This Practice is a supplement to ACI 301-99, Specifications for Structural
Concrete. Concrete supply and construction shall conform to all requirements of
ACI 301-99, except as modified or supplemented herein or by the contract
documents.
Any conflicts or inconsistencies between this Practice, the design drawings, or
other contract documents shall be brought to the attention of the buyer for
resolution.
2. References
When adopted in this Practice or in the contract documents, the latest edition of the
following codes, standards, specifications, and references in effect on the date of
contract award shall be used, except as otherwise noted. Short titles will be used herein
when appropriate.
3. Definitions
Buyer: The party who awards the contract. The buyer may be the owner or the owner’s
authorized agent.
Contractor: The party responsible for supplying the materials, equipment, tools,
supervision, and labor for the installation of the concrete and embedded items in
accordance with the contract documents. Unless otherwise noted, the term contractor
shall apply also to the contractor’s subcontractor(s) and vendors.
Contract Documents: Any and all documents, including design drawings, that the buyer
has transmitted or otherwise communicated, either by incorporation or reference, and
made part of the legal contract agreement or purchase order between the buyer and the
contractor.
Engineer: The buyer’s authorized representative with overall authority and responsibility
for the structural design.
4. General
4.1.5 For each concrete sample taken, the following tests shall be conducted in
accordance with ACI 301:
a. Strength tests
b. Slump
c. Temperature
d. Air content
4.1.6 Test cylinder sets shall be dated and numbered consecutively.
4.1.7 Concrete QA test reports shall be provided to the buyer on a weekly
basis, unless noted otherwise in the contract documents. Data to be
included in the test report shall include, but not be limited to, the
following:
a. Location of concrete on the job and associated drawing numbers
and structure/foundation identification
b. Specified strength (f ′c)
c. Date poured
d. Mix type
e. 7- and 28-day compressive strength
f. Slump, air and concrete temperatures at time of pour, time of day
concrete was batched, and time of day concrete was poured
g. Air content
h. Name of inspector making cylinders and cylinder number
4.1.8 Ready mixed concrete suppliers shall hold a current NRMCA Certificate
of Conformance for Concrete Production Facilities. Alternatively,
certification from an independent testing agent stating conformance with
NRMCA Certification of Ready Mixed Concrete Production Facilities is
acceptable.
4.2 Submittals
Before the start of work, the contractor shall submit the documentation presented
in Table 1 in accordance with the requirements of ACI 301, as a minimum, to the
buyer for review and acceptance. Additional submittals noted in ACI 301, which
are not listed in Table 1, shall be provided by the contractor to the buyer for
review and acceptance, when required by the contract documents.
4.3 Safety
The contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state, or local safety
requirements, site specific requirements of the buyer, and all safety requirements
specified in the contract documents.
5. Materials
5.1 General
5.1.1 Materials that do not conform to this Practice or the contract documents
shall not be used, unless authorized in writing by the buyer.
5.1.2 Materials shall conform to applicable local volatile organic compound
regulations.
5.3 Admixtures
5.3.1 All admixtures, except air entrainment admixtures, require the
engineer’s authorization for use.
5.3.2 Only one supplier for each admixture shall be used.
5.3.3 Calcium chloride and admixtures containing soluble chlorides are not
permitted.
5.4 Aggregates
Aggregates shall conform to ASTM C33 and shall be obtained from a single
source.
5.5 Reinforcement
5.5.1 Reinforcing bars shall be deformed billet steel conforming to
ASTM A615/A615M, grade 60, unless noted otherwise on the drawings.
5.5.2 All reinforcing shall be uncoated, unless otherwise specified on the
drawings.
5.5.3 Welded wire fabric shall be plain wire fabric and conform to
ASTM A185.
5.5.4 Tie wire shall be black annealed wire, 16 gage minimum.
5.6 Water
Mixing water and water used to make ice shall be potable or otherwise tested for
suitability in accordance with ASTM C94/C94M.
