RMCAO Best_Practices_Guidelines for Concrete Construction

7/26/2019 RMCAO Best_Practices_Guidelines for Concrete Construction

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Best Practices Guidelines for Concrete Construction

The Best Practices Guidelines for ConcreteConstruction has been developed by theOntario General Contractors Association

(OGCA) and the Ready Mixed Concrete Associationof Ontario (RMCAO) with the assistance of industrystakeholders.

The purpose of this document is to recommend stan-dard procedures and guidelines to the industry, includ-ing suppliers, manufacturers, general contractors andsub-contractors involved in the use of ready mixed

concrete. By using these methods it is the goal ofthe Guideline to increase communication between allparties and reduce or minimize potential problems.OGCA and RMCAO both strongly recommend thatparticipants use these procedures in the constructionprocess.

Every effort has been made to address the knownissues facing our industry today, however the Guide-line does not represent itself as the complete answerto these issues. Participants should continue to workwith their professional partners in carrying out theirresponsibilities.

Acknowledgements of the contributions of the fol-lowing organizations (alphabetical order):

◆ American Concrete Pumping Association (ACPA)◆ Concrete Floor Contractors Association of

Ontario (CFCAO)◆ National Ready Mixed Concrete Association

(NRMCA)◆ Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA)◆ Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario

(RMCAO)◆ RMC Research Foundation (RMC)

Foreword

Enquiries should be directed to:

Ontario General Contractors Association6299 Airport Road, Suite 703Mississauga, OntarioL4V 1N3905-671-3969 Tel905-671-8212 [email protected]

Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario365 Brunel Road, Unit 3Mississauga, OntarioL4Z 1Z5905-507-1122 Tel905-890-8122 [email protected]

http://www.concretepumpers.com/

http://www.concretefloors.ca/


http://www.nrmca.org/


http://www.ogca.ca/



http://www.rmc-foundation.org/newsite/index.htm

mailto:[email protected]




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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE 5 Chapter 1: Concrete Supplier Pre-Qualication and Bidding Process

7 Chapter 2: Quotation Submittal and Review Process 9 Chapter 3: Tender Award and Mix Design Pre-Qualication Process 12 Chapter 4: Pre-Construction and Pre-Placement Meetings 17 Chapter 5: Concrete Ordering Procedures 20 Chapter 6: Transporting and Receiving Concrete 22 Chapter 7: Measurement and Acceptance of Concrete 25 Chapter 8: Conveying, Placing, Consolidating and Finishing Concrete 28 Chapter 9: Concrete Protection and Curing Requirements 31 Chapter 10: Concrete Testing and Reporting

34 Chapter 11: Evaluation of Concrete Hardened Properties 37 Chapter 12: Dispute Resolution Mechanisms 38 Chapter 13: Project Close-Out Meeting

APPENDIX 39 Appendix A RMCAO Plant Certication Program 40 Appendix B OGCA Gold Seal Program 41 Appendix C Concrete Test Forms & Reporting - CMATS™ 43 Appendix D Concrete Quotation Form

44 Appendix E Mix Design Submission Form 45 Appendix F Checklist for Concrete Pre-Construction Meeting 66 Appendix G CCIL Concrete Certication Program 67 Appendix H Checklist for Concrete Pumping 71 Appendix I Specialty Concrete Applications 73 Appendix J Summary of CSA Exposure Classes 77 Appendix K Checklist for Concrete Ordering and Scheduling

80 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

80 WEBSITE LINKS

References CSA A23.1-04 Concrete Materials and Methods of Concrete Construction CSA A23.2-04 Methods of Test and Standard Practices for Concrete

Best Practices Guidelines for Concrete Construction





Chapter 1

This chapter provides a mechanism for identi-cation of the specialized concrete performancerequirements for the project and identifying the

ability of the concrete supplier to deliver the product(s)as they are specied both by the contract documentsand any supplemental contractor requirements.

The pre-qualication may be a process of anecdotalhistorical references presented in a statistically mean-ingful manner supporting similar experiences on pastprojects or may be a pre-determined scientic trial

program that would demonstrate through testing theability of the concrete supplier to deliver products thatmeet the requirements of the project.

Concrete Supplier Pre-QualicationProcessItems to be addressed during the pre-qualication pro-cess include the following:

◆ Verication of RMCAO Plant Certication◆ Identication of production rate of the plant(s),

delivery ability & maximum hourly capacity◆ Ability to supply speciality concrete products◆ Past performance history and similar

completed projects

Specialized MaterialsThe concrete supplier shall indicate during the pre-qualication process the capability for handling,batching, controlling and producing concrete withany specialized materials. Any conditions relating tothe supply of specialized materials shall be identied

at the time of bidding. Such conditions may include(but not limited to):1. Lead times for ordering and delivery of both

the raw materials and the actual concrete2. Assignment of responsibility and limitation of

liability for specied materials that do not meetthe standard requirements of CSA A23.1/.2

3. Special handling, placing, nishing and curingrequirements

Specialized NeedsThe concrete supplier shall indicate during the tenderprocess the capability to supply special needs for theproject. Any limitations related to the special needsshall be identied and communicated to the biddingcontractor for consideration during the bidding pro-cess. Example: maximum production rates and vol-umes, limitations and special requirements relating tothe cooling or heating of concrete, limits on the hoursof work, etc.

Initiation of the Bidding ProcessThe initiation of the bidding process begins whenthe material supplier becomes aware of the projectthrough their relationships with an owner, consultant,and the local construction association plans ofce,or when they receive a request for quotation directlyfrom general contractors bidding the project.

The general contractor or construction manager willusually communicate with the concrete suppliers inthe following ways.

1. Telephone solicitation2. Fax solicitation3. Publish an advertisement in the Daily

Commercial News (DCN) or a local newspaper4. Electronic communication via email (which

may include attachments)

Concrete SupplierPre-Qualication andBidding Process

Best Practices Guidelines for Concrete Construction 5



6 Best Practices Guidelines for Concrete Construction

Once the concrete supplier is aware that a specicgeneral contractor or construction manager has ex-pressed interest in obtaining quotations for concretesupply, they should contact the estimator or manag-er in charge of that particular tender or trade pack-age. Discuss with the estimator how you can view thespecications and drawings prior to supplying yourquotation and how you will ascertain the approximatequantities and time frame when the concrete is sched-uled to be required on site.

Most general contractors have a plans room at theirofce for trade contractors and suppliers to review thespecications and drawings. There are also documentsavailable at the local construction associations. Recent-ly drawings and specications have become availableover the internet through many printing houses. Youmay have to obtain a login and password from thegeneral contractor or construction manager to accessthese documents or to pay for prints of the construc-tion documents.

When developing quotations for the supply of con-crete, the concrete supplier should ensure that theylook at all the notes on the architectural and structuraldrawings to determine if they contain any additional

or conicting requirements.

Read all of the specications pertinent to concrete pro-duction and supply including in particular the Division1 & 3 Sections as per National Master Specicationformat. Finish schedules and Division 9 specicationsmay shed light on what characteristics the nishedconcrete must possess. Review the SupplementaryGeneral Conditions/Instructions to Bidders for any

special conditions such as, payment restrictions orrequirements for maintaining your bid for a speciedtime period.

Where the concrete supplier notices conicting or un-clear specication wording, bring it to the attentionof the estimator or manager in writing. If they can’tanswer the query they will forward the question to theTender Calling Authority or the Consultants to obtainclarication. The importance of this step cannot beoverstated since clarication requests submitted be-fore the tender closing prevent confusing or conictingspecication requirements from affecting the tender.

The following should be considered:◆ Never assume that by only reviewing one part of

the documents that you have covered all of your ar-eas of responsibility (i.e. when reviewing mechani-cal drawings both the structural and architecturaldrawings should be cross referenced). Most docu-ments today have clauses relating to this issue andrequire that a sub-trade or supplier as well as thegeneral contractor conduct a review of all the doc-uments. Failure to do so is cause for non-paymentwhen it becomes apparent later.

◆ Read the documents carefully. Sub-trades and sup-pliers are subject to the same conditions imposedon the general contractor.

◆ Ensure you acknowledge having read all adden-dums (list them) and that any effect on your pricehas been accounted for.

◆ READ ALL THE DOCUMENTSto ensure that youare clear on the project requirements before thetender closes.

Chapter 1 – Concrete Supplier Pre-Qualication and Bidding Process



Chapter 2 Quotation Submittal and Review Process

This section of the guide is to ensure that dur-ing the estimating and tendering phase of theproject the general contractor, subcontractors

and the concrete supplier all work together to prop-erly quote the project as specied by the owner andtheir consultants.

Improved communication between all parties dur-ing the tendering phase allows for the clarication ofconfusing or conicting specication requirements viathe tender addendum process. The ultimate goal is to

eliminate the need to make assumptions during thebidding process.

Roles of the Key Players in theTendering PhaseThe primary activities of the various team membersare:

Contractor (or Purchaser of Concrete)◆ Fully understanding the scope and requirements

of all aspects of the project◆ Identifying the work that will be completed

by their own forces and the work that will behanded off to specialty sub-contractors andtrades

◆ Identifying the sub-contractors and concretesuppliers that can be utilized based upon theprevious pre-qualication process

◆ Determining the initial construction scheduleand construction methods that will be em-ployed for this project

◆ Requesting feedback from sub-contractors andmaterial suppliers regarding specication re-quirements and the proposed scheduling of thework

◆ Clarifying with the consultant any questionsraised during the tender period

◆

Determining where and when specialty con-crete performance enhancement and protec-tion allowances will be required (i.e. specialityadmixtures and special concrete performanceneeds)

◆ Allow for ag person costs to direct trucks ontothe site

◆ Verifying that all construction and specicationissues have been addressed

◆ Obtaining quotations from sub-contractors andconcrete suppliers

◆ Submitting the nal quotation for the work

Sub-Contractor◆ Identifying specication issues that will

adversely affect their portions of the work◆ Identifying maximum placement rates of

concrete◆ Conrm exclusions and qualications to their

scope of work

◆ Identifying the concrete performance require-ments for the completion of the work asspecied

◆ Submitting the nal quotation to the generalcontractor for their portion of the work

Concrete Supplier◆ Identifying conicting or confusing concrete

specication requirements◆ Conrm exclusions and qualications to their

scope of work◆ Identifying the concrete mixtures required for

the project◆ Providing options for concrete performance

enhancement◆ Submitting the nal quotation for the identied

concrete mixes and additional performanceoptions

7Best Practices Guidelines for Concrete Construction




Chapter 2 – Quotation Submittal and Review Process

Development and Utilization of aConcrete Lead LetterIt is critical to the successful development of the proj-ect estimate that the general contractor utilizes theexpertise of their sub-contractors and concrete suppli-

ers to minimize the chance that items are overlooked.One of the more successful methods of doing this isrequesting that your sub-contractors and concretesuppliers provide you with “Lead Letters” well be-fore the closing of the tender process. These lettersspell out any additional requirements or exclusionsof the company and identify the key components ofthe work that they will be providing without includingthe pricing information (which is typically supplied ata later date). This information then allows the projectestimator to conrm that his key sub-contractors and

concrete suppliers:◆ Understand the specication requirements of

the project◆ Understand their own scope of work◆ Identied all the specialty requirements of the

project◆ Are aware of the general contractors specic

construction and scheduling requirements

For example, if you received a lead letter from one of

the three concrete suppliers providing you with pric-ing on a project for 15 L/m 3 of calcium nitrate cor-rosion inhibitor and you were not aware of this spe-cialty material requirement, then your estimator needsto follow-up on this before you nalize your projectestimate. Conversely, if one of the three concretesuppliers fails to indicate that they are pricing super-plasticized concrete, which the tender documents haveclearly specied, the supplier needs to be notied ofthis fact before they submit their quotation.

Standardized Concrete Quotation FormDue to the wide variety of potential quotation forms,general contractors nd it difcult to determine whichadditional performance options (i.e. air entrainment,superplasticizers, etc.) have or have not been includedin the quotation. Appendix D contains a recommend-ed concrete quotation form that provides the neces-sary concrete information in lead letter format (notincluding pricing information).

The Lead Letter’s purpose is to standardize the con-crete mix design quotation based upon the followingtwo fundamental requirements:

1. The minimum performance requirements of thedesigner as specied in the contract specica-tions & drawings (strength, durability, etc.)

2. The minimum performance requirements of thegeneral contactor and/or the sub-contractor(early strength, placement method, etc.)

In using the form the concrete supplier can clearlyidentify the concrete performance that will be sup-

plied for each element of the project. This form thenprovides the general contractor with a list of the ad-ditional optional performance items that can be con-sidered when developing their construction plan andproject estimate. The document ensures improvedcommunication between the concrete supplier andthe contractor.

The concrete quotation form should include thefollowing:

◆ Concrete application (footings, columns, etc.)◆ CSA exposure class (C-XL, C-1, etc.)◆ Specied strength (early or standard and age)◆ Maximum w/cm ratio◆ Actual slump range at placement◆ Air entrainment range◆ Maximum aggregate size◆ Placement method◆ Specialty products




Chapter 3 Tender Award and MixDesign Pre-QualicationProcess

At the close of tender and upon award of theproject by the owner, the general contractorshould follow the process described below.

Standard Tender Award Process to Sub-Contractors and Concrete Suppliers

◆ Notify the successful tender applicant in a time-ly manner

◆ Qualify and re-iterate the list of deliverables andscope of work

◆ Conrm that pricing has been included for allwork items and review the concrete quotationform

◆ Identify areas where extra over prices will beincluded (i.e. winter heat, early form removal,etc.)

◆ Identify the duration and schedule of theproject deliverables

◆ Identify the reporting structure or organiza-tion charts that will be common for the proj-ect for the owner, contractor, sub-contractorsand concrete supplier. The lead representa-tive for each of the above parties needs to benominated so the pre-qualication processcan evolve

Mix Design Pre-Qualication ProcessThe primary basis of concrete supplier pre-qualica-tion shall be certication of the concrete plant by theReady Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario. Prior tothe supply of concrete on the project, the concretesupplier shall supply a valid RMCAO Certicate ofReady Mixed Concrete Production Facilities as is-sued by the Ready Mixed Concrete Association of On-tario to the contractor prior to the placement of anyconcrete (see Appendix A ). Verication of the plantstatus can also be conrmed on RMCAO’s website.

Classication of Concrete MixesIf required by the general contractor, the concrete sup-plier can classify their mix designs. In this case the sup-plier and the purchaser will classify all mixes that willbe supplied to the project into one of the followingtwo primary categories:

◆ Standard Concrete – Concrete with a com-pressive strength of less than 40 MPa producedusing conventional raw materials and with stan-dard performance requirements. These mixesshall have supporting historical test data thatstatistically demonstrates conformance to thespecication requirements (dened below)

◆ Non-Standard Concrete – Concrete withstrengths of 40 MPa or greater or concrete ofany strength produced using non-standard rawmaterials (dened below)

In reference to these requirements, the following de-nitions are provided:

◆ Historical Test Data – Consist of a minimumof fteen (15) 28 day compressive strength re-sults analyzed over a maximum testing periodof 12 months using RMCAO’s Mix Design Sta-tistical Analysis Program where the raw materi-als remain substantially unchanged to that ofthe proposed mix design

◆ Non-Standard Raw Materials – Materialsthat are typically not used by the concrete plantproducing the concrete and where no histori-

cal test data using these materials is available.Non-standard raw materials may include thefollowing:

• Cementing Materials other than PortlandType GU (10), Fly Ash & Slag Cement

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• Unique chemical admixtures other than airentrainment, water reducers (low, mid &high range), retarders, accelerators or co-louring agents not typically used by theplant. This may include corrosion inhibitors

or shrinkage reducing admixtures • Non-standard aggregate sources. This in-cludes both lightweight and heavyweightaggregates

Concrete Mix Design StrengthRequirementsCSA A23.1 clause 4.4.6.7.1 denes that the strengthlevel of each class of concrete is satisfactory for labcured specimens if:

◆ The average of all sets of three consecutivestrength tests for that class at one age equal orexceed the specied strength, and

◆ No individual strength test is more than 3.5MPa below the specied strength

These criteria can be expected to be met 99% of thetime if the concrete is proportioned to produce an av-erage strength as follows:

◆ When the standard deviation of the concrete isnot more than 3.5 MPa

Target Strength = Specied Strength +(1.4 x Standard Deviation)◆ When the standard deviation of the concrete is

more than 3.5 MPaTarget Strength = Specied Strength +(2.4 x Standard Deviation – 3.5)

Individual tests from concrete meeting these require-ments can be expected to be below the speciedstrength about 10% of the time.

Utilization of Concrete Mix DesignStatistical Analysis DataCSA A23.1 clause 4.4.6.7.1 further allows the standarddeviation used in the calculations above to be used todesign concrete whose design strength is within ± 7MPa of that of the required work provided that similarraw materials are used.

For example, in instances were the concrete supplierhas historical test data for their 25 MPa concrete, theycan use this test data to design concrete from 18 MPa

to 32 MPa in strength, provided that they use similarraw materials. Additional information on this topic isavailable in RMCAO’s “Mix Design Statistical Analysis Guidelines”.

Trial BatchesIn the event that historical test data within ± 7 MPa ofthe specied strength for standard mixes is not avail-able, or where historical data is not available for non-standard mixes, concrete trial batches may be requiredas per CSA A23.1-04.

While the exact trial batch requirements will be dictat-ed by the contract specications, all project stakehold-ers must realize that these requirements will result inpotential delays in the supply of concrete to the proj-ect. The exact extent of the delay will be a functionof:

◆ The performance test method specied (theduration of the testing period can vary from1 month to a year depending on the projectrequirements)

■ Standard testing times may be as follows: • Compressive Strength = 7 – 28 Days • Hardened Air Void System (AVS) =

3 – 14 days • Rapid Chloride Permeability (RCP) =

29 – 35 days • Linear Shrinkage = 42 – 56 days

Chapter 3 – Tender Award and Mix Design Pre-Qualication Process

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◆ The total number of trial batches that must beperformed on the project

◆ The total number of trial batch attempts requiredto obtain the performance properties speciedin the contract (since multiple attempts may be

necessary)

Submission of Concrete Mix DesignsOnce the various performance requirements of boththe contract documents and the contractors proposedplacement methods and schedule have been identi-ed, it is the responsibility of the concrete supplier toprovide the performance based mix design submissionfor each of the concrete elements identied on theproject.

The fundamental purpose of the concrete mix designsubmission is to ensure that the concrete supplier isfully aware of all of the specications and contractorperformance requirements prior to the supply of con-crete to the project. In order to facilitate this process,the RMCAO has developed a standardized concretemix design submission form ( Appendix E) for use byall its members.

The mix design submission serves to provide a criti-cal quality control aspect on a construction project. Itallows the construction team members to review thedocument and offer comments prior to concrete place-ment. The concrete mix design submission is typicallyforwarded from the concrete supplier to the generalcontractor for review by the owner’s consultants.

For specialty concrete applications the concrete mixdesign submission may also be accompanied by sup-porting concrete performance verication testing, asidentied in the contract documents.

Chapter 3 – Tender Award and Mix Design Pre-Qualication Process




Chapter 4 Pre-Construction andPre-Placement Meetings

Proper coordination of the various trades andconstruction personnel is the major responsi-bility of the general contractor or construction

manager. There are two key meetings that the concretesupplier needs to be involved in - the pre-constructionand pre-placement. The following describes some ofthe items that should be identied and reviewed.

Pre-Construction MeetingThe purpose of the concrete Pre-Construction meetingis to review with all the construction personnel, prior

to the start of the project, the major items of concreteconstruction. This includes:◆ Proposed construction schedule◆ Proposed concrete mix designs◆ Determination regarding the need for the use

of value-added concrete products◆ Proposed concrete placement methods and

rates◆ Proposed concrete quality verication methods

This meeting allows for direct input from all parties andmay result in modications to the proposed schedule,placement methods or mix designs to address the ac-tual site and contract requirements prior to the startof the work.

Identication of Key Team MembersThe rst objectives of the pre-construction and pre-placement meetings are to identify the key contactsfrom each company that will be involved in the con-struction of the project and each component of con-

struction. These meetings ensure that all parties fullyunderstand what is required of them and provideseach team member with the opportunity to addressany specic concerns or challenges that they may facewith the other members of the construction team. At-tendance of all the stakeholders should be mandatoryat each meeting to ensure proper communication andcoordination between all parties.

Recommended attendees include:◆ Owner◆ Architect◆ Structural Engineer◆ General Contractor◆ Concrete Sub-Contractors • Forming Contractor • Rebar Installer • Placing Contractor

• Floor Finishing Contractor • Curing Contractor◆ Concrete Supplier◆ Concrete Testing Company◆ Speciality Material Suppliers

Assigning of Responsibilities on ProjectA key component of the pre-construction and pre-placement meetings is to identify the key areas of re-sponsibility and to assign overall responsibility for each

component of the project to specic people. This istypically done via the use of a standardized pre-con-struction meeting form ( Appendix F).

The following items should be addressed at the pre-construction meeting:

◆ Review of the Concrete Mix Designs –All members of the construction team shouldreview the performance properties of eachof the individual mix designs required for theproject and conrm which mix designs will

be used for each of the concrete componentson the project. This is of signicant impor-tance given the fact that concrete must of-ten be placed under changing environmentalconditions

◆ Review of the Anticipated ProjectSchedule – Depending on the duration of theproject, there may be a need for performance




Chapter 4 – Pre-Construction and Pre-Placement Meetings

modications to the concrete mix designs toaddress either site or scheduling conditions

◆ Proper Concrete Ordering – The person re-sponsible for ordering the concrete should beidentied at the meeting and only this person

should place the concrete orders. The contrac-tor, if applicable, must indicate who has theauthority to authorize the addition of valueadded materials to individual concrete orders(superplasticizers, retarders, etc.)

◆ Concrete Delivery Acceptance – The pur-pose of concrete delivery acceptance is toconrm that the delivery ticket for the con-crete truck matches the concrete specicationsfor the concrete element being constructed.The item is especially important to addresswhen the general contractor is supplying theconcrete for placement by a speciality sub-contractor

◆ Concrete On-Site Performance Acceptance& Rejection – The key is to identify who willbe conducting the testing and what the accep-tance parameters are before the project starts.These items should then be documented onthe concrete mix design submissions (i.e. slumprange, air range, temperature range, etc.). Oneperson should then be responsible for eitheraccepting or rejecting the concrete on the basisof the testing specied

◆ Jobsite Water Addition – The current editionof CSA A23.1 identies the responsibility andrequirements for the acceptable conditions for

jobsite water addition. Only the authorized per-son may provide permission for jobsite wateraddition

◆ Distribution of Concrete Test Results – Asper CSA A23.1, the concrete test results must

be immediately distributed to the designers,general contractor, concrete supplier and con-crete sub-contractors as they are produced.Electronic web based platform like CMATS™(see Appendix C ) should be used for efcientdelivery of the test results

◆ Flag Person for Concrete Delivery – Thisperson is responsible for ensuring that the con-

struction site is safe for the concrete truck andno obstructions are in the path of the truck

◆ Identication of Truck Washout Areas –Facilities for concrete truck chute washoutshould be identied at the start of the projectand the responsibility for cleaning and main-taining this area assigned to the appropriateorganization to ensure that all environmentalrequirements are maintained

Pre-Placement MeetingsThe purpose of the pre-placement meeting is to ad-

dress the specic issues related to concrete placementof an individual concrete element or placement period.While the scheduling of a pre-construction meetingshould be performed on all projects, the scheduling ofa pre-placement meeting is determined on an individ-ual basis depending on the complexity of the concreteelement/application or the familiarity of the construc-tion team with the type of project (i.e. the placementof a mud slab at the start of a project may not war-rant a pre-placement meeting, but the placement of asuper-at industrial oor of signicant size will almost

always require a pre-placement meeting).

Jobsite Health and SafetyConsiderationsJobsite Health and Safety considerations always takeprecedence over any other considerations on the proj-ect since a safe work environment must be providedfor everyone at all times. Each construction project




should develop a site specic health and safety plan inaccordance with the Occupational Health and SafetyAct (OHSA).

The health and safety plan should be presented and

reviewed with each and every worker prior to the startof construction and may contain items such as:◆ First Aid Stations – Identication of the rst

aid station locations and the rst aid suppliesavailable to treat any medical needs directly onthe site (eye wash stations, rst aid kit, etc.)

◆ Minimum Personal Protection Equipment(PPE) Requirements – Identify the minimumlevel of PPE required for various constructionactivities that must be performed

◆ Local Area Hospitals – The location and di-rections to the various area hospitals should beidentied to all the workers on their rst day atthe site and driving directions should be postedat both the site ofce and all rst aid locations

◆ Flag Person Requirements – A ag personshould be clearly identied prior to the start ofconcrete placement and they shall have all thenecessary safety equipment required by the Oc-cupational Health and Safety Act

◆ Overhead Lifting – Conditions where mo-

bile or xed cranes must lift loads directly overworkers should be avoided whenever possible.When items must be repeatedly raised up tothe working location, the hoisting/lifting areashould be clearly identied for all workers onthe jobsite to see and avoid

Environmental RequirementsThe importance to ensuring the proper protection ofthe environment on construction projects has beenreceiving considerable emphasis in recent years. En-

vironmental considerations such as the collection andrecycling of construction waste, identifying the ap-propriate truck washout areas, and limiting dust andnoise pollution are all issues that should be addressedprior to the start of the construction project.

Utilization of Specialty ConcretePerformanceGiven the signicant advancements in both concreteand admixture technology over the past 15 yearsthere is a very wide range of concrete performanceand workability that can be utilized on Canadianconstruction projects. Ideally the issue of workabilityand performance will be addressed during the bid-ding phase of the project, but the pre-constructionmeeting also provides an opportunity for the concretesupplier and concrete contractor to modify the pro-posed mix designs to meet the contractor’s actualproduction methods, construction schedule and jobspecic challenges.

While special concrete performance can be dened inan innite number of ways, some of the more com-mon examples of specialty performance include (seeAppendix I for more detailed descriptions of each ofthese items):

◆ Self Consolidating Concrete (SCC)◆ Winter Concrete◆ Hot/Cold Weather Concrete◆ High Early Concrete◆ Fibre Reinforced Concrete◆ C-XL Concrete◆ Architectural Concrete◆ Surface Hardened Concrete◆ High Volume Supplementary Cementing

Materials (HVSCM 1 & 2)





Specication of Standard CSA ConcreteExposure ClassesPersons involved in the concrete construction indus-try should be aware of the standard CSA A23.1 con-crete exposure classes that are most often referenced

in specications and on construction drawings. Thecurrent edition of CSA A23.1/.2 denes the followingconcrete exposure classes:

◆ “C” Class Concrete exposed to chloridesor other severe environmentswith or without freezing andthawing conditions

◆ “F” Class Concrete exposed to f reez-ing and thawing but not tochlorides

◆ “A” Class Concrete exposed to a ggres-sive agricultural waste, mu-nicipal sewage or industrialefuent

◆ “S” Class Concrete exposed to sulphateexposure

◆ “N” Class Concrete n ot exposed to chlo-rides or freezing and thawing

The CSA A23.1/.2 standard goes on to specify addition-al sub-classes of concrete exposure based upon addi-

tional concrete exposure conditions and sets minimumperformance requirements based upon these variousexposures in Tables 2, 3 & 4. Additional technical infor-mation relating to these exposure classes is available inAppendix J (CSA Concrete Exposure Classes).

Concrete Testing RequirementsIt is important to ensure that the concrete testing com-pany selected to perform both the plastic and hard-ened concrete testing is properly qualied to performthe work. Items to be addressed include:

◆ CSA Laboratory Certication – Conrmationthat the selected laboratory has been certiedby the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for concrete testing. Concrete testing labora-tories performing lab testing after January 1,2007, should have a valid CCIL Type H certica-tion before being allowed to test concrete (seeAppendix G )

◆ Field Technician Certication – As per CSAA23.1 all concrete eld testing must be com-pleted by a technician with the appropriatequalications to properly test concrete. Therecognized certications include CSA, ACI andCCIL eld testing technician certications. Theinspector must also have a wallet card conrm-ing that they are qualied to test concrete.Concrete testing technicians performing eldtesting after March 1, 2006, should have avalid CCIL Type J certication card before beingallowed to test concrete on the jobsite (seeAppendix G )

◆ Identifying the Minimum Project TestingRequirements – CSA A23.1 and the contractspecications will indicate both the types ofconcrete tests and minimum concrete testingfrequency that is required for the project. Theserequirements should be reviewed by all partiesprior to the start of work and the responsibilityfor scheduling the required testing assigned tothe appropriate person

◆ Concrete On-Site Performance Acceptance

& Rejection – The minimum performance re-quirements and the associated acceptabilityranges should be included in each performancemix design submission so that all parties areaware of the acceptance and rejection criteria.A clear procedure must be developed which in-dicates the steps that will be taken when theplastic concrete testing indicates that the con-crete does not conform to specications


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◆ Designating a Concrete Testing Area – Priorto the placement of concrete on any projectthe concrete testing area and concrete samplestorage area should be clearly identied. Properconcrete testing procedures require that theconcrete cylinders used to evaluate the com-pressive strength of the concrete be cast asclose as possible to the jobsite curing box. Insome instances this location can be a signicantdistance away from the concrete placement lo-cation so it is critical that all parties discuss theconcrete testing procedures and timelines priorto the placement of concrete

◆ Jobsite Storage of Concrete Test Cylinders– CSA A23.1 requires that all concrete testcylinders be stored in a vibration free environ-ment with the temperature maintained between

15 – 25°C. In addition, the curing environmentmust protect the samples from moisture loss.These requirements are best achieved throughthe use of a temperature controlled curing box.Storage of concrete test cylinders in (or under)a construction trailer is not acceptable and mayproduce a test result that does not actually rep-resent the quality of the concrete supplied

◆ Transportation of Test Cylinders to theTesting Lab – CSA A23.1/.2 species that con-crete with a compressive strength of less than35 MPa must be transported to the laboratoryfor demoulding within a maximum of 76 hours.Concrete samples with strengths of 35 MPa orhigher must be transported to the laboratory fordemoulding with 28 hours ± 8 hours. If the con-crete contains signicant amounts of retarderthere may be a need to extend the onsite curingperiod to ensure that the concrete has gainedsufcient strength to be safely transported (thisshould be addressed at the pre-constructionmeeting prior to concrete placement). Cylindersshould be transported in an upright position,secured to prevent damage during transporta-tion and the temperature maintained between15 – 25°C during the entire transportation pro-cess

◆ Distribution of Concrete Test Reports– Concrete test reports should be immediatelydistributed to all members of the constructionteam using electronic web based platform likeCMATS™ to ensure that everyone has immedi-ate access to the test information. In all cases

both the contractor and the concrete suppliermust have immediate access to the test infor-mation since they are in the position to imme-diately take corrective action to address anypotential problems. While 7 day test results arenot typically used for acceptance, it is criticalthat this information be immediately suppliedto the construction team since these results mayprompt immediate changes to the mix designson the project even before the 28 day resultsare available

◆ Distribution of Early Break Test Results –Early break test results used to determine whenformwork can be safely removed or when con-crete elements can be exposed to construc-tion loading conditions should be immediatelydistributed to all members of the construction

team. Concrete samples used to evaluate thein place properties of the concrete are typicallyexposed to the same site conditions as the in-place concrete and the standard CSA A23.1/.2initial curing requirements do not apply

◆ Early Strength vs. Final Strength Require-ments and Field vs. Lab Samples – Due toissues relating to the concrete constructionschedule, it is not uncommon for the contrac-tor’s early strength requirements to govern thedevelopment of the concrete mix design (i.e.the designer species 25 MPa concrete @ 28days for the suspended oor slab, but the con-tractor species 20 MPa in 48 hours due to theproposed form cycling schedule). In these in-stances it is important to realize that there aretwo separate testing protocols that must be fol-lowed. The rst concrete compressive strengthtesting program is based upon the contractors48 hour specication requirement and is basedupon eld cured test cylinders to conrm thatsufcient strength has been achieved beforethe forms can be safely moved. The secondconcrete compressive strength testing programis based upon concrete samples cast and curedaccording to CSA A23.1 requirements. Thelaboratory-cured samples are used to evaluatethe concrete from an owner’s/consultants ac-ceptance standpoint and are treated in a com-pletely different manner





Chapter 5 Concrete OrderingProcedures

While general contractors and concrete sup-pliers all have unique procedures for theprocessing and handling of concrete or-

ders for their construction projects, it is important thatthe minimum ordering requirements are identied andaddressed by both stakeholders.

It is strongly recommended that a formal quotationprovided by the concrete supplier and/or a purchaseorder issued by the general contractor be used forthe ordering of all concrete. These documents should

specify the anticipated quantity and class of concretebeing ordered and be identied by their unique mixnumber (see minimum document requirements inChapter 2).

General contractors should place orders for concretedirectly with the appropriate order entry/dispatch per-sonnel. Concrete sales and management personnelmay assist by facilitating communications betweencompany dispatch personnel and the customer. Theconrmation of the order and the time of delivery

should be the responsibility of the order entry/dispatchpersonnel.

The concrete supplier should explain their company’smethods for receiving orders. Most orders are receivedby telephone, over a dedicated line, or directly into theorder entry/dispatch ofce. Some company’s receiveorders by fax and most recently by email.

Concrete Order EntryAs orders are received, they are recorded on the ap-

propriate order entry form or entered directly into theconcrete supplier’s dispatch software. Each concretecompany should use the Checklist for Ordering andScheduling Ready Mixed Concrete (sample in Appen-dix K) as developed by the NRMCA and ASCC in the United States and modied for use by RMCAO on Ca-nadian projects, or their own internal form. The rec-ommended minimum information required for enter-ing an order is:

◆ Name and address of the customer◆ Individual placing the order and contact

information (particularly a cell phone number)◆ Date and time the order was received◆ Customer number; all customers, except

pre-paid and COD customers, should beassigned a customer number by the concretesupplier accounting department

◆ Product and quantity desired. This shouldinclude the mix number and any additionalrequirements (bres, colour, etc.)

◆ Type of order (conrmed, will call, weatherpermitting, etc.)

◆ Purpose or use of the concrete and methodof placement

◆ Address of the delivery and detailed directionsto the site

◆ Requested date and time of delivery◆ Special site conditions. These may include;

no truck rinse water permitted on site;personal protective equipment; etc.

◆ Conrm the type of placement (pump, bucket,chutes, etc.)

◆ Delivery rate (m 3 /hr)




Chapter 5 – Concrete Ordering Procedures

◆ Special requests (minimum truck size, conveyorbelt, concrete pumps, etc.)

◆ Individual receiving the order (general contrac-tor, sub-contractor, etc.)

All orders should be veried to a Purchase Order orConcrete Quotation Form ( Appendix D ), where appli-cable. The general contractor should identify who hasauthority to add value added products to the orderand the acceptable method of verication (verbal, up-dated purchase order number, etc.)

Directions to the JobsiteOnce the concrete order has been placed the concretesupplier should be provided with clear and under-standable site information in order to properly dispatchthe concrete trucks to the jobsite. The person placingthe order should also provide additional information,such as:

◆ Street entrance location with assigned gatenumbers when there are multiple entrancelocations

◆ Layout of the proposed structures and build-ings indicating the appropriate names of thestructures (i.e. detached parking garage,Building 1, Shop 2, etc.)

◆ Layout of the proposed tower cranes orproposed concrete pumping locations(Tower 1, Pump Location 3, etc.)

◆ Location for concrete truck washout◆ Location for proper site egress

Dispatch ProcessWhen the concrete supplier is developing their de-livery cycle they must consider many factors; totalnumber of trucks available in their eet, the numberand locations of concrete plants that could supply the

project, and the number and production demands ofadditional concrete customers. In some instances thisprocess is now automated, but in most instances thisprocess is still radio controlled. The concrete suppliermust consider all these factors when attempting tobalance their delivery cycle.

All concrete customers must submit their concrete or-ders with a minimum of 24 hours notice. For specialtyconcrete applications and products this pre-orderingperiod may be signicantly increased and these limita-

tions should have been identied during both the bid-ding and the pre-construction meeting processes.

The general contractor is responsible for supplyingthe dispatcher with requested concrete quantity anddelivery rates. It is the responsibility of the concretedispatcher to integrate these requests into their dailyproduction schedules. The concrete dispatcher maytherefore request that large volume or high deliveryrate concrete projects be scheduled during off-peakload times. In extreme cases there may be a need to

move to evening and weekends to accommodateextremely demanding projects. Early communicationof these requirements is a critical component to thesuccess of the project.




Chapter 5 – Concrete Ordering Procedures

Specialty Concrete ProductsCSA A23.1 clause 5.2.1.1 requires that all concreteproducts used in the production of ready mixed con-crete be added by the concrete supplier. This require-ment then necessitates early communication of valueadded products, such as colour, bres, corrosion in-hibitors, non-chloride based accelerators, specialty ag-gregates, etc., so that the concrete supplier can havethe necessary quantity of material on hand for theproject. Note: There is an exception for the additionof structural steel bres (and therefore responsibilityfor concrete performance) by members of the CFCAO

in Ontario. It should be noted that the concrete sup-plier may not take responsibility for the nal concreteperformance with the addition of certain materialsby third parties or where materials are prescriptivelyspecied.

Specialty concrete products may also raise the issue ofplant added vs. site added materials. The preferred lo-cation for the addition of value added materials is theconcrete supplier’s plant. A permanent location allowsfor greater use of automated dispensing systems and areduced likelihood of unintended errors. This does notmean that site material addition should be eliminatedsince there may be instances where the site additionof raw materials is either warranted or preferred froma concrete performance standpoint.




Chapter 6 Transporting andReceiving Concrete

Each concrete supplier will have a unique proce-dure for supplying concrete to projects. The de-livery process begins when the ready mixed con-

crete truck leaves the yard and ends when the truckreturns to the plant or other designated facility.

Truck TrackingThe dispatcher at the concrete plant is responsible forutilizing a suitable method of tracking all their readymixed concrete trucks. Concrete truck drivers may bein constant radio contact with dispatch or may drive atruck equipped with a global positioning system (GPS)locator system linked to a truck tracking softwaresystem. The concrete dispatcher will be aware of thecurrent status (loading, mixing, transit to jobsite, andholding at jobsite, unloading, washing out, transit toplant) of the vehicles in their eet.

Jobsite Monitoring and ControlReady mixed concrete is unique as a construction ma-terial in that it is supplied to the jobsite in a plasticstate and can be moulded into any shape required. Be-cause of this fact the ready mixed concrete truck driv-

ers are very important representatives of the concretesupplier. They are responsible for ensuring the propermixing and transportation of the concrete to the job-site. They represent the rst level of technical servicefor the concrete supplier and are in direct contact withboth the customer and the concrete plant. While eachconcrete supplier is responsible for providing the nec-essary training for their concrete drivers, the RMCAOhas developed a Truck Driver Certication Program foruse by its members starting in 2006.

Duties of a concrete truck driver include:◆ Ensuring the general contractors representative

receives and signs the concrete delivery ticketsfor the concrete supplied

◆ Conrming that appearance of the concrete isas expected given the properties specied onthe delivery ticket

◆ Conrming that the concrete slump is withinthe range specied for the project

◆ Observing the sampling and testing proceduresof the owner’s testing agency

◆ Observing the proper care and handling of con-crete cylinders

◆ Ensuring proper procedures are followed forthe jobsite addition of water

◆ Loading or assisting with the loading of siteadded materials

◆ Documenting the actual quantities of anymaterials added to the load on the site

◆ Documenting any adverse weather or jobsiteconditions at the time of concrete placement

Deviations from normal practices, as listed above, ne-cessitate prompt notication of dispatch, batch plant,and/or technical services personnel. In such cases,each concrete supplier will follow their own standardresponse procedures.

On major and/or unique projects technical servicespersonnel often visit the site to observe operations

and monitor concrete sampling and testing. Specicareas observed include water demand, rate of slumploss, workability, bleeding rate, nishing characteris-tics, and time of set. Technical services personnel mayalso perform their own quality control testing as partof the concrete supplier’s standard quality controlprocedures.




Chapter 6 – Transporting and Receiving Concrete

Prior to pump placements it is recommended thatthe Checklist for Concrete Pumping be reviewed. TheChecklist was developed by the National Ready MixedConcrete Association, the American Society of Con-crete Contractors, and the American Concrete Pump-ing Association and modied by RMCAO for use onCanadian projects ( Appendix H ).

Identication and TraceabilityThe ready mixed concrete that is delivered to the job-site must be identiable and traceable. If it is later de-termined that a critical nonconforming mix componentwas used in batching concrete, it may be importantto locate concrete used at other locations or projectswith the same defective material. The concrete deliv-ery ticket must identify the plant and time that the

concrete was batched and the truck number of thetruck delivering the concrete. From this information,the batch tickets at the plant can be reviewed by theconcrete supplier and the component materials deter-mined. RMCAO’s plant certication program ensuresthat the concrete delivery tickets meet the necessaryrequirements and require that the concrete supplierretain all applicable records for a minimum period of7 years.

Verication of Correct ConcreteOrderingSince there are multiple mix designs for most concreteprojects and the need for accelerated constructionschedules exist, it is not uncommon for multiple con-crete placements to take place at the same time on the

jobsite. The general contractor must implement a con-crete verication system to ensure that the concretesupplied for the placement is the actual concrete thatshould be used in the construction of the element. Thebasic steps in this process are as follows:

◆ Identication of the personnel authorized toverify the correct ordering and receiving of con-crete on the job should be established in thepre-construction meeting (site super, assistantsite super, sub-contractor, etc.) and recorded ondelivery ticket

◆ The ready mix drivers should notify the autho-rized personnel on the job what mix they havevia the delivery ticket before the concrete is un-loaded from the truck

◆ The designated representative on the job shouldconrm the details of the concrete delivery tick-et with the master mix design summary prior topouring (as specied in the contract documentsand approved by the Owner’s representative atthe pre-construction meeting)

◆ If there are any disputes between what wasordered and what was delivered, the concreteshould not be unloaded and the issue must beresolved immediately

◆ The person purchasing the concrete is respon-sible to ensure that the correct concrete is or-dered and received on the jobsite

◆ The concrete shall be tested for acceptanceprior to being sent to the area of concreteplacement (see Chapter 7 ). No adjustmentsto the concrete mix shall be performed by anyparty other than the concrete supplier (i.e.water and plasticizer addition). Any variationsor irregularities in the concrete shall be reportedto the concrete supplier and general contractorimmediately upon being observed

◆ All concrete mixes should be checked for airentrainment at the start of each pour (whetherthe concrete is air-entrained or not)

◆ Each concrete truck should be unloaded within2 hours of batching as per CSA A23.1/.2. Theonly exception to this requirement is whenchemical retarders have been approved to pro-vide a delayed concrete set (as discussed at thepre-construction or pre-placement meeting)

◆ The actual volume of each pour should be com-pared with the theoretical volume to ensurethat no large discrepancies have occurred

◆ Collecting and delivering all signed concretetickets to the site management ofce




Chapter 7 Measurement and Acceptance of Concrete

This section denes the parameters that allowthe custody of the concrete to change overfrom the concrete supplier to the concrete con-

tractor. Delivery certicates, signing authorities andperformance criteria are dened in this section alongwith the allowable eld adjustments that can be madeto the fresh concrete if the properties do not meet theoriginally specied requirements.

Concrete Compressive StrengthIn accordance with CSA A23.1 for standard cured cyl-

inders, “the strength level of each class of concreteshall be considered satisfactory if the averages of allsets of 3 consecutive strength tests for that class atone age, equal or exceed the specied strength andno individual strength test is more than 3.5 MPa be-low the specied strength”.

Essentially, the failure of one strength test (an aver-age of two cylinders) to meet the specied strength isnot truly a failure unless the above conditions are notmet. For example, for a 25 MPa (specied) mix, if the

reported strength of a set of two cylinders is an aver-age of 23.5 MPa, but all sets of three consecutive testsis 25.3 MPa, then the strength criteria has been met,and all concerned parties should be notied of such.

Remedial measures in the event of a failure include:◆ changes in the mix proportions for the remain-

der of the work◆ additional curing on those portions of the

structure represented by the test specimens◆

non-destructive testing◆ cores to be drilled from the portions of the

structure in question and destructive testingbe performed

◆ load testing of the structure or structuralelements

Remedial measures should never be initiated withoutdiscussion and agreement between the owner, gen-

eral contractor, sub-contractor and concrete supplier.In addition to the test results supplied by the testingcompany, the concrete supplier may have internal testresults that may conrm or dispute the site testing.

If corresponding Quality Control (QC) results are notavailable to indicate that specied strengths havebeen achieved, and coring is requested to verify in-situ

strength, the owner, general contractor, sub-contrac-tor, concrete supplier and concrete testing companyshould reach agreement on the following points be-fore proceeding with an investigation:

1. The coring sub and/or lab selected to performthe work. The company performing the initialtesting should not be used due to an inherentconict of interest

2. Assigning responsibility for costs of coring andtesting that will be dependent on the outcome

of the additional testing3. Conrm how the results of the selectedtesting method will be interpreted (in gen-eral, the strength of cores is satisfactory if theaverage of 3 samples meets or exceeds 85% of thespecied strength, and no individual core is lessthan 75%, as per CSA A23.1. For high strengthconcrete, these values change to 90% and 80%respectively)




Chapter 7 – Measurement and Acceptance of Concrete

Plastic Concrete Testing RequirementsThe following are recommended procedures for plas-tic concrete testing:

◆ The contractor shall designate during thepre-construction or pre-placement meetingthe individual on site who is responsible forthe acceptance and/or rejection of concrete

◆ The concrete test agency representative willbe instructed to report the results of all plasticconcrete testing to the designated contractor,owner and concrete supplier representative assoon as completed. Any tests that fail to satisfy

the specied criteria (previously communicatedduring the pre-construction meeting) shall berepeated immediately. If the non-conformanceis conrmed, the load shall be quarantineduntil the general contractor decides on the nextcourse of action

◆ As a minimum, the following CSA tests shouldbe performed:

a. CSA A23.2-1C Sampling Plastic Concrete. b. CSA A23.1-3C Making and Curing

Concrete Compression and Flexural TestSpecimens c. CSA A23.2-4C Air Content of Plastic

Concrete by the Pressure Method d. CSA A23.2-5C Slump and Slump Flow of

Concrete e. CSA A23.2-6C Density, Yield and Cement-

ing Materials Factor of Plastic Concrete

◆ Minimum Frequency of Tests: a. Strength: Not less than one test for every

100 m 3 of concrete placed, with no fewerthan one test for each class of concreteplaced on any one day

b. Slump: A sufcient number of tests must beconducted to establish consistency. It is rec-ommended to test the rst 3 loads per mixper day, one for every strength test, and onefor every air test

c. Air content: For classes C-XL, C-1 andC-2, every load until consistency is attained,

every 3rd load thereafter. An air test must beperformed with every strength test (even ifthe concrete is not air entrained)

d. Unit weight: Once per week per mix

Site Addition of WaterResponsibility for addition of water on site will vary de-pending on whether the concrete was specied usingthe Prescriptive or Performance specication alterna-tives of CSA A23.1.

◆ Prescriptive: The owner assumes full responsi-bility for the quality of concrete delivered, andas such is solely responsible for the manage-ment of performance. If the slump is less thanspecied, the owner’s representative on sitemust indicate whether water may be added.

◆ Performance: The concrete supplier assumesfull responsibility for the quality of concrete asdelivered, and as such is solely responsible for




Chapter 7 – Measurement and Acceptance of Concrete

the management of performance. If the slumpis less than specied, the supplier’s representa-tive alone may indicate whether water may beadded.

In the Performance alternative identied above, thewater addition must also satisfy the requirements ofCSA A23.1-04 Clause 5.2.4.3.2, which requires:

◆ The concrete is less than 1 hour old◆ The water addition will not exceed the

specied maximum w/cm ratio◆ The water added does not exceed 16 L/m 3

and 10% of the mixing water◆ The specied slump is not exceeded◆ The addition of water is only at the start of

discharge◆ The concrete is mixed for a minimum 30

revolutions at mixing speed

Time of DeliveryThe responsibility for adherence to the maximum al-lowable time limit from initial mixing of concrete tocomplete discharge shall be clearly dened at the pre-construction meeting. Unless otherwise specied inthe pre-construction or pre-placement meeting (via

the use of retarders, hydration control admixtures,etc.) the maximum allowable time for discharge afterinitial mixing shall be 120 minutes per CSA A23.1. Thistime shall only be extended if the concrete is designedto use the appropriate amount of chemical retardersto provide a specied set retardation.

Failure of Concrete Tests in MeetingSpecied RequirementsWhen the reported results for any concrete propertyfails to satisfy the specied criteria, all members of theconstruction team should be notied and correctiveaction immediately taken. This will include the gen-eral contractor, sub-contractor and concrete supplier.Experience shows that addressing issues in a timelymanner can often minimize costs and potential con-struction delays.




Chapter 8 Conveying, Placing,Consolidating andFinishing

The design and pre-qualication of concrete mix-es for desired performance properties is criticalfor achieving the intended nished product.

Equally important in achieving quality is the adherenceto effective practices in conveying (from the concretedelivery truck), placing (into the forms being con-structed) consolidating and nishing. The CSA Stan-dard A23.1 shall be followed at all times with regardto concrete production, reinforcing, placing, nishing,curing and jointing. As previously discussed, no eldactivities shall commence until a pre-construction or

pre-placement meeting has taken place.

InspectionInspection and testing play a vital role in ensuring ahigh quality nished product. The role of the inspec-tion company as a quality assurance partner is a key tosuccess in the eld. The responsibility for quality assur-ance inspection must be assigned at the pre-construc-tion meeting. All necessary inspection approvals mustbe received by the general contractor prior to concreteplacement.

Granular Base PreparationFor slabs on grade, granular base elevations must becontrolled within ±10mm of the specied elevation.These grades should be checked prior to ordering

the concrete pour ( Note: slab thickness reductions> 20 mm requires slabreplacement as per CSAA23.1).

Formed ConcreteSurfacesFor formed sections, dueconsideration of ambientconditions is necessary

to ensure safety in strip-ping and bond strengthsfor anchors. Commonpractice is to design the forming system for a fullliquid head scenario when supplementary cement-ing materials and/or retarding admixtures are used.The formwork designer can optimize their formworkdesign if they consider many of the potential factorsthat can affect the formwork pressures. These factorsmay include: constituent materials, aggregate grada-tions, chemical admixtures, ambient conditions, rate

of pour, etc.

Field cured compressive strength testing is advised toconrm that the minimum strength requirements havebeen achieved before the forms are removed.




Chapter 8 – Conveying, Placing, Consolidating and Finishing

For architectural applications where the designer wish-es to specify a minimum acceptable concrete nish,the construction team should be aware of the Ameri-can Society of Concrete Construction “Guide for Sur-face Finish of Formed Concrete”. This document de-nes the standard terms used in the concrete formingindustry and provides presentation photos (P1 throughP6) and acceptable dimensions for bugholes in formedconcrete surfaces.

ConveyingConveying refers to the method(s) used to transferready mixed concrete from the delivery truck to thepoint of nal placement. Methods utilized include:

truck chutes, concrete pumps, truck mounted or sta-tionary conveyors, crane and bucket, motorized bug-gies, wheelbarrows, etc. In all cases, the equipmentselected should be of the design, size and conditionto ensure a continuous supply of concrete without un-necessary delay, and without harmfully affecting theconcrete properties. The conveying method may causesegregation of the mix, changes in plastic propertiessuch as measured slump and air content, and signi-cantly impact the nal product. Changes in convey-ing methods should be discussed prior to any place-

ment, so any necessary mix changes can be made bythe concrete supplier. For further information, refer toCSA A23.1-04 Clauses 7.1 and 7.2.

PlacingThe placing of concrete is the act of depositing into theforms as close as practical to the nal position withoutcausing segregation. This may require inserting pumpdischarge hoses down into the formwork, the use of

elephant trunks, or other methods to ensure the free-fall from the conveying equipment is minimized toavoid segregation. A good guide is to minimize freef-all to less than 1.5m. If greater heights must be useddue to reinforcing or formwork details, discussionsshould be held with the concrete supplier to deter-mine whether mix adjustments should be made.

Concrete should be placed in approximate horizontallayers (for walls, columns and beams) at a rate thatallows each successive lift to be vibrated into the previ-ous lift for proper bonding. The placement should bea continuous operation until the section being con-structed is completed.

Initial ProtectionProtection of the plastic concrete from the rapid sur-face evaporation has become more essential with theuse of high volume supplementary cementing materi-als and specialty admixtures. Facilities shall be put intoplace such as fog spraying, evaporation reducers andwind breaks to protect the concrete from prematuredrying.

Minimum Qualications of

Concrete FinishersThe nishing contractor should have a valid ACI Flat-work Finisher/Technician Certication. This indi-vidual should be identied during the pre-constructionmeeting.




General Notes:◆ Unit water content should be minimized to

reduce shrinkage and a mid or high rangeplasticizing admixture used to produce thedesired slump.

◆ Concrete set times can be dramaticallyeffected by such things as: admixtures,ambient air temperature; haul time, sub-grade/formwork temperature; materialtemperature; SCM replacement levels andconcrete thickness.

◆ Concrete oor contractor shall be a memberin good standing of the Concrete FloorContractors Association of Ontario (CFCAOwww.concreteoors.ca) and have ACI Flat-

work Finisher/Technician Certication .◆ Concrete suppliers shall have a valid “Certi-

cate of Ready Mixed Concrete ProductionFacilities” as issued by the Ready MixedConcrete Association of Ontario (RMCAOwww.rmcao.org).

* Minimum strength to be determined by owner

Chapter 8 – Conveying, Placing, Consolidating and Finishing

INTERIOR CONCRETE FLOOR SLAB – CONCRETE QUICK SPECS

ConcreteApplication

ConcreteFloor (CF)

Designation

MaximumW/CM

Minimum28 Day

Strength*

Maximum CoarseAggregate Size

PlasticizedSlump Range

At Point ofDeposit

COVERED APPLICATIONS (concrete with an applied nish such as carpet or vinyl)

Slab on Grade CF 1 0.65 20 MPa 20 mm (Hand Screed)40 mm (Mech. Screed) 100 – 130 mm

Suspended Slabs* CF 2 0.65 20 MPa 20 mm 100 – 130 mm

EXPOSED APPLICATIONS (with or without oor hardener)

Slab on Grade CF 3 0.55 25 MPa 20 mm (Hand Screed)40 mm (Mech. Screed) 100 – 130 mm

Suspended Slab* CF 4 0.55 25 MPa 20 mm 100 – 130 mm

Specialty Applications(Super Flat, LowShrinkage, SCC, etc.)

Obtain recommendations from Concrete Floor Contractor and Concrete Supplier




Chapter 9 Concrete Protection andCuring Requirements

The precautionary procedures and methods usedby the construction team must ensure that theenvironmental conditions for the fresh concrete

are maintained within minimum thermal and moistureconditions identied in CSA A23.1. A level of aware-ness and accountability for these procedures needs tobe transmitted during the pre-construction meeting toensure that the precautionary methods are maintainedthroughout the construction program. CSA A23.1/.2– 04 is the base standard that governs most minimumrequirements for curing and protection.

Concrete mixes incorporating speciality admixturesand High Volume Supplementary Cementing Materi-als (HVSCM) requires special handling and protection.

Concrete ProtectionProtection is summarized as additional precaution-ary methods used on fresh or immature concrete toprevent injurious degradation due to adverse weatherconditions such as wind, precipitation and extremetemperatures. The climatic conditions (wind, humid-

ity, radiation, temperature, etc.) can contribute directlyto the degree of surface drying. The concrete mixtureconstituents can also signicantly contribute to thedrying potential of the concrete surface.

Protection must be planned and available for all ex-posed and freshly placed concrete surfaces. Particularattention need be made to the surface sheen of theconcrete. As the surface sheen disappears, the po-tential for surface drying and plastic shrinkage is en-hanced. Tradepersons must be ever on the alert for

such drying conditions and be prepared to restore ahigher level of surface humidity by utilizing a fog spraydirectly above the surface of the affected concrete.This operation needs to be continuous in maintain-ing the surface sheen, but not applied to the extentthat surface ponding or erosion becomes prevalent.Thermal protection must be applied and maintaineduntil the requirements of Table 21 of CSA A23.1-04are achieved (see Table 1 ).

Protective measures that can be taken to prevent pre-mature surface drying include: fog misting, applica-tion of monomolecular lms (evaporation retardants),wind breaks, etc. Protective measures to reduce ther-mal gradients on exposed surfaces include the applica-tion of insulated tarps or heated enclosures.

Concrete CuringCuring differs from protection in that curing providesthe temperature and moisture conditions for the periodof time necessary for concrete to develop its strength,durability and other properties through hydration andpozzolanic reactions.

Curing most affects the concrete in the ‘curing-affected zone’ . This depth can vary from 5 mm to15 mm in depth below the concrete surface. Concretecharacteristics that are affected include: degree of hy-

dration, liquid or air permeability, initial surface absorp-tion, abrasion resistance and depth of carbonation.Curing can be achieved by a number of methods in-cluding: ponding or continuous sprinkling, absorptivemats or fabrics, curing compounds, waterproof paperor plastic lms, forms left in place, vapour mist baths,etc. (see Table 2 ).




Chapter 9 – Concrete Protection and Curing Requirements

Table 1: Concrete Curing Requirements

Allowable Curing Regimes (CSA A23.1 – Table 20)Curing Type Name Description

1 Basic 3 days at ≥ 10°C or for a time necessary to attain 40% of thespecied strength

2 Additional 7 days at ≥ 10°C and for a time necessary to attain 70% of thespecied strength

3 Extended A wet-curing period of 7 days. The curing types allowed are ponding,continuous sprinkling, absorptive mat or fabric kept continuously wet

Method of curing and duration can depend upon theexposure class of the concrete and the end use of theconcrete surface (surface wear and abrasion history).Effective curing requires regular supervisory inspec-tions and may include regular remedial attention and

re-application. For curing to be adequately addressedand monitored, it should be a line item on a schedulewhere manpower and resources are costed against itsperformance. Curing must be initiated immediately af-ter the nal nishing operations. Research has shownthat delaying the curing by as little as 2 hours can haveextremely detrimental effects to the quality and dura-bility of the concrete.

With permission of Canadian Standards Association, material is reproduced from CSA Standard, A23.1-04/A23.2-04, Concrete Materials and Methods of Concrete Construction/ Methods of Test and Standard Practices for Concrete, which is copyrighted by Canadian Standards Association, 178 Rexdale Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, M9W 1R3. While the use ofthis material has been authorized, CSA shall not be responsible for the manner in which the information is presented, nor for any interpretations thereof. For more informationon CSA or to purchase standards, please visit our website at www.shopcsa.ca or call 1-800-463-6727.




Table 2: Potential Methods of Supplying Concrete Curing

Moisture LossPrevention

Curing Compounds

Form a membrane over the top surface of the concrete preventingmoisture loss

Should be applied in two applications with the second being at rightangles to the rst to ensure uniform coverage

Should be applied as soon as the concrete surface is nished and whenthere is no free water on the surface

Must be applied at the manufacturers suggested application rate

Conrm that this curing method is suitable for the nal oor coveringapplication

Plastic Sheeting

Ensure that the plastic sheeting covers 100% of the concretesurface and that it is adequately sealed at the edges to prevent moistureloss (water may be added to the surface prior to the application of theplastic)

Select the appropriate colour (white, black, or clear) of the plastic basedupon the ambient air conditions

If uniform colour is a requirement for the project this curing method maynot be suitable

Ensure that plastic sheeting is not damaged by subsequentconstruction activities during the curing period

Leaving Formworkin Place

This system is most effective for vertical elements (walls, columns,beams, etc). Care must be taken to also protect the top surface of theconcrete appropriately

“Breaking” or “Releasing” the formwork dramatically reduces theeffectiveness of this curing method since air ow is now possiblebetween the concrete and the formwork

If uniform colour is an issue then a uniform curing time andtemperature must also be maintained and form removal scheduled

accordingly

SupplyingSupplemental

Moisture

Water Ponding

Flooding of the concrete surface to provide both moisture and a uniformcuring temperature

Curing water should not be more than 12°C cooler than the concretetemperature to avoid the possibility of thermal cracking

The water must cover the entire concrete surface

Water Sprinkling

Spraying water over the concrete surface. The entire concrete surfacemust be wet for this method to be effective

The concrete surface must have sufcient strength to avoid damagingthe surface

Excess water will run off the concrete and must be drained away

This protection method can be adversely affected by high winds whichprevent proper curing on the “upwind” side

Wet Burlap,Geotextile andCoated Paper

Pre-soaked burlap is applied to the concrete surface and is coveredwith plastic to prevent moisture loss or water is reapplied as necessaryto prevent the material from drying out

Burlap should be rinsed prior to its rst use to avoid possible staining(consider the use of other products)

Materials utilizing both geotextile fabric and plastic top coatings can bereused throughout the project

Chapter 9 – Concrete Protection and Curing Requirements




Chapter 10 Concrete Testing and Reporting

Concrete testing is the most common methodused to conrm that the concrete supplied tothe project is acceptable to the owner. The

contract documents must therefore clearly identify theconcrete test methods and the acceptance criteria thatwill be used to evaluate the concrete supplied to theproject.

Reviewing the test methods specied and setting upthe appropriate concrete verication system is oneof the major tasks of the pre-construction meeting.

Through the process of measuring key indicators,monitoring the concrete placement and analyzing theresults of the testing program, we can:

◆ Evaluate the consistency of the concrete supplyto the project

◆ Improve the concrete production and placingprocess

◆ Evaluate the effectiveness of the concretetesting system in ensuring quality concrete issupplied to the project

Normal Concrete Test MethodsThe standard concrete test methods that can be usedon all projects include:

◆ CSA A23.2-1C Sampling Plastic Concrete◆ CSA A23.1-3C Making and Curing Concrete

Compression and Flexural Test Specimens◆ CSA A23.2-4C Air Content of Plastic Concrete

by the Pressure Method◆ CSA A23.2-5C Slump and Slump Flow of Con-

crete◆ CSA A23.2-6C Density, Yield and Cementing

Materials Factor of Plastic Concrete◆ CSA A23.2- 16C Standard Test Method for the

Determination of Steel Fibre Content in PlasticConcrete

Standard Frequency of Testing◆ Strength: Not less than one test for every

100 m 3 of concrete placed, with no fewer thanone test for each class of concrete placed onany one day

◆ Slump: A sufcient number of tests must beconducted to establish consistency. It is recom-

mended to test the rst 3 loads per mix per day,one for every strength test, and one for everyair test

◆ Air Content: All concrete mixes should be test-ed for air entrainment (whether air entrainedor not). For classes C-2, C-1 and C-XL, everyload until consistency is attained, every 3rd loadthereafter. An air test must be performed withevery strength test




Chapter 10 – Concrete Testing and Reporting

◆ Unit Weight: Once per week per mix◆ Speciality Testing Requirements: Non-stan-

dard test methods (such as AVS, RCP or LinearShrinkage testing) shall be identied in thecontract documents and specically addressedduring the pre-construction meeting

Minimum Testing QualicationsEnsuring that all concrete testing is performed in ac-cordance with CSA A23.1/.2 is a major concern forall members of the construction team. The minimumqualications for the performance of the concretetesting program should be as follows:

◆ Laboratory Certication Requirements –The concrete laboratory should be both certi-ed to CSA A283 – Qualication Code for Con-crete Testing Laboratories and also have CCILType H certication after January 1, 2007 (cop-ies of both certications to be submitted at thepre-construction meeting). In addition, the lab-oratory should only conduct the concrete test-ing for the test methods that they are certiedto perform. This information is included in CSA

A283 and includes the following levels. • Category O – Basic Tests (CSA A23.2 1A,

1C, 3C, 4C, 5C, 9C & ASTM C1064) • Category I – Intermediate Tests (CSA

A23.2 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A, 10A, 11A,12A, 13A, 2C, 6C, 7C, 14C)

• Category II – Advanced Tests (CSA A23.28A, 9A, 18A, 11C, 12C)

◆ Field Personnel Certication Requirements– The concrete eld testing technician perform-ing the onsite testing of the concrete must beeither CSA or ACI certied and must have avalid CCIL Type J certication after July 1, 2006,in order to test the concrete. The CCIL Type Jcertication includes annual verication of test-ing competence and allows for third party veri-cation of proper testing procedures.

Distribution of Test InformationConcrete test reports should be immediately distrib-uted to all members of the construction team usingCMATS™ (Appendix C ) to ensure that everyone hasimmediate access to the test information. In all in-stances both the person ordering the concrete andthe concrete supplier must have immediate access tothe test information since they are in the position toimmediately take corrective action to address any po-tential problems. While 7 day test results are not typi-cally used for acceptance, it is critical that this informa-tion be immediately supplied to the construction teamsince these results may prompt immediate changes tothe mix designs on the project even before the 28 dayresults are available.




Recording and Reporting ofTest InformationAccess to the concrete test result information shouldbe supplied instantaneously to all the people identiedon the concrete test result distribution list via CMATS™

as the test results are reviewed and approved by thetesting company. The testing company shall providean electronic copy of the standard test report in PDFformat for use by the construction team. In additionto the standard compressive test report, the testingcompany should provide the following summaries permix design supplied to the project:

◆ Graphical representation of the speciedand actual compressive strength results(see Figure 1)

◆ Average strength value for each age that theconcrete is tested

◆ Average slump value for the mix design◆ Average air content for the mix design◆ Identication of non-conforming concrete test

results◆ Identication and exclusion of non-standard

testing procedures from the statistical analysis

Chapter 10 – Concrete Testing and Reporting




Chapter 11 Evaluation of ConcreteHardened Properties

This section describes some of the typical hard-ened properties specied in concrete construc-tion, provides guidance to test interpretation,

and offers recommendations for additional testing inorder to provide additional supporting evidence ofperformance achieved on site.

It is important to understand that these tests, as re-quired by the CSA standard, are performed on cylin-ders cast either in a laboratory as part of a pre-quali-cation, or on site on concrete sampled from the

concrete delivery equipment. The results represent anevaluation of potential concrete performance. In cas-es where in-situ performance measurements are re-quired, the interpretation of results must also considerthe impacts of placing, curing and ambient conditions.It is recommended that in these cases, correlationsbetween cylinders and in-situ samples be established.

Typical Structural Acceptance Criteria

Compressive StrengthThe strength level of each class of concrete shall beconsidered satisfactory if the average of all sets of 3consecutive strength tests for that class at one ageequal or exceed the specied strength, and no in-dividual strength test is more than 3.5 MPa belowthe specied strength. These requirements shall notapply to eld cured specimens. CSA A23.1-2004,Clause 4.4.6.7.1

For in-situ core testing, to be used only in cases wherethe cylinder strengths fail to satisfy the strength re-quirements above, the compressive strength of theconcrete in the area represented by core tests shall beconsidered adequate if:

1. The average of each set of 3 cores from the por-tion of the structure in question is equal to atleast 85% of the specied strength; and

2. No single core is less than 75% of the speciedstrength.” CSA A23.1-04, Clause 4.4.6.7.2

3. It should be noted that interpretation of coretest results “shall take into consideration theplacing and curing conditions of the concrete”.CSA A23.1-04, Clause 4.4.6.8.1 Note (d)

Hardened Air Void System (AVS)

The hardened air void system properties shall be de-termined prior to the start of construction on concretemade with the same materials and mixing proceduresintended for use on the project. Although no Standardrequirement exists for frequency of testing, it is recom-mended that for exposure classes C-XL, C-1, and C-2,hardened air voids be determined on cylinders cast onsite for every 500 m 3 supplied.

Testing for hardened air voids shall be in accordancewith ASTM C457 using a magnication of between

100 and 125, with testing performed on concrete cyl-inders cast on as delivered concrete in accordance withCSA A23.2-3C, 2004. The air void system is consideredto be satisfactory when the average spacing factor is ≤ 230 µm, with no single test greater than 260 µm andthe air content is > 3.0%. For mixes with w/c ≤ 0.36,the average spacing factor shall not exceed 260 µm,with no single test > 300 µm. Test results shall be valid




Chapter 11 – Evaluation of Concrete Hardened Properties

for a period of 12 months and may be obtained fromthe supply of concrete to another project.

Rapid Chloride Permeability (RCP)The resistance to chloride ion penetration shall be

determined in accordance with ASTM C1202, on cyl-inders cast in accordance with CSA A23.2-3C, 2004.Any mix for which RCP is a requirement shall be pre-qualied prior to use on a project. Pre-qualicationshall include testing of a minimum 2 cylinders, cast onconcrete made with the same materials, mix propor-tions and mixing procedures intended for use on theproject. Test results shall be valid for a period of 12months and may be obtained from the supply of con-crete to another project.

The suggested ASTM C1202 acceptance testing pa-rameter for concrete exposure class C-1 is 1500 cou-lombs average with no single result greater than 1750coulombs when tested at 56 days. Considering thatthe ASTM C1202 test is subject to variations, it isrecommended that the target coulomb value be lessthan 1150 to have a reasonable assurance that the1500 coulomb requirement will be met. The suggest-ed ASTM C 1202 acceptance testing parameter forConcrete Exposure class C-XL is 1000 coulombs aver-age with no single result greater than 1250 coulombs

when tested at 56 days. Considering that the ASTMC1202 test is subject to variations, it is recommend-ed that the target coulomb value be less than 700 tohave a reasonable assurance that the 1000 coulombrequirement will be met.

Although no standard requirement exists for frequencyof testing, it is recommended that for exposure classesC-XL and C-1 RCP testing be conducted for every 500m3 of concrete delivered to the site.

Linear ShrinkageRecently, a number of specications have been set-ting pre-qualication limits on the allowable amountof drying shrinkage acceptable for certain classes ofconcrete. Essentially this test measures the reductionin length of a prism during a specic curing regimeover a given time frame. The drying shrinkage for pre-qualication purposes only shall be evaluated in accor-dance with ASTM C157, except that drying shall be-

gin after 7 days of moist curing as per CSA A23.1-04,Clause 8.9.2. Given this requirement, the test takesapproximately 35 days following mixing to obtain the28 day result.

When this testing is specied the mix design must betested once every 24 months, and the supplier mustcertify performance and indicate the maximum w/cmratio for which the pre-qualication is applicable. Anysignicant change in raw material sources requires a

new qualication. On projects for which this propertyis specied, it is recommended that eld cast speci-mens be taken and shrinkage determined at least onceduring the project, or every 500 m 3 supplied.

RMCAO is currently participating in a research pro-gram with a number of highly qualied consultingengineers to develop a statistical based performancespecication for eld cast linear shrinkage samplesand additional guidelines should be available in thespring of 2006.

CreepCreep is the time dependent deformation (compres-sion) of concrete that occurs as a result of a sustainedload. It is an important engineering property that cansignicantly impact the service life of a structure, andis of primary concern for tall reinforced concrete struc-tures. The amount of creep depends on items suchas the magnitude of the applied load, the age and




Chapter 11 – Evaluation of Concrete Hardened Properties

strength of the concrete when the load is applied, andthe length of time the load is applied.

Factors inuencing creep may include the type,amount and size of the aggregate, the type of ce-

menting materials, the amount of cement paste, thesize and shape of the concrete element, the volumeto surface ratio of the concrete element, the amountof steel reinforcement, prior curing conditions and therelative temperature and humidity.

Creep testing is very time consuming and expensive,taking in excess of one year to complete, so it is notcurrently practical as either a pre-qualication or qual-ity control test.

Modulus of ElasticityThe Modulus of Elasticity represents the relationshipbetween the stress (MPa) and strain (percentage de-formation or mm/mm) of concrete in the elastic rangeof the loading cycle. It can best be described as thestiffness of the material, and is measured in accor-dance with ASTM C469. Modulus of Elasticity is animportant engineering property of concrete, and maybe affected by aggregate type, size and content, theamount of cement paste, w/cm ratio, compressivestrength, etc.

Although not a typical pre-qualication test, the Mod-ulus of Elasticity should be determined for major struc-tural mixes in high rise projects.




Chapter 12 Dispute ResolutionMechanisms

Corrective and Preventative Actions

This process differs from the standard disputepolicies found in CCDC2 in that the CCDC pro-cess is designed to remedy disputes concerning

the contract terms and clauses and their interpreta-tion. This process is designed to address the issue ofproduct failure.

It is essential to develop an acceptable method forparties to share information in the event of a majorfailure on a project. This process recognizes the right

of the concrete industry to protect their proprietary in-terests and yet allow for the exchange of informationbetween the general contractor and their concretesuppliers to resolve disputes quickly and effectively.

The process is not intended to be used in a mannerthat would be deemed to be frivolous, rather it is toassist the parties in resolving serious issues and shouldonly be used in that capacity.

Dispute Resolution ProcessStage 1Problem arises on site and expands beyond the controlof the site personnel to resolve. Meeting is arrangedimmediately with consultant, general contractor, con-crete supplier, and any applicable sub-contractor. Thegeneral contractor and concrete supplier will haveknowledgeable technical personnel attend this meet-ing. As a result of this meeting a solution is arrived atwithout having to go beyond the standard documen-

tation and test results provided for under the contract– no further action required.

Stage 2No resolution in Stage 1. Parties will identify what in-formation or actions may be required to resolve theissue. This may include additional testing and theinvolvement of senior representatives who haveknowledge of the mix design and the site conditions

surrounding the problem. The general contractor mayrequest additional information be conrmed by thesupplier without revealing their proprietary interests.The concrete supplier will make all necessary inquiriesand tests as is reasonably asked for by the consultantor general contractor. Resolution – no further actionrequired.

Stage 3The parties may elect to move directly to this stagebased upon the seriousness of the issue. The most

senior and knowledgeable representatives would beinvolved representing the major stakeholders in theproject, this may include a separate representative ofthe owner, along with external consultants asked toreport on the event. It is at this stage where specicknowledge may be required including a review of thequality procedures at the plant, mix information, plac-ing, curing, etc. All parties must be willing to cooper-ate at this stage to resolve the event. To facilitate the process, an independent party agreed

to by the general contractor and the concrete supplierwill be asked to investigate any and all relevant aspectsof the event. The individual shall be chosen from therecognized third party engineers currently used by theconcrete industry for the plant certication process.The parties will follow the procedures for appointingand holding arbitration as outlined in the Arbitrationand Mediation Institute of Ontario’s guidelines and thearbitration process will be binding on all parties.

Stage 4If the parties fail to come to an agreement to followStage 3 then they are free to move to litigation. Theparties may decide to move immediately to this stage,but it is recommended that they rst attempt to re-solve the issue using the previous methods.

It is recommended that the general contractors andthe concrete suppliers agree to include this process intheir contractual agreements.




Chapter 13 Project Close-OutMeeting

At the completion of the concrete phase of theproject the team members should meet to re-view the history of the project with everyone

involved. This will provide an opportunity for all stake-holders to learn how to avoid problems in the futureand to implement better practices learned during theproject.

This meeting should include the general contractor/ construction manager, consultants, concrete supplier,trade contractors and even the owner. The meet-

ing should be “minuted” by the general contractor/construction manager and copies distributed to allparties.

The following topics should be reviewed:◆ Specications/Drawings – Were they clear

and are there any recommendations for futurechanges?

◆ Project Set-Up – Was there a well denedcommunication system that was implementedwith clear directions understood by all?

◆ Team Identication/Performance – Did allmembers of the team fulll their responsibili-ties or are there recommendations for futureimprovements?

◆ Concrete Testing – Was the inspection andquality control testing performed properly andwere the results shared completely and expedi-tiously with all of the appropriate team mem-bers? Are there changes proposed for futureprojects? Was the CMATS™ Program used?

Testing results should be reviewed to identifyany areas that can be improved upon in the fu-ture such as techniques (for example) related tosampling, storing cylinders, access and egressand communication.

◆ Concrete Ordering – Were there any commu-nication problems?

◆ Concrete Delivery – Were any problems with

delivery identied? If so, was the issue dealtwith expeditiously?

◆ Customer Relations – Were problems ad-dressed by all parties and was there the properlevel of mutual respect?

◆ Placement and Finishing – Were any prob-lems or specic requirements dealt with? Arethere any recommended changes to ordering orspecications?

◆ Payments – Was there an acceptable cash ow

and have all monetary issues been resolved?

The cooperation of all parties will help to achievesuccess on all future projects.




Appendix A RMCAO PlantCertication Program

One of the most valuable initiatives of theReady Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario(RMCAO) is the assurance of quality concrete

supply and production through the execution of astrict plant certication process. The RMCAO certica-tion process was rst implemented in the early 1960’s.It is completed by independent third party engineersand has become the most stringent concrete certica-tion program in North America.

RMCAO certication designation means that all mate-

rials, material handling, batching methods and toler-ances, statistical product quality analysis, truck mixers,weighing equipment, certicates and records meet orexceed CSA A23.1 requirements.

Current concrete specications such as those of theOntario Provincial Standards (OPS), Ministry of Trans-portation (MTO), Ontario Municipalities, Ontario Min-istry of Agriculture (OMAF), consulting engineers,design/build rms and general contractors typicallyrequire RMCAO plant certication.

Highlights of the RMCAO Plant Certication processinclude:

◆ Third party consulting engineer inspections◆ Raw material conformance to CSA, OPSS or

MTO requirements

◆ Scale inspection and calibration on a 6 monthbasis

◆ Batching inspection and accuracy requirements◆ Inspection and certication of mixing and

transportation equipment◆ Standardizing of minimum information

requirements for delivery tickets and mixdesigns

◆ Implementation of a mix design statistical

analysis program for two categories ofconcrete

◆ Record keeping◆ Random plant inspections and audits

For additional information please contact RMCAO atwww.rmcao.org or [email protected]








Appendix B OGCA Gold SealProgram

The Ontario General Contractors Association(OGCA) remains a strong supporter of continu-ing education for the construction industry.

Gold Seal is an excellent opportunity for contractorsto expand the qualications of their staff which in re-turn improves the professionalism at every level fromthe site to the ofce, and results in better productivity,fewer problems, safer sites and a better bottom linefor the contractor.

The Gold Seal Certication Program was developed by

the Canadian Construction Association to recognizethe skills and competence of the key managerial posi-tions of Superintendent, Estimator and Project Man-ager on a national basis.

Certication RequirementsCertication of Superintendents, Estimators and Proj-ect Managers requires satisfaction of 3 criteria – Ex-perience – Education – Examination. Applicants musthave a minimum level of experience and have under-taken at least ve construction management courses

totalling 150 hours of instruction to qualify to writethe Gold Seal examination. The only exemption fromthe three criteria permitted by the National Gold SealCommittee is for “senior” managers who have alengthy demonstrated track record in the industry. Aseparate guideline is available upon request by seniorpractitioners. A development category, known as theGold Seal Intern (GSI), is available to candidates whodo not meet the examination eligibility criteria.

Experience as a Superintendent, Estimator or ProjectManager in a non-residential construction rm is therst critical criterion to be met. In order to be eligibleto challenge the Gold Seal examination, an applicantmust document a minimum of three years experiencein the occupation.

Education in construction management courses is akey requirement. The Gold Seal Certication programwill recognize construction management training insubject areas dened in the Gold Seal Curriculum

Standard. The Curriculum details the content of thefollowing management courses:◆ Law and Contracts in Construction◆ Construction Planning and Scheduling◆ Project Costing Control and Accounting◆ Construction Job Site Controls◆ Communication◆ Construction Safety◆ Management of Human Resources◆

Construction Estimating

For more information, please contact www.ogca.ca or www.cca-acc.com

http://www.ogca.ca/

http://www.cca-acc.com/

http://www.cca-acc.com/

http://www.ogca.ca/




Appendix C Concrete Test Forms &Reporting – CMATS™

What Is CMATS™?

CMATS™ is a secure website where constructionindustry concrete test data can be recorded,viewed and distributed to owners, architects,

engineers, testing companies, contractors and mate-rial suppliers, on a project by project basis.

How CMATS™ WorksQuite simply, users access the CMATS™ website viatheir web browser and enter their email address andpassword to instantly obtain access to the test re-

sults for all the projects they are involved with .CMATS™ mirrors the existing paper method of pro-viding test information to construction team membersand is implemented by the testing company. At thestart of a new project, the testing company identiesthose who will be given access to the test information(owner, architect, engineer, etc.) when they create anew project.

The software immediately noties all the users viaemail of the new project and updates their security

records to provide them access. The testing companythen performs the necessary testing and inputs the re-sults into CMATS™. Once the information has beenentered, reviewed and certied by the supervising en-gineer of the testing company, the information is thenimmediately viewable to all users.

LOG on to… WWW.CMATS.COM

http://www.cmats.com/

http://www.cmats.com/




Appendix C: Concrete Test Forms & Reporting – CMATS™

Key Advantages of CMATS™ include:◆ Instant secure access to the project data from

any location via the internet◆ Rapid distribution of material test results to all

members of the construction team◆ Quality assurance features to identify trends

and provide statistical analysis◆ Graphing features allow users to view control

charts on material quality◆ Electronic notication when new test data is

available◆ Eliminates repetitive data entry◆ Eliminates paper handling and distribution

costs◆ Creates greater accountability while improving

project communication◆ Improved reaction times result in a higher

quality nal project◆ Download features allow users to create

historic records electronically and to performadditional statistical analysis

While CMATS™ currently handles concrete test re-sults, work is underway to add additional modules forboth aggregate and hot mixed asphalt test data. Infact, CMATS™ can be easily adapted to any reportingsystem that uses standardized reporting forms.

For more information regarding CMATS™, please visit

www.cmats.com and register as a new user you willthen be able to try the system yourself and see justhow easy it is to use.

Contact Information: Bart Kanters, P.Eng. at(905) 507-1122 or [email protected]






Appendix D ConcreteQuotation Form




Appendix E Mix DesignSubmission Form

CONCRETE MIX DESIGN SUBMISSIONProject: Date:Location: Submitted By:Contractor: Contact:

CONCRETE MIX CODE

S P E C I F I C A T I O N

ApplicationStructural Requirements • CSA Exposure Class • Maximum W/CM Ratio • Minimum Specied Strength - age • Plastic Air Range (%) • Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size • Maximum % SCM Replacement • HVSCM Type 1 or 2Durability Requirements • Exposure to Sulphate Attack

• Alkali Aggregate Reactivity • Aggressive Chemical/WasteArchitectural Requirements • Colour/Texture

• Other

C O N T R A C T O R

R E Q U I R E M E N T S

Quantity m 3

Rate (m 3 /h)Slump Range (mm)Method of PlacementStrength/Age (MPa/Days)OtherSpecialty Information • Concrete Set (Delay, Normal, Accelerated)Floor or Slab Type – (Exposed / Covered)Other (e.g. Fibres)

M A T E R I A L S

S E C T I O N

Source & Type • Portland Cement

• SCM – Slag, Fly Ash, Silica Fume • Fine Aggregate • Coarse Aggregate • Air Entraining Admixture • Water Reducing Admixture • Other (e.g. Fibres)

Concrete SupplierAddress

City/ProvincePhone Fax Email MEMBER

NOTES:1) The “Concrete Supplier” provides to the contractor, a valid “Certicate of Concrete Production Facilities” as issued by the Ready Mixed Concrete Association

of Ontario, as described in CSA A23.1 Table 5. 2) All Concrete and materials shall be supplied in conformance to CSA A23.1-04.3) Concrete testing shall electronically incorporate CMATS™ (www.cmats.com) and shall be used by the testing company.4) Concrete tests not done according to CSA Standards shall not be accepted for any basis of measurement.5) The Owner shall be responsible for all concrete performance when specifying any material proportion(s).




Appendix F Checklist for ConcretePre-ConstructionConference




Checklist for Concrete Pre-Construction Conference

Introduction

P re-construction meetings are of prime impor-tance in planning concrete construction workbecause many potential problems can be avoid-

ed at the right time – before the start of the projectwhen the cost impact is relatively low.

In 1999, the National Ready Mixed Concrete Associa-tion (NRMCA) and the American Society of ConcreteContractors (ASCC) joined in a partnership to enhancethe quality of concrete construction. This checklist isone of the ongoing initiatives of the partnership.

With permission of the original author, the ReadyMixed Concrete Association of Ontario (RMCAO) and

the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA)have reviewed and revised this document for use onCanadian construction projects following the require-ments of the most recent CSA A23.1/.2 Standard.

The checklist allocates responsibilities and establishesprocedures related to concrete construction – sub-grade preparation, forming, concrete mix design, nec-

essary equipment, ordering and scheduling materialsand operations, placing, consolidating, nishing, joint-ing, curing and protection, testing and acceptance, aswell as safety and environmental issues.

The checklist covers some of the issues that need tobe discussed at a pre-construction meeting and is notintended to be all-inclusive.

This checklist is meant to be a guide and is not intend-ed to address all safety issues. Please operate safely

and within all the legislations in your area


http://www.ogca.ca/

http://www.ascconline.org/





Index

PAGE 48 A. Project Information 49 B. Construction Process 56 C. Concrete Requirements 60 D. Ordering and Scheduling Concrete 61 E. Environmental Aspects 62 F. Quality Control/Assurance 65 G. Safety

References Canadian Standards Association CSA A23.1 CSA A23.2 CMATS™ www.cmats.com






SAMPLE CHECKLIST FOR THE CONCRETEPRE-CONSTRUCTION CONFERENCE

A. Project Information

1. Project name __________________________________________________________________________

2. Location ______________________________________________________________________________

3. Project start date ______________________________________________________________________

4. Project completion date ________________________________________________________________

5. Project participants

Contact ________________________________________________________________________________

Owner _________________________________________________________________________________

Architect _______________________________________________________________________________

Structural Engineer ______________________________________________________________________

Construction Manager/General Contractor __________________________________________________

Concrete Contractor _____________________________________________________________________

Concrete Supplier _______________________________________________________________________

Concrete Pumping Contractor _____________________________________________________________

Concrete Finisher ________________________________________________________________________

Testing Laboratory _______________________________________________________________________

Inspection Agency _______________________________________________________________________

Other __________________________________________________________________________________

6. Background information about the project

_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

7. Unique features of the project

_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

8. Distribution of completed checklist

Project Participants _______________________________________________________________________

Others _________________________________________________________________________________




B. Construction Process

1. Review notes and changes on drawings that may affect construction process

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

2. Sequence of construction and milestone dates

Foundations ____________________________________________________________________________

Walls __________________________________________________________________________________

Structural slabs __________________________________________________________________________

Slab-on-grade interior ____________________________________________________________________

Slab-on-grade exterior ____________________________________________________________________

3. Construction/acceptance of base/subgrade, compaction, elevation. Responsibility for:

Providing base and subgrade elevations to contractors

____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Stability of the base and or subgrade under construction trafc

____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Protecting the base and/or subgrade from water damage

____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Compacting and nal grading of the base and subgrade after all plumbing installations are complete ____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Location of electrical lines (conduit)

In subgrade trenched and backlled with rock ____________________________________________

In rock subgrade _____________________________________________________________________

Protection from truck trafc if required ______________________________________________________

4. Responsibility for site access roads and their maintenance

______________________________________________________________________________ 5. Responsibility for available space for pumping operations if required

Access for two trucks to pump, one on each side __________________________________________

Staging area for testing and slump adjustment ____________________________________________

6. Person responsible for directing trucks to pump or placement area _________________________

7. Responsibility for directing/backing up trucks _____________________________________________





8. Responsibility for power, lighting, water, and water pressure during placing and nishing

_________________________________________________________________________________

9. Responsibility for controlling the ambient temperatures (subgrade, forms, and air)

_________________________________________________________________________________

10. Forms Form sizes, types ________________________________________________________________________

Lifting equipment required ________________________________________________________________

Form materials, accessories ________________________________________________________________

Review location of reinforcement, embedded items, waterstops, drains, openings,openings for frames, etc.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Scheduling form erection and removal correlated to reinforcing and concreting operations

____________________________________________________________________________________

Responsibility for installation and inspection

Reinforcement _______________________________________________________________________

Embedded items _____________________________________________________________________

Waterstops __________________________________________________________________________

Drains ______________________________________________________________________________

Opening frames ______________________________________________________________________

Responsibility for form inspections

Preliminary – prior to rebar placement ___________________________________________________

Seminal – with rebars, embedded items, waterstops and drains _____________________________

Note: Reinforcement inspection must include:Location and spacing to allow access for vibration equipment and proper coverageSpacing of reinforcement in relation to aggregate size

Final – before placing concrete __________________________________________________________

11. Vapor retarder or vapor barrier membrane

Type of membrane _______________________________________________________________________

Location of membrane relative to subgrade __________________________________________________

Effect on curling _________________________________________________________________________ Effect on bonding of applied oor coverings _________________________________________________

Basis of acceptance for installation of moisture sensitive ooring materials (wood, carpet, tiles)on the slab

Moisture emission requirements for ooring materials to be installed

____________________________________________________________________________________





Responsibility for

Testing and reporting of the test results __________________________________________________

Acceptance of the slab ________________________________________________________________

12. Placing concrete: equipment and procedures

Deposit from truck _______________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

Buggy _________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Belt conveyor ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Bucket placement _______________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Pumping _______________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

Other __________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

13. Consolidation of concrete: equipment and procedures

Vibrators _______________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Vibratory screeds (surface vibrators) ________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________ Back up equipment ______________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Power source ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Other __________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

14. Responsibility for inspection of placing and consolidation of concrete _______________________

15. Ventilation in enclosed spaces Type of test required ______________________________________________________________________

Responsibility for ventilation:

During placement ____________________________________________________________________

During nishing ______________________________________________________________________





16. Strike off technique

Hand strike off __________________________________________________________________________

Vibratory screed _________________________________________________________________________

Laser screed ____________________________________________________________________________

Other __________________________________________________________________________________ 17. Finishing

Types of nishes

• Area 1 ____________________________________________________________________________

• Area 2 ____________________________________________________________________________

• Area 3 ____________________________________________________________________________

• Area 4 ____________________________________________________________________________

Special materials for nishes _______________________________________________________________

Dry-shake hardener Rate of application ___________________________________________________________________

Procedure to install ___________________________________________________________________

Tools and equipment required _____________________________________________________________

Back up tools and equipment required ______________________________________________________

18. Specied tolerances for

Vertical concrete surfaces:

Plumbness __________________________________________________________________________

Dimensions _________________________________________________________________________ Thickness ___________________________________________________________________________

Texture _____________________________________________________________________________

Colour _____________________________________________________________________________

Acceptable variances _______________________________________________________________

Surface defects ______________________________________________________________________

Others _____________________________________________________________________________

Slabs-on-grade and oors

Flatness/levelness ____________________________________________________________________ Dimensions _________________________________________________________________________

Thickness ___________________________________________________________________________

Texture _____________________________________________________________________________

Colour _____________________________________________________________________________


Surface defects ______________________________________________________________________





Joint spacing ________________________________________________________________________

Others _____________________________________________________________________________

Elevated slabs

Flatness/levelness ____________________________________________________________________

Dimensions _________________________________________________________________________ Thickness ___________________________________________________________________________

How it will be determined ___________________________________________________________

Texture _____________________________________________________________________________

Colour _____________________________________________________________________________


Surface defects ______________________________________________________________________

Others _____________________________________________________________________________

Procedures for measuring tolerances (when and how) ____________________________________________________________________________

Review specications for possible conict between the concrete installer and other trades

____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Review specications for conict between the surface prole provided by the concrete installer and thesurface prole required by installer of nished material

____________________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________

Responsibility for

Reporting F-numbers to concrete contractor ______________________________________________

Accepting oors _____________________________________________________________________

Measuring tolerances _________________________________________________________________

Repairing “air or bug holes” in vertical surfaces ___________________________________________

Removing curing compounds prior to application of sealers _________________________________

19. Jointing

Review/verication of contraction, isolation, and construction joint layout plans

Structures (walls) Yes No

Comments (number, location, spacing, details) ________________________________________

Slabs-on-grade Yes No

Comments (number, location, spacing, details) ________________________________________





Type of joints contraction isolation construction

Formed joints ________________________________________________________________________

Tooled joints _________________________________________________________________________

Early entry saw-cut

Timing ___________________________________________________________________________

Depth of cut ______________________________________________________________________

Joint spacing ______________________________________________________________________

Equipment ________________________________________________________________________

Conventional saw-cut

Timing ____________________________________________________________________________

Depth of cut _______________________________________________________________________

Joint spacing _______________________________________________________________________

Equipment ________________________________________________________________________

20. Slabs-on-grade

Joints Yes No

Reinforcement Yes No

Position of reinforcement in slab ___________________________________________________________

Method of supporting reinforcement at specied elevation _____________________________________

Termination at joints _____________________________________________________________________

Load transfer devices (e.g. dowel bars) ______________________________________________________

Type, size, and location ___________________________________________________________________ Check for specied alignment ______________________________________________________________

Dene unacceptable cracks (see surface defects in tolerances) __________________________________

Method of repair of unacceptable cracks ____________________________________________________

Responsibility for repair of unacceptable cracks _______________________________________________

Sealing (lling) joints Yes No

Epoxy joint ller Yes No

Elastomeric sealant Yes No

Timing (review product directions and ACI Guidelines) _________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________________________

Depth of lling __________________________________________________________________________

Procedure (ush or slightly crowned for epoxy joint or concave for Elastomeric sealant)

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Responsibility for future touch up __________________________________________________________





21. Curing and Sealing

Curing methods _________________________________________________________________________

Curing periods __________________________________________________________________________

Responsibility for curing oors placed prior to erection of roof, walls

____________________________________________________________________________________ Temperature Control Yes No

Specify ______________________________________________________________________________

If temporary heaters are used, responsibility for venting to prevent concrete dusting

__________________________________________________________________________________

Excessive evaporation control

Specify ______________________________________________________________________________

Evaporation retarder Yes No

Specify ______________________________________________________________________________ Fogging Yes No

Specify ______________________________________________________________________________

Other __________________________________________________________________________________

Responsibility for inspection of curing operations/timing

____________________________________________________________________________________

Responsibility for removing curing compounds

____________________________________________________________________________________

Applying sealers Types _______________________________________________________________________________

Locations ___________________________________________________________________________

22. Protection of concrete

Roof and walls Yes No

Specify ______________________________________________________________________________

Floors coverings Yes No

Specify ______________________________________________________________________________

Floor protection Yes No Specify age/strength of oor prior to the use of oor by

Foot trafc ________________________________________________________________________

Pneumatic tire trafc ________________________________________________________________

Hard wheel trafc __________________________________________________________________

Construction trafc _________________________________________________________________





Specify age/strength of oor when

Equipment is installed _______________________________________________________________

Racks are erected ___________________________________________________________________

23. Responsibility for storage areas and site security _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

24. Form removal

What is the minimum strength requirement for form removal? __________ MPa

What formal report is required before form removal?

____________________________________________________________________________________

Type of eld or in-place strength tests (if used) and evaluation criteria?

____________________________________________________________________________________ Name(s) of personnel authorized to approve form removal

____________________________________________________________________________________

25. Procedures for hot weather concreting

_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

26. Procedures for cold weather concreting

_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________

C. Concrete Requirements

1. Concrete mix designations

All concrete materials and supply shall conform to CSA A23.1

2. Concrete mix designs submittal

Have mix submissions been received Yes No

Prescriptive requirements Yes No

Performance requirements Yes No Comments: __________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Copies of the mix submittal provided to

Owner Yes No

Architect Yes No

Structural engineer Yes No





Construction manager or general contractor Yes No

Concrete contractor Yes No

Concrete pumping contractor Yes No

Concrete nisher Yes No

Testing laboratory Yes No

Inspection agency Yes No

3. Additional mix designs required Yes No

Specify _________________________________________________________________________________

4. Consideration for aggregates other than CSA – prescriptive specication only

Gradation ______________________________________________________________________________

Sand requirements Yes No

5. Pumped concrete Yes No

6. High early strength Yes No Strength required __________ MPa at age __________

7. Lightweight concrete Yes No

8. Other Yes No

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

9. Concrete supply

RMCAO Production Facility Certication receive Yes No – do not proceed with supply

Primary Plant _______________________________ Backup Plant _______________________________

Plant Contacts ______________________________ Phone Number ______________________________ Revolutions or time limits for mixing concrete ________________________________________________

Note: Refer to CSA A23.1

10. Review project specications for conicts in performance requirements (compressive/exuralstrength, durability, shrinkage, curling and water-cementitious materials ratio, water content,slump, air content)

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

11. Other performance ingredient materials required

Mid range water reducing admixture Yes No

High range water reducing admixture Yes No

Non-chloride accelerator Yes No

Corrosion inhibitors Yes No

Fly ash Yes No

GGBF slag Yes No





Silica fume Yes No

Fibres Yes No

Colour Yes No

Other Yes No

Note 1: Batching all ingredient materials at the plant ensures best quality control of concrete. Jobsite modications to mixture shall be documented on the delivery tickets.

Note 2: Add appendices with the approved concrete mix design submittals

12. Project specication requirements for air content

Normal weight air-entrained concrete (not recommended if oors require a machine troweled nish,but recommended for all exterior work)

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Are adjustments to air content allowed on the jobsite Yes No

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Air-entrained lightweight concrete for interior slabs

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Other requirements

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

13. Project specication requirements for slump limits

Conventional concrete Max. _____________________ Min. ______________________

Pumped concrete Max. _____________________ Min. ______________________

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Plasticized concrete Max. _____________________ Min. ______________________

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Other: Max. _____________________ Min. ______________________

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________





14. Jobsite slump adjustments

Responsibility for:

Making/permitting jobsite slump adjustments _____________________________________________

Recording of adjusted batch ___________________________________________________________

Materials permitted to adjust the slump: Water Mid-range water reducer High-range water reducer

Procedure to be followed and limitations that apply to jobsite slump adjustment (maximum amount,subsequent mixing, sampling of the load) ___________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

15. Project specication requirements for temperature

Required temperature of concrete as delivered:

Max: __________________ °C Min: __________________ °C

Responsible person for requiring and approving special measures to meet concrete temperatures suchas hot water, heated aggregate, cold water, ice, liquid nitrogen

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

Outline procedure to be followed and limitations that apply for measurement of concrete temperatureand acceptance of concrete at the jobsite

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

16. Project specication requirements for concrete delivery time – 120 minutes as per CSA A23.1/.2

Other __________________________________________________________________________________ 17. Project specication requirements for lightweight concrete

Maximum unit weight ____________________________________________________________________

Slump _________________________________________________________________________________

Air content _____________________________________________________________________________

Pumping operations ______________________________________________________________________

18. Architectural concrete

Finish details Location

Exposed aggregate ______________________________________ _________________________ Smooth nish __________________________________________ _________________________

Rubbed nish __________________________________________ _________________________

Colored _______________________________________________ _________________________

Imprinted ______________________________________________ _________________________

Details (grouted joints, textured)





Special materials

Cement ____________________________________________________________________________

Aggregates _________________________________________________________________________

Water ______________________________________________________________________________

Admixtures _________________________________________________________________________ Sealers _____________________________________________________________________________

Release agents _______________________________________________________________________

Architectural samples or mockups

Location ____________________________________________________________________________

Preservation _________________________________________________________________________

Responsibility for acceptance ___________________________________________________________

Repair methods _________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

D. Ordering and Scheduling Concrete

1. Person(s) responsible for ordering concrete (concrete must be ordered by mix design code)

_________________________________________________________________________________

2. Minimum time notice required for most placements

_________________________________________________________________________________

3. Dene large and specialty orders

_________________________________________________________________________________ 4. Minimum notice required for large and specialty placements

_________________________________________________________________________________

5. Procedure for handling will call orders

_________________________________________________________________________________

6. Procedure for handling revised orders

_________________________________________________________________________________

7. Contact name(s) and phone number(s) for last-minute cancellations

Supplier ________________________________________________________________________________ Concrete contractor ______________________________________________________________________

Construction manager or general contractor _________________________________________________

8. Person on jobsite responsible for reviewing delivery ticket prior to placement

_________________________________________________________________________________





9. Regular hours are between _______________ am and _______________ pm

Regular workdays are _______________ through _______________ not includingdesignated holidays

10. Are there any anticipated holiday and/or overtime placements? Yes No

Comments __________________________________________________________________________ 11. Delivery schedules

Location of placement ____________________________________________________________________

Anticipated placement sizes ______________________ cubic metres

Minimum load size ______________________ cubic metres

What are anticipated placement rates? ______________________ cubic metres/hour

Approximate placements dates ____________________________________________________________

Inclement weather plant capability _________________________________________________________

12. Concrete delivery

Acceptance/rejection responsibility _________________________________________________________

Any trafc restrictions at or near the jobsite Yes No

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

Any restrictions on entrance to or exits from jobsite Yes No

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

Other Items

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

13. Trucks:

Number of trucks ________________________________________________________________________

Interval schedule (turn around time) ________________________________________________________

E. Environmental Aspects

1. Environmentally sensitive areas around the project: Yes No

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

2. Contractor identied concrete wash out area at the jobsite _______________________________

3. Responsibility for clean up of the wash out areas _________________________________________ 4. Person responsible for directing trucks to the wash out area _______________________________

5. Are spill response kits available on site? Yes No

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

6. On-site emergency contact person _______________________________________________________

7. Responsibility for disposal of curing compounds __________________________________________

8. Other items ___________________________________________________________________________





F. Quality Control/Assurance

1. CSA/CCIL Accreditation requirements for laboratory _______________________________________

2. Certication requirements for

Laboratory testing technicians name(s)

CSA Concrete Laboratory Testing Technician ______________________________________________

Field testing technicians name(s)

ACI Grade I Certied __________________________________________________________________

CSA Certied Concrete Tester __________________________________________________________

CCIL Type J Certied Concrete Tester ____________________________________________________

3. Advance notice for scheduling testing personnel __________________________________________

4. Procedures for verication of specied requirements

Strength tests ___________________________________________________________________________

Other __________________________________________________________________________________

F.1. Concrete Sampling and Testing Requirements

1. Sampling frequency ____________________________________________________________________

2. Sampling location

Point of discharge _______________________________________________________________________

Point of placement ______________________________________________________________________

Comments (agreement on sampling location) ________________________________________________

3. Tests performed on each sample

Slump _________________________________________________________________________________

Temperature ____________________________________________________________________________

Density (unit weight) _____________________________________________________________________

Air content _____________________________________________________________________________

Compressive strength ____________________________________________________________________

Flexural strength ________________________________________________________________________

Other __________________________________________________________________________________

4. Cylinder size for compressive strength test

100X200 mm 150x300 mm

5. Beam size for exural strength test

150X150 mm Length: refer to CSA A23.2 – 3C

Other size _______________

Note: If beam breaks are low, compare acceptable concrete with suspect concrete by coring





6. Number of cylinders per sample _________________________________________________________

(hardened cylinder weight must be recorded on concrete strength reports)

7. Number of beams per sample

8. Number of cylinders/beams to be cured ____________ Field? ____________ Lab? ____________

9. At what ages are cylinders/beams to be tested? ___________________________________________ 10. Number of cylinders/beams per test (minimum 2) __________________________________________

11. Are reserve cylinders/beams required? Yes No How many? ___________

12. Frequency of yield tests and compliance checks (three-load average of unit weight)

______________________________________________________________________________

F.2. Test Cylinder Storage and Transportation

1. As per CSA A23.2

F.3. Acceptance/Rejection of Fresh Concrete

1. Who has the authority to accept/reject a concrete delivery?

______________________________________________________________________________

Note: A second person may be designated as having the authority for FINAL rejection of aconcrete delivery

2. What criteria will be used to reject concrete?

Slump _________________________________________________________________________________

Air content _____________________________________________________________________________ Unit weight ____________________________________________________________________________

Temperature ____________________________________________________________________________

Time limit ______________________________________________________________________________

Other __________________________________________________________________________________

3. Are re-tests allowed before rejection? Yes No

Procedure ______________________________________________________________________________

F.4. Acceptance Criteria for Hardened Concrete 1. Review acceptance criteria

Other __________________________________________________________________________________





F.5. Distribution of Test Reports (to all participants)

1. CMATS™ shall be used for project

Note: Concrete supplier and concrete contractor must receive reports directly and immediately fromthe laboratory to allow timely response to any deciencies.

2. Early age test result strength requirements Anticipated concrete strength for earlier age breaks: _________ /_________ (% specied strength/days)

F.6. Testing of Hardened In-Place Concrete

1. In what situations will additional (or referee) testing be required?

Running average of three consecutive strength tests is less than specied – CSA A23.1

Other __________________________________________________________________________________

2. Procedure(s) to be followed for evaluation of low-strength tests

Evaluation of test results and testing procedures – including laboratory operations Comments __________________________________________________________________________

Non-destructive testing

Penetration probe in accordance with ASTM C 803

Rebound hammer in accordance with ASTM C 805

Other (combined method) _____________________________________________________________

Note: Refer to ACI 228.1R

Evaluation of structural adequacy of questionable sections by the structural engineer

_________________________________________________________________________________ Core testing and evaluation in accordance with CSA A23.1

Procedure for conditioning cores prior to testing ___________________________________________

Load testing in accordance with CSA A23.1

Other _______________________________________________________________________________

Remove and replace

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

3. How do the project specications handle additional testing? _______________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________ If additional testing is required, _____________________________________ will notify the following

parties

_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________





4. What investigative procedures will be used?

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

5. Who will be employed to conduct additional testing and who employs them?

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

6. How will the test results be evaluated?

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

7. Who will pay the costs of additional testing?

Specied strength conrmed ______________________________________________________________

Specied strength not conrmed ___________________________________________________________

G. Safety

1. Personal protective equipment required:

Hard hats Yes No

Safety boots Yes No

Eye protection Yes No

Safety vests Yes No

Specic protective clothing Yes No

Respirators Yes No Other __________________________________________________________________________________

2. Responsibility for

First aid supplies _________________________________________________________________________

Providing and maintaining information such as Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and Spills Response

Plans at the jobsite ___________________________________________________________________

Job site Ingress and Egress ________________________________________________________________

Fall protection __________________________________________________________________________

Safety inspections _______________________________________________________________________ Signalers _______________________________________________________________________________

Safety meetings _________________________________________________________________________

3. Emergency contacts ____________________________________________________________________





Appendix G CCIL ConcreteCertication Program

The Ready Mixed Concrete Association of On-tario (RMCAO) and the Canadian Council ofIndependent Laboratories (CCIL) in conjunction

with the major owner stakeholder, are currently creat-ing a new concrete certication program to improvethe quality of concrete eld testing of both CSA andACI certied eld personnel.

While the draft program is currently under reviewby the various industry stakeholders, RMCAO is veryencouraged by achievements that have already been

made. The draft CCIL Concrete Certication Programhas been modelled on the existing CCIL Asphalt andAggregate certication programs and will include twonew CCIL certication classes for concrete:

◆ Type H – Concrete Compressive StrengthTesting (2007)

◆ Type J – Concrete Field Testing (2006)

The Type H certication will be strictly for concretetesting labs only and will be based upon the labora-tory holding current CSA lab certication and the labsuccessfully participating in concrete strength correla-tion program (based on the current MTO correlationprogram).

The Type J certication will be for all concrete eldtesting personnel and will be based upon the techni-cian holding either CSA or ACI certication. This classof certication will apply to both consultant and con-crete industry eld personnel alike.

The CCIL Concrete Certication Program will be man-aged by a program manager hired directly by CCILthat reports to a Concrete Administration Committeeof nine members. The proposed Administration Com-mittee structure is as follows:

◆ 3 Representatives from CCIL (including theChair)

◆ 3 Representatives from RMCAO◆ 1 Representative from the Ministry of

Transportation of Ontario (MTO)◆

1 Representative from the Municipal EngineersAssociation (MEA)◆ 1 Representative from the structural consulting

engineering community

The proposed certication program represents a hugeopportunity for all the industry stakeholders to worktogether and is a positive and constructive manner toensure that all concrete testing is performed to theapplicable CSA standards. This program also recog-nizes the importance and value of the existing CSA

and ACI certication programs while adding greateraccountability to all components of the practice oftesting concrete.




Appendix H Checklist forConcrete Pumping




Appendix H: Checklist for Concrete Pumping

Introduction

This short Checklist for Concrete Pumping wasdeveloped by National Ready Mixed ConcreteAssociation (NRMCA), American Society of

Concrete Contractors (ASCC) and the American Con-crete Pumping Association (ACPA). With permission ofthe original author, the Ready Mixed Concrete Asso-ciation of Ontario (RMCAO) and the Ontario GeneralContractors Association (OGCA) have reviewed andrevised this document for use on Canadian construc-tion projects following the requirements of the mostrecent CSA A23.1/.2.

The intent of this document is to identify details ofthe process of pumping concrete prior to the start of

the placement so that all impacted parties are awareof the issues related to the construction specication,equipment and schedules, responsible persons and

jobsite safety.

The presumption is that on larger projects the con-crete construction team has been through a pre-con-struction conference and has addressed the pertinent

items in the Checklist for Concrete Pre-Construc-tion Conference and those items are excluded fromthis document. This document can be included in abroader pre-construction meeting agenda.

This checklist is not intended to be all inclusive of theitems that need to be considered and depending on aspecic project many items regarding specication re-quirements, testing details, construction logistics and

jobsite safety may need to be addressed in greaterdetail than outlined in this document. Many of these

items will be critical to the success of the project andshould be discussed and agreed upon prior to theplacement of concrete with appropriate noticationto the owner and his representative.


http://www.ogca.ca/








CHECKLIST FOR CONCRETE PUMPINGProject:

Location:

Directions:

1. ContactsWho Name Phone Mobile Fax E-Mail

C. ContractorRMC SupplierPump Contractor

2. General ConditionsStart Time Pump: am/pm Concrete: am/pmPlacement Location Slabs Walls Footings Other

Placement Rate (m3

/hr.) Volume (m3

)Type of Pump Regular Z-Boom Telescoping TrailerSize of Pump (m) Pipeline dia, mmPumping Distance (m) Vertical HorizontalSlump/Air Spec Point of Discharge Point of PlacementTesting Point of Discharge Point of PlacementPriming Agent Grout Slick Pack

3. Concrete MixtureStrength (MPa) 28 days: Other:

Max Size of Aggregate (mm) (no larger than 1/3 pipeline diameter)Density (kg/m 3) Lightweight Yes NoSlump (mm) Air (%)Water Reducer Regular MRWR HRWRFibres Yes NoSpecial RequirementsSet Time Requirements (hr.) Initial: Final:Water Addition Permitted vYes No

4. Jobsite/Safety

Wash Out Area Yes No Location:Power Lines Yes NoSafe Set Up Area Yes No Restrictions:Clean Water Available for Washout Yes No

5. Notes




CONCRETE PUMP OPERATORSHAND SIGNALS





Appendix I Specialty Concrete Applications

While special concrete performance can bedened in an innite number of ways,some of the more common examples of

specialty performance include the following descrip-tions. Always consult with your concrete supplier andconcrete sub-contractors.

◆ Self Consolidating Concrete (SCC) – Concretewith extremely high slump and ow characteristicsthat can be placed with little or no concrete con-solidation. This concrete offers advantages to the

owner and contractor where there is congestedconcrete reinforcing steel or restricting formworkthat prevents traditional consolidation; improvedarchitectural appearance of the concrete surface,signicantly reduced labour and placement costsdue to the extreme ow characteristics; and resis-tance to concrete segregation under adverse siteconditions. Caution must also be exercised whenrst using this product due to its high owabilityand uidity. The formwork must have a high qualityof surface nish since the concrete will mirror any

imperfections that exist. The contractor must alsoensure that formwork is tight to prevent leakageat form panel edges and they must account for theadditional formwork pressures initially generatedby the product.

◆ Hot/Cold Weather Concrete – Concrete that hasbeen proportioned to provide normal or improvedconcrete set characteristics during either hot or coldweather construction periods. The objective is tomodify the mix design to offset the accelerated or

extended concrete setting period that results froma differential ambient, concrete or formwork tem-peratures encountered on the jobsite. Hot weatherconditions may necessitate the use of higher lev-els of Supplementary Cementing Materials (SCMs),chemical retarders or ice or nitrogen in the concrete(these conditions necessitates signicant projectplanning). Cold weather conditions may necessitate

the use of chemical accelerators (either chloride ornon-chloride based), reduced SCMs or acceleratedmixes.

◆ High Early Concrete – Concrete that provides astrength gain at earlier times than normal set con-crete. High early strengths achieved at prescribedtimes of one, three or seven days can offer the op-portunity to “y” forms faster resulting in a fasterscheduling for building construction and labourand equipment. This concrete may also apply to a

faster set time concrete that may be applicable inareas where there are noise by-laws or concerns,and also other labour issues such as cost and equip-ment availability.

◆ Fibre Reinforced Concrete – Synthetic or steelbres can offer a range of benets to the owner.Sometimes referred to micro, macro and structuralbres they can offer greater resistance to plasticshrinkage cracking of the concrete as well as otheradvantages.

◆ C-XL Concrete – New to CSA A23.1-04, the C-XLdesignation is for structurally reinforced concreteexposed to chlorides or other severe environmentswith or without freezing and thawing conditions,to provide concrete that would meet higher dura-bility performance expectations than C-1, A-1 orS-1 classes of exposure as per CSA A23.1. There is achloride ion penetrability limit of <1000 coulombswithin 56 d that is generally used as a pre-qualica-tion to concrete supply.

◆ LEED™ Concrete – Leadership in Energy and Envi-ronmental Design (LEED™) is a voluntary, market-based rating system for dening what elementsmake a building “green” and to quantify how“green” a building is in comparison to anotherbuