CIV2226 Specification, Ordering, and Supply of Concrete

Specifying Concrete
AS1379 Specification and Supply of Concrete Site-mixed, factory mixed and truck-mixed concretes Specification of materials Plants and equipments Specifying and ordering of concrete Sampling testing for compliance

AS3600 Concrete Structures

Section 17 Material and Construction Requirements

Relationships Between the Australian Standards

Structural Design AS3600 Concrete Structures Specification of Concrete AS1379 Supply of Concrete
Specification of Constituent Materials Portland & Blended Cements AS3972 Admixtures AS1478 Aggregates AS2758

Sampling and Testing Specifications Concrete Testing AS1012 Methods of Testing Concrete Cement Testing AS2350 Aggregate Testing AS1141 Methods for Sampling & Testing Aggregates

Two Classes of Concrete (AS1379)

Normal Class (bulk of the concrete supplied) Special Class (special requirements for a particular project)

Normal Class Concrete

Applies to most concrete Strength grades: N20, N25, N32, N40 or N50 Slump: 40, 60, 80 or 100 mm Max size aggregate: 10, 14 or 20 mm Method of placement whether Project Assessment to be carried out other requirements by AS1379

Special Class Concrete

Performance Specification (i.e. particular fresh, mechanical, or durability properties are specified) or Prescription Specification (e.g. the minimum cement content shall be 400 kg/m3 )

Project Assessment
On a regular testing basis: volume slump strength (compressive, flexure or tensile) air content chloride and sulphate content drying shrinkage

Slump and Tolerance

Specified slump Tolerance (mm) <60 60 to 80 80 to 110 >110 10 15 20 30

Assessment for Compliance

Tests at least 1 per 100 m3 Assess at selected production interval from 2 weeks to 3months (1 month usual) One grade to be selected as control grade and to have at least 10 results per production interval (most have many more) Variability of production to be assessed on basis of this grade

Strength
Strength varies between batches
Histogram

Number of Specimens

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 40 45 50 55 60 65 70

Strength (MPa)

Probability

very good

Good

Poor

fc (poor)

fc

fc

(good) (very good)

Target
kS

Strength

Strength assessment
Production assessment Project assessment

Production assessment
specifically for a plant or a group of plants continuous sampling one selected grade to comply fcm > fc + 1.25 s Supplier is obligated to provide the records, if requested by the purchaser

Project Assessment
assessment specified by the purchaser fcm> fc + k s No of Samples >15 k = 1.25 11 to 14 k = 1.4 9 to 10 k = 1.5 8 k = 1.7 At least 1 sample per 50 m3 Moving average of 3 to exceed fc

Other Standard Requirements

(wide basic requirements for all concrete)
Density 2100-2800kg/m (130-175lb/cu ft) Acid soluble chloride and sulphate limits Shrinkage (max 1000 microstrain) 7 day strength 50% of grade strength (up to N50) Cement complying with AS3972 alone or plus one or more supplementary cementitious materials

Chloride and Sulphate Content

Drying Shrinkage

Ordering Normal Class Concrete

Ordering Special Class Concrete

Storage of Materials

Storage of Materials

Manufacturing of Concrete

Accurate Batching

Batching Tolerances in AS1379

Mixing Equipment Uniformity of Mixing

Batch Mixers are designed to: uniformly distribute ingredients throughout the volume of mixed concrete with the minimum mixing time or number of revolutions necessary. have variable speed for mixing, discharging and agitating have a rated mixing capacity not more than 65% of the gross internal volume of the mixing chamber unless proven otherwise

Slump Control
A sufficiently experienced operator will assess the consistency of a batch and estimate any further addition of water needed to produce the specified slump Slump Stand at the Concrete Plant Water is added via a hose fitted with a measuring device Slump Control ensure desired level of consistence and workability is achieved Slump tests are conducted on site to confirm the consistency of concrete

Contractual Issues .
Difficult Specifications Demonstrating the correct volume Demonstrating Strength Compliance
Special Class concrete can contain prescriptive and performance based requirements with the aim of obtaining the best possible concrete

Next Week
Placement, Compaction, and Finishing Concrete Curing