5.7 Accessories
All accessories shall be specified in the contract documents.
6. Execution
6.1 Formwork
6.1.1 Unless otherwise indicated in the contract documents, 3/4-inch
(20-millimeter) chamfer strips shall be provided at all corners on
permanently exposed surfaces.
6.1.2 Form-release agents shall not be applied where concrete surfaces will
receive special finishes or where the agent may affect applied coverings.
Alternately, inside surfaces of untreated formwork shall be soaked with
clean water and kept moist before placing concrete.
6.1.3 Form removal shall be in accordance with ACI 301 and the following:
a. For structures for which the forms do not provide vertical support
(e.g., footings, piers, columns, walls, or sides of beams), the forms
may be removed 48 hours after completion of placement if the
concrete is sufficiently hard to prevent damage by form removal,
and if curing starts immediately.
b. Forms for self-supporting members may be removed after 7 days
provided the concrete strength is at least 80 percent of the 28-day
strength, unless otherwise specified in the contract documents. No
superimposed load shall be applied to self-supporting members
before the 28-day strength has been verified by field-cured
cylinders.
c. Forms shall not be left permanently in place without approval from
the buyer.
6.1.4 Form accessories that remain embedded in the concrete (e.g., ties and
hangers) shall be a commercially manufactured type.
6.1.5 Formed concrete surfaces shall be constructed to conform with the
tolerances shown in ACI 117, unless specified otherwise. Tolerances for
concrete surfaces not specifically mentioned in ACI 117 shall be in
accordance with ACI 117, Section 4.
6.2 Joints
6.2.1 All joints shall be located and constructed in accordance with the design
drawings. Any variation from the location shown shall be approved by
the buyer.
6.2.2 Control joints to be cut with a saw shall be cut as soon as the concrete is
hard enough to prevent surface raveling and aggregate dislodging, and
no later than 12 hours after concrete placement.
a. Control joints shall be cut in accordance with the saw
manufacturer’s written recommendations.
b. Sawing sequence shall be based on pour time and size of slab.
6.2.3 Control joints in slab toppings shall be located directly above and in line
with the control joints in the underlying concrete slab.
6.2.4 Isolation joints shall be placed where the pavement adjoins vertical
surfaces (e.g., walls, columns, catch basins, manholes, and equipment
foundations). Isolation joints shall be in accordance with the drawings.
6.2.5 Construction joints in structures intended to be watertight shall have
water stops.
6.2.6 Expansion joints shall be constructed with preformed expansion joint
filler material or another approved device to allow for expansion. Joint
sealer shall be provided. Dowels at expansion joints shall be properly
aligned to prevent any restraint on expansion movement at the joint.
6.3 Waterstops
Waterstops shall be installed as indicated in the contract documents and in
accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Slabs and walls less than 8 inches thick 3/4 inch (20 mm)
Lightweight concrete 3/4 inch (20mm)
Liquid retaining structures 3/4 inch (20 mm)
Underground pipe or electrical encasements 3/4 inch (20 mm)
Fireproofing or structural steel encasements 3/8 inch (10 mm)
All other items 1-1/2 inch (40 mm)
6.5.6 The maximum water-cementitious materials ratio shall be 0.4 for liquid-
retaining (hydraulic) structures and 0.5 for all other concrete, unless
otherwise specified in the contract documents.
6.5.7 All admixtures shall be added at the batch plant, unless otherwise
directed by the engineer.
6.5.8 Concrete envelopes for underground electrical ducts and cover slabs for
direct-buried cables shall be colored red by adding 15 pounds of red
oxide powder per cubic yard (9 kilograms per cubic meter) of concrete.
6.5.9 Concrete envelopes for underground instrument air-line ducts shall be
colored yellow by adding 15 pounds of yellow oxide powder per cubic
yard (9 kilograms per cubic meter) of concrete.
6.5.10 Job-mixed concrete shall not be used unless approved by the buyer.
Table 1
Supplier Data Requirements