GUIDE SPECIFICATION FOR

PLANT-PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCTS

NOTE: This guide specification covers the requirements for plant manufactured precast
concrete products
 INDEX

SECTION SUBJECT PAGE

1 GENERAL 4

1.1 REFERENCES 4

1.2 SUBMITTALS 7

1.3 DESIGN 7

1.3.1 Precast Concrete Unit Design

1.3.2 Joints and Sealants
1.3.3 Concrete Mix Design

1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE 8

1.5 HANDLING, STORAGE, AND DELIVERY 10

2 PRECAST CONCRETE UNITS 10

2.1 MATERIALS 10

2.1.1 Structural Concrete

2.1.2 Cement
2.1.3 Silica Fume
2.1.4 Fly Ash and Pozzolans
2.1.5 Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag
2.1.6 Water
2.1.7 Aggregates
2.1.8 Admixtures
2.1.9 Corrosion Inhibitors
2.1.10 Pigments
2.1.11 Reinforcements
2.1.12 Inserts and Embedded Metal
2.1.13 Joint Sealants
2.1.14 Thermal Insulation Boards
2.1.15 Grout
2.1.16 Non-Shrink Fiber Reinforced Mortar
2.1.17 Cementitious mortar for smoothing concrete surface

2.2 MANUFACTURE 12

2.2.1 Forms/Moulds
2.2.2 Reinforcement
2.2.3 Embedded Items
2.2.4 Concrete
2.2.4.1 Concrete Mixing
 2.2.4.2 Concrete Conveying
2.2.4.3 Concrete Placing
2.2.4.4 Concrete Compacting / Vibrating
2.2.4.5 Surface Finish
2.2.4.6 Concrete Curing
2.2.4.7 Stripping Precast Concrete Units From Forms
2.2.4.8 Patching and Repair
2.2.4.9 Shipping Precast Concrete Units
3 EXECUTION 18

3.1 INSTALLATION 18

3.1.1 Site Access

3.1.2 Installation
SECTION 1: GENERAL

1.1 REFERENCES

Where applicable, the latest editions of the following standards shall form a part of this specification to the extent
referenced. The publications are referenced to in the text of this guide specification by the basic designation only.

ACI INTERNATIONAL (ACI)

ACI Specification for Tolerances for Concrete Construction Materials

ACI 121R Guide for Concrete Construction Quality Systems in Conformance with ISO 9001
ACI 122R Guide to Thermal Properties of Concrete and Masonry Systems
ACI 201.1R Guide for Conducting Visual Inspection of Concrete Service
ACI 201.2R Guide to Durable Concrete
ACI Manual of Concrete Practice - PART1 Material and general pre-practice of concrete
ACI Manual of Concrete Practice – PART2 Specifying concrete for durability
ACI Manual of Concrete Practice – PART3 Use of Concrete in Buildings - Design, Specifications, and Related Topics
ACI 211.1 Standard Practice for Selecting Proportions for Normal, Heavyweight, and Mass Concrete
ACI 211.2 Standard Practice for Selecting Proportions for Structural Lightweight Concrete
ACI 211.3 Guide for Selecting Proportions for No-Slump Concrete
ACI 301: Specification for Structural Concrete for Building
ACI 304R Guide for Measuring, Mixing, Transporting, and Placing Concrete
ACI 305R Hot Weather Concreting
ACI 306R Cold Weather Concreting
ACI 309R Consolidation of Concrete
ACI 318 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete
ACI 350 Code Requirements for Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures and Commentary
ACI 517.2R Accelerated Curing of Concrete at Atmospheric Pressure

Portland Cement Association (PCA)

PCA Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures

American Society of Civil Engineers

ASCE-7:2005 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures

ASTM INTERNATIONAL (ASTM)

ASTM A 36: Specification for Carbon Structural Steel

ASTM A 82 Specification for Steel Wire, Plain, for Concrete Reinforcement
ASTM A 123: Specification for Zinc (Hot-Dip Galvanized) Coatings on Iron and Steel Products
ASTM A 185 Specification for Steel Welded Wire Reinforcement, Plain, for Concrete
ASTM A 307: Specification for Carbon Steel Bolts and Studs, 60000 PSI Tensile Strength
ASTM A 416: Specification for Steel Strand, Uncoated Seven-Wire for Prestressed Concrete
ASTM A 496 Specification for Steel Wire, Deformed, for Concrete Reinforcement
ASTM A 497 Specification for Steel Welded Wire Reinforcement, Deformed, for Concrete
ASTM A 615 Specification for Deformed and Plain Carbon-Steel Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
ASTM A 706: Specification for Low-Alloy Steel Deformed and Plain Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
ASTM A 767 Specification for Zinc-Coated (Galvanized) Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
ASTM A 775 Specification for Epoxy-Coated Reinforcing Steel Bars
ASTM A 884 Specification for Epoxy-Coated Steel and Welded Wire Fabric for Reinforcement
ASTM C 31 Standard Practices for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field
ASTM C 33 Specification for Concrete Aggregates
ASTM C 39 Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens
ASTM C 40 Test Method for Organic Impurities in Fine Aggregates for Concrete
 ASTM C 42 Test Method for Obtaining and Testing Drilled Cores and Sawed Beams of Concrete
ASTM C 70 Standard Test Method for Surface Moisture in Fine Aggregate
ASTM C 94 Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete
ASTM C 117 Standard Test Method for Materials Finer than 75 µm (No. 200) Sieve in Mineral Aggregates by Washing
ASTM C 123 Standard Test Method for Lightweight Particles in Aggregate
ASTM C 125 Standard Terminology Relating to Concrete and Concrete Aggregates
ASTM C 136 Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates
ASTM C 138 Test Method for Density (Unit Weight), Yield, and Air Content (Gravimetric) of Concrete
ASTM C 142 Standard Test Method for Clay Lumps and Friable Particles in Aggregates
ASTM C 143 Test Method for Slump of Hydraulic Cement Concrete
ASTM C 150 Specification for Portland Cement
ASTM C 172 Standard Practice for Sampling Freshly Mixed Concrete
ASTM C 173 Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by Volumetric Method
ASTM C 192 Practices for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Laboratory
ASTM C 231 Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Pressure Method
ASTM C 260 Specification for Air-Entraining Admixtures for Concrete
ASTM C 330 Specification for Lightweight Aggregates for Structural Concrete
ASTM C 403 Test Method for Time of Setting of Concrete Mixtures by Penetration Resistance
ASTM C 494 Standard Specification for Chemical Admixtures for Concrete
ASTM C 578 Standard Specification for Rigid, Cellular Polystyrene Thermal Insulation
ASTM C 618 Specifications for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined Natural Pozzolan for Use as a Mineral Admixture in
Concrete
ASTM C 920 Specifications for Elastomeric Joint Sealants
ASTM C 979 Specification for Pigments for Integrally Colored Concrete
ASTM C 1064 Standard Test Method for Temperature of Freshly Mixed Portland Cement Concrete
ASTM C 1107 Standard Specification for Packaged Dry, Hydraulic- Cement Grout (Nonshrink)
ASTM C 1116 Standard Specification for Fiber-Reinforced Concrete and Shotcrete
ASTM C 1582 Standard Specification for Admixtures to Inhibit Chloride-Induced Corrosion of Reinforcing Steel in Concrete
ASTM C 1240 Standard Specification for Use of Silica Fume for Use as a Mineral Admixture in Hydraulic-Cement Concrete,
Mortar, and Grout
ASTM C 1260 Standard Test Method for Potential Alkali Reactivity of Aggregates (Mortar-Bar Method)
ASTM C 1293 Standard Test Method for Determination of Length Change of Concrete Due to Alkali-Silica Reaction
ASTM C 1602 Standard Specification for Mixing Water Used in the Production of Hydraulic Cement Concrete
ASTM C 1603 Standard Test Method for Measurement of Solids in Water
ASTM C 1611 Standard Test Method for Slump Flow of Self- Consolidating Concrete

British Standard (BS)

BS 4 Structural steel sections

BS 12 Specification for Portland cements
BS 449 Part 2 Specification for the use of structural steel in building - metric units
BS 729 Specification for hot dip galvanized coatings on iron and steel articles
BS 812 Testing aggregates
BS 812 Part 1 Methods for determination of particle size and shape
BS 812 Part 2 Methods for determination of physical properties
BS 812 Part 4 Chemical properties
BS 812 Part 101Guide to sampling and testing aggregates
BS 812 Part 102 Methods for sampling
BS 812 Part 103 Methods for determination of particle size distribution
BS 812 Section 103.1Sieve tests
BS 812 Section 103.2 Sedimentation test
BS 812 Part 105 Methods for determination of particle shape
BS 812 Section 105.1 Flakiness index
BS 812 Section 105.2 Elongation index of coarse aggregate
BS 812 Part 110 Methods for determination of aggregate crushing value (ACV)
BS 812 Part 111 Methods for determination of ten per cent fines value (TFV)
BS 812 Part 112 Methods for determination of aggregate impact value (AIV)
BS 812 Part 113 Methods for determination of aggregate abrasion value (AAV)
 BS 873 Road traffic signs and internally illuminated bollards
BS 882 Specification for aggregates from natural sources for concrete
BS 1014 Specification for pigments for Portland cement and Portland cement products
BS 1881 Testing Concrete, Methods for making test Cubes from fresh concrete
BS 3148 Methods of test for water for making concrete (including notes on the suitability of the water)
BS 4027 Specification for sulphate-resisting Portland cement
BS 4449 Specification for hot rolled steel bars for the reinforcement of concrete
BS 4461 Specification for cold worked steel bars for the reinforcement of concrete
BS 4466 Specification for scheduling, dimensioning, bending and cutting of steel reinforcement for concrete
BS 4482 Specification for cold reduced steel wire for the reinforcement of concrete
BS 4483 Specification for steel fabric for the reinforcement of concrete
BS 4486 Specification for hot rolled and hot rolled and processed high tensile alloy steel bars for the prestressing of concrete
BS 4550 Part 1Methods of testing cement – Sampling
BS 4550 Part 2 Methods of testing cement – Chemical tests
BS 4550 Part 3 Methods of testing cement – Physical tests
BS 4551 Methods of testing mortars, screeds and plasters
BS 5075 Part 1 Specification for accelerating admixtures, retarding admixtures and water reducing admixtures
BS 5075 Part 3 Specification for superplasticizing admixtures
BS 5400 Steel, concrete and composite bridges
BS 5400 Part 2 Specification for loads
BS 5400 Part 4 Code of practice for design of concrete bridges
BS 5896 Specification for high tensile steel wire and strand for the prestressing of concrete
BS 8110 Structural Use of Concrete, Code of Practice for design and construction
BS 8500 Concrete Specifications
BS ISO 14654 Epoxy-coated steel for the reinforcement of concrete
BS EN 1542 Products and systems for the protection and repair of concrete structures, Test methods, Measurement of bond
strength by pull-off
BS 12190 Products and systems for the protection and repair of concrete structures, Test methods, determination of
compressive strength of repair mortar

AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY (AWS)

AWS D 1.1 Structural Welding Code - Steel

AWS D 1.4 Structural Welding Code - Reinforcing Steel

PRECAST/PRESTRESSED CONCRETE INSTITUTE (PCI)

PCI MNL-116 Quality Control for Plants and production of Structural Precast Products
PCI MNL-117 Quality Control for Plants and production of Architectural Precast Products
PCI MNL-120 Design Handbook - precast and prestressed concrete
PCI MNL-122 Architectural Precast Concrete
PCI MNL-126 Design of Hollow core slabs
PCI MNL 127 Erector’s manual – standards and guidelines for erection of precast concrete products
PCI MNL-130 Quality Control for Plants and production of Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete Products
PCI MNL-135 Tolerance for Precast and Prestressed Concrete Construction

1.2 SUBMITTALS

The following items may be submitted upon request by the customer

1. Project Quality Plan and Quality Control procedures

2. Details of the proposed sources of all materials, and place of manufacture together with full documentary
evidence that the materials and manufacture will comply with the specification
3. Further submissions shall be made for any change of material source and the Consultant’s approval
obtained before the new materials are used
 4. Shop drawings and As-Built drawings shall be prepared and submitted for approval prior to starting work
on the Contract
5. Supporting calculations and design details shall be available upon request.
6. Precast concrete unit design calculations and concrete mix design proportions
7. In-plant QA/QC inspection reports

1.3 DESIGN

1.3.1 Precast Concrete Unit Design

Precast concrete units are designed to withstand indicated design load conditions in accordance
with applicable industry design standards [ACI 318, ACI 350, ASTM, ASCE, ACPA Design Manual,
and PCI MNL-120]. During design consideration are taken to stresses induced during handling,
shipping and installation in order to avoid product cracking or other handling damage. Design loads
for precast concrete units shall be indicated on the shop drawings

1.3.2 Joints and Sealants

Joints and sealants between adjacent units shall be of the type and configuration indicated on shop
drawings meeting specified design and performance requirements.

1.3.3 Concrete Mix Design

I) Concrete Proportions

Selection of proportions for concrete shall be based on the methodology presented in ACI
211.1 for normal weight concrete, ACI 211.2 for lightweight concrete and ACI 211.3 for no-
slump concrete and/or BS 8500. The concrete proportions shall be developed using the same
type of cement, the same type and gradation of aggregates, and the same type of admixture
that will be used in the manufacture of precast concrete units for the project. Accelerators
containing calcium chloride shall not be used in precast concrete containing reinforcing steel or
other embedded metal items.

Concrete mix design for each strength and type of concrete that will be used shall be submitted
upon request. Submitted mix designs shall include the quantity, type, brand and applicable
data sheets for all mix design constituents as well as documentation indicating conformance
with applicable reference specifications.

The use of self-consolidating concrete is permitted provided that mix design proportions and
constituents meet the requirements of this specification.

II) Durability and Performance Requirements

a. Concrete Compressive Strength

Precast concrete units shall have a 28-day compressive strength (f’c) of [ ] MPa as per
design requirements and as indicated on the design shop drawing of each unit.
 b. Water Cement Ratio

Concrete that will be exposed to freezing and thawing shall contain entrained air and shall
have water-cement ratios of 0.45 or less. Concrete which will not be exposed to freezing,
but which is required to be watertight, shall have a water-cement ratio of 0.48 or less if the
concrete is exposed to fresh water, or 0.45 or less if exposed to brackish water or sea
water. For corrosion protection, reinforced concrete exposed to deicer salts, brackish water
or seawater shall have a water-cement ratio of 0.42 or less.

c. Air Content

The air content of concrete that will be exposed to freezing conditions shall be within the
limits given below.

Nominal Maximum Air Content %

Aggregate Size (in) Severe Exposure Moderate Exposure
3/8 6.0 to 9.0 4.5 to 7.5
1/2 5.5 to 8.5 4.0 to 7.0
3/4 4.5 to 7.5 3.5 to 6.5
1 4.5 to 7.5 3.0 to 6.0
1.5 4.5 to 7.5 3.0 to 6.0
* For specified compressive strengths greater then 35 N/mm² air content may be
reduced 1%

In Concrete Mix designs above 40 we specify air content to be 1.5 – 2.5 %

1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE

General requirement for all types of precast concrete shall be as follows:

1. Qualified Installer with high experience is employed to carry out installing activities at site.
2. Qualified Fabricator with high experience is employed to carry out production activities in Plant.
3. Qualified Designer with high experience is employed to provide all engineering services required for the
job.
4. Approved Testing Agency (Laboratory) shall be assigned to carry out all required testing’s in line with
project requirements.
5. The quality assurance scheme implemented meets the requirements of ISO 9001.
6. Concrete shall be homogeneous concrete having the required strength, surface finish, materials,
durability, and weathering resistance, without planes of weakness or other structural defects, and free of
honeycombs, air pockets, voids, projections, offset of plane and other defacements of concrete.
7. Alternations or substitutions of the structural system shown on the drawings are not permitted unless
otherwise specified.
8. Supervision and coordination all phases of the structural precast concrete construction processes and
responsibility of manufacturing process shall be guaranteed throughout the project.
9. Method of Statement for manufacture, handling and installation of precast concrete units shall be
approved by the consultant before execution of the structural precast concrete work,
10. Only materials of known quality shall be incorporated in the work
 11. All materials shall be properly selected, reviewed and approved by the consultant before use, and
maintained during shipment, storage and use.
12. Adequate spare equipment, parts, additional components and repair facilities shall be available for all
tools and equipment.
13. Design Standards: Comply with recommendations of:
i) PCI MNL-120 "PCI Design Handbook--Precast and Prestressed Concrete"
Applicable to types of structural precast concrete units indicated
ii) ACI 301 "Specifications for Structural Concrete for Buildings."
iii) ACI 318 (ACI 318M) "Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete."
14. Quality-Control Standard: Comply with requirements of PCI MNL-116 "Manual for Quality Control for
Plants and Production of Precast and Prestressed Concrete Products," including manufacturing and
testing procedures, quality-control recommendations, and camber and dimensional tolerances for types
of units required.
15. Welding Standards: Comply with applicable provisions of AWS D1.1 "Structural Welding Code--Steel"
and AWS D1.4 "Structural Welding Code--Reinforcing Steel."
16. Quality Control of Concrete
The following quality control tests are performed as required and in accordance with the ASTM, ACI, and
BS International standards indicated;

a. Slump: A slump test shall be performed for each 100 cu meter of concrete produced per mix design,
or once a day, whichever comes first. Slump tests shall be performed in accordance with ASTM C
143 or BS 1881.

b. Temperature: The temperature of fresh concrete shall be measured when slump or air content tests
are made and when compressive test specimens are made in accordance with ASTM C 1064 or BS
1881.

c. Compressive Strength: At least four compressive strength specimens shall be made for each 100 cu
meter of concrete of each mix design in accordance with the following applicable ASTM standards; C
31, C 39, C 192, and BS 1881

d. Air Content: Tests for air content shall be made on air-entrained, wet-cast concrete for each 100 cu
meter of concrete, per mix design, but not less often than once each day when air-entrained concrete
is used. The air content shall be determined in accordance with either ASTM C 231 or ASTM C 173
for normal weight aggregates and ASTM C 173 for lightweight aggregates or BS 1881.

e. Density (Unit Weight): Tests for density shall be performed a minimum of once per week to verify the
yield of batch mixes. Density tests shall be performed for each 100 cu meter of concrete per mix
design, but not less often than once per day when volumetric batch equipment is used

f. The customer or customer’s representative may place an inspector in the plant when the units
covered by this specification are being manufactured.

1.5 HANDLING, STORAGE AND DELIVERY

I) Handling
 Precast concrete units shall be handled and transported in a manner to minimize damage. Lifting devices
or holes shall be consistent with industry standards. Lifting shall be accomplished with methods or
devices intended for this purpose as indicated on shop drawings. Upon request, documentation on
acceptable handling methods for the product shall be provided

II) Storage

Precast concrete units shall be stored in a manner that will minimize potential damage.

III) Delivery

Precast concrete units shall be delivered to the site in accordance with the delivery schedule to avoid
excessive build-up of units in storage at the site. Upon delivery to the jobsite all precast concrete units
upon request shall be inspected by the customer or customer’s representative for quality and final
acceptance.

IV) Final Acceptance

Upon final acceptance, the customer or customer’s representative acknowledges and understands the
appropriate methods for handling the accepted precast concrete unit(s). Upon acceptance by the
customer or customer’s representative, the precast concrete manufacture is not responsible for replacing
damaged product resulting from improper handling practices on the job site.

SECTION 2: PRECAST CONCRETE UNITS

2.1 MATERIALS

Except as otherwise specified, material shall conform to the following section.

2.1.1 Structural Concrete; Concrete for structural works generally shall conform to the requirements of
BS 8500, BS 8110, ACI 318,

2.1.2 Cement shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 150 (Type I, II, III or V), or BS EN 197
(replacing BS 12)

2.1.3 Silica Fume shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 1240

2.1.4 Fly Ash and Pozzolans shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 618

2.1.5 Ground Granulated Blast-Furnace Slag shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 989

2.1.6 Water shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C1602 or BS 3148

2.1.7 Aggregates

A) Aggregate Selection
 NOTE: Select gradation(s) based on job requirements and constraints. The nominal maximum
aggregate size should not exceed one-fifth the narrowest dimension between sides of forms,
nor three-quarters the minimum clear spacing between individual reinforcing bars or wires.

Aggregates shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 33 or BS 882. Aggregates shall not
contain any substance which may be deleteriously reactive with the alkalies in the cement.

B) Aggregates for Lightweight Concrete shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 330

2.1.8 Admixtures shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 260, ASTM C 494, or BS 5075

2.1.9 Corrosion Inhibitors shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 1582

2.1.10 Pigments shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 979

2.1.11 Reinforcement

V) Deformed and Plain Carbon-Steel Bars shall conform to the requirements of BS 4449, or
ASTM A615
VI) Welded Wire Reinforcement shall conform to the requirements of BS 4483, or ASTM A 185
for Plain Wire and ASTM A 497 for Deformed Wire
VII) Epoxy-Coated Reinforcement shall conform to the requirements of BS ISO 14654, or ASTM
A 775 for Reinforcing Bars and ASTM A 884 for Wire and Welded Wire Reinforcement
VIII) Galvanized Reinforcement shall conform to the requirements of ASTM A 767

2.1.12 Inserts and Embedded Metal

All items embedded in concrete shall be of the type required for the intended use and meet the
following standards;

i) Structural Steel Plates, Angles, etc

ASTM A 36
ii) Hot-dipped Galvanized
ASTM A 152

2.1.13 Joint Sealants

Elastomeric Joint Sealants shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 920

2.1.14 Thermal Insulation Boards

Expanded Polystyrene shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 578

2.1.15 Grout

i) Nonshrink Grout shall conform to the requirements of ASTM C 1107

ii) Cementitious Grout Shall be of suitable mix design for the intended use, consisting of Portland
cement, sand, and water
 2.1.16 Non-Shrink Fiber Reinforced Mortar for Concrete Repair shall conform to the requirements of EN
1542 and EN 196, ASTM C 109

2.1.17 Cementitious mortar for smoothing concrete surface (Fairing Coat) shall conform to the requirements of
EN 1542 and EN 196

2.2 MANUFACTURE

Work Instruction and procedure for Manufacture of Precast Concrete Units shall meet the requirements
written in PCI Manuals listed above

2.2.1 Forms/Moulds

Mould fabrication is based on drawings issued by the design department to production department.
The drawings contain all information necessary to build the mold.

Before any mold fabrication takes place, the production engineer, or the mold fabricator must
ensure that he has the latest revision of the production drawing.

Material for the mould is mainly steel plates and profiles assembled by welding and bolting. Parts
of the mould can also be made up of wood or plywood.

The mould must be stable and solidly built in such a way that the Precast element can be easily
demoulded without damage. In case the elements have decoration, false joints and any other
delicate parts details in the surface, it must be ensured that perpendicular demoulding is possible.
Fixed mold sides can only be used if they are plane and without fixed chamfers.

All moulds must be accurately built according to fabrication drawings. All measurements including
the diagonals must be within half of the accepted tolerances for the finished or cast elements set
by PCI MNL 116, PCI MNL 117, and PCI MNL 135

If the surface of the mould is uneven or damaged, it must be grinded and holes must be filled with
plastic plugs or any padding with similar quality.

2.2.2 Reinforcement

Reinforcement cutting, bending, and binding take place at the steel/reinforcement workshop. The
reinforcement for precast elements is made as finished units in the reinforcement workshop
eventually to be brought and place to the moulds.

The reinforcement work is based on the fabrication drawings issued by the Design Department,
which contains all the information to make the reinforcement units. The supervisor ensures that he
has the latest revision of the drawing before starting the work, and ensures that the quality of steel,
size/s, and dimension of the reinforcements is as given on the drawings.

Steel reinforcement must be clean and free from any stains of oils, grease or dirt that may affect
the bonding of concrete. Deep rust affecting the cross section of the steel must never be used.
 Steel with minor and loose rust must be cleaned either by the use of steel brush or by means of
very light sandblasting prior to its use.

Bar sizes and bending criteria given below must be strictly followed:

1. For stirrups and links the maximum bar size is 16 mm.

2. For stirrups and links the minimum inside bending diameter is 6 times the bar size
3. For ordinary reinforcement up to bar size 25 mm, the minimum bending diameter is
6 times the bar size.
4. For welded wire mesh the minimum inside bending diameter is 4 times the bar
size, and the bending must be located not from the welded area, (minimum
distance from welding is 4 times the bar size.)

2.2.3 Embedded Items

Before any reinforcement or cast in items is place, the mould inside surface must be oiled properly
in an even and thin layer for easy demoulding, or surface retarder have been applied appropriately
for the required degree of exposure for architectural Precast panels.

The reinforcements and embedded parts are placed in the mould at locations specified in the
design drawings. Spacers should be fixed to the reinforcements to prevent it from contamination of
mould oil. Concrete cover to reinforcements must be according to the Drawing; any point with 5
mm less than the given minimum cover must be corrected.

Welding shall be performed in accordance with AWS D1.1 when necessary. Inserts, plates, lifting
devices and other items to be embedded in precast concrete units shall be held rigidly in place so
that they do not move significantly during casting operations

2.2.4 Concrete

2.2.4.1 Concrete Mixing

All concrete shall be mixed until there is a uniform distribution of materials and shall be
discharged completely before mixer is recharged.

Ready-mixed concrete shall be mixed and delivered in accordance with requirements of

“Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete” (ASTM C 94) or “Specification for Concrete
Made by Volumetric Batching and Continuous Mixing” (ASTM C 685).

Job-mixed concrete shall be mixed in accordance with the following:

a) Mixing shall be done in a batch mixer of approved type;

b) Mixer shall be rotated at a speed recommended by the manufacturer;
c)Mixing shall be continued for at least 90 seconds after all materials are in the drum,
unless a shorter time is shown to be satisfactory by the mixing uniformity tests of
“Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete” (ASTM C 94);
d) Materials handling, batching, and mixing shall conform to applicable provisions of
“Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete” (ASTM C 94);
e) A detailed record shall be kept to identify:
 1. Number of batches produced;
2. Proportions of materials used;
3. Approximate location of final deposit in structure;
4. Time and date of mixing and placing.

2.2.4.2 Concrete Conveying

Concrete shall be conveyed from mixer to place of final deposit by methods that will
prevent separation or loss of materials.

Conveying equipment shall be capable of providing a supply of concrete at site of

placement without separation of ingredients and without interruptions sufficient to permit
loss of plasticity between successive increments

2.2.4.3 Concrete Placing

Concrete shall be deposited as nearly as practical in its final position / mould / formwork to
avoid segregation due to rehandling or flowing.

Concreting shall be carried on at such a rate that concrete is at all times plastic and flows
readily into spaces between reinforcement in the formwork / mould.

Concrete that has partially hardened or been contaminated by foreign materials shall not
be deposited into the mould.

Self-consolidating concrete shall be placed in a manner in which it flows and consolidates

without segregation or air entrapment. The free fall of the concrete shall be kept to a
minimum.

2.2.4.4 Concrete Compacting / Vibrating

All concrete shall be thoroughly consolidated by suitable means during placement and
shall be thoroughly worked around reinforcement and embedded fixtures and into corners
of forms / moulds. A high degree of compaction without segregation should be ensured by
providing suitable workability and by employing appropriate placing and compacting
equipment and procedures

All placing and compacting should be carried out under suitable supervision and as soon
after mixing as is practicable. Delays in placing may be permitted providing that the
concrete can still be placed and fully compacted without the addition of further water
except as permitted by 4.10 of BS 5328-3.

2.2.4.4.1 Cold Weather Concreting

Recommendations for cold weather concreting are given in detail ACI 306 R.
Adequate equipment shall be provided for heating concrete materials and
protecting concrete during freezing or near-freezing weather. All concrete
materials and all reinforcement, forms, fillers, and ground with which concrete is
 to come in contact shall be free from frost. Frozen materials or materials
containing ice shall not be used. In cold weather the temperature of concrete at
the time of placing shall not be below 7° C. Concrete that freezes before its
compressive strength reaches 500 psi shall be discarded.

2.2.4.4.2 Hot Weather Concreting

Recommendations for hot weather concreting are given in ACI 305 R.

During hot weather, proper attention shall be given to constituents, production

methods, handling, placing, protection, and curing to prevent excessive concrete
temperatures or water evaporation that could impair required strength or
serviceability of the member or structure. The temperature of concrete at the
time of placing shall not exceed 32° C.
2.2.4.5 Surface Finish

Good finishing practices are essential for durable concrete. Overworking the surface and
the addition of water to aid in finishing should be avoided; the resulting laitance will have
impaired strength and durability and will be particularly vulnerable to freezing and thawing
under wet conditions and to the action of de-icing salts.

Unformed surfaces of wet-cast precast concrete products shall be finished as specified. If

no finishing procedure is specified, such surfaces shall be finished using a strike-off to
level the concrete with the top of the form.

2.2.4.6 Concrete Curing

Curing is the process of preventing the loss of moisture from the concrete whilst
maintaining a satisfactory temperature regime. The curing regime should prevent the
development of high temperature gradients within the concrete.

Curing and protection should start immediately after the compaction of the concrete to
protect it from:
i) Premature drying out, particularly by solar radiation and wind;
ii) Leaching out by rain and flowing water;
iii) Rapid cooling during the first few days after placing;
iv) High internal thermal gradients;
v) Low temperature or frost;
vi) Vibration and impact which may disrupt the concrete and interfere with its bond to
the reinforcement.

Where members are of considerable bulk or length, the cement content of the concrete is
high, the surface finish is critical or special or accelerated curing methods are to be
applied, the method of curing should be specified in detail.

Method of Curing:
I) Curing by Moisture Retention
 Moisture shall be prevented from evaporating from exposed surfaces until adequate
strength for stripping the precast concrete unit from the forms is reached by one of
the following methods:
a) Cover with polyethylene sheets a minimum of 6 mils thick (ASTM C 171)
b) Cover with burlap or other absorptive material and keep continually moist
c) Covering the surface with a damp absorbent material;
d) Use of a membrane-curing compound applied per manufacturers’
recommendations (ASTM C 309)
e) By continuous or frequent applications of water to the surface, avoiding alternate
wetting and drying and the application of cold water to warm concrete surfaces;

Surfaces that will be exposed to weather during service shall be cured as above a
minimum of 3 days. Forms shall be considered effective in preventing evaporation
from the contact surfaces.

II) Curing with Heat and Moisture (Accelerated Curing)

Concrete shall not be subjected to steam or hot air until after the concrete has
attained its initial set. Steam, if used, shall be applied within a suitable enclosure,
which permits free circulation of the steam in accordance with ACI 517.2R. If hot air
is used for curing, precautions shall be taken to prevent moisture loss from the
concrete. The temperature of the concrete shall not be permitted to exceed 65 °C.

2.2.4.7 Stripping Precast Concrete Units From Forms

Precast concrete units shall not be removed from the forms until the concrete reaches the
compressive strength for stripping required by the design. If no such requirement exists,
products may be removed from the forms after the final set of concrete provided that
stripping damage is minimal. Stripping strengths shall be routinely measured to ensure
product has attained sufficient strength for safe handling.

2.2.4.8 Patching and Repair

No repair is required to formed surfaces that are relatively free of air voids and
honeycombed areas, unless the surfaces are required by the design to be finished.

I) Repairing Minor Defects

Defects that will not impair the functional use or expected life of a precast concrete
unit may be repaired by any method that does not impair the product.

II) Repairing Honeycombed Areas

When honeycombed areas are to be repaired, all loose material shall be removed
and the areas cut back into essentially horizontal or vertical planes to a depth at
which coarse aggregate particles break under chipping rather than being dislodged.
Proprietary repair materials shall be used in accordance with the manufacturer’s
instructions. If a proprietary repair material is not used, the area shall be saturated
 with water. Immediately prior to repair, the area should be damp, but free of excess
water. A cement-sand grout or an approved bonding agent shall be applied to the
chipped surfaces, followed immediately by consolidating an appropriate repair
material into the cavity.

III) Repairing Major Defects

Defects in precast concrete products which impair the functional use or the expected
life of products shall be evaluated by qualified personnel to determine if repairs are
feasible and, if so, to establish the repair procedure.

2.2.4.9 Shipping Precast Concrete Units

Precast concrete units shall not be shipped until they are at least 3 days old, unless it can
be shown that the concrete strength has reached at least 75% of the specified 28-day
strength, or that damage will not result, impairing the performance of the product.

SECTION 3: EXECUTION

3.1 INSTALLATION

3.1.1 Site Access

The general contractor shall be responsible for providing adequate access to the site to facilitate hauling,
storage and proper handling of the precast concrete units

3.1.2 Installation

 Precast concrete units shall be installed to the lines and grades shown in the drawings or otherwise
specified.

 Precast concrete units shall be lifted by suitable lifting devices at points provided in the unit as per
design drawing and they shall be supported in the final position both temporarily and permanently, in
such a way that they shall be stressed only in the manner for which they have been designed.

 The precast concrete units shall be adequately braced and supported during installation to ensure
correct alignment and safety and such bracing and support shall be maintained until adequate
permanent connections have been made

 Precast concrete units shall be installed in accordance with applicable industry standards. Upon
request, installation instructions and method of statement shall be provided.

 Field modifications to the product shall relieve the precast producer of liability regardless if such
modifications result in the failure of the precast concrete unit.
 Unless specified otherwise, dimensional Tolerances in Installation shall be within the limits specified
in PCI MNL-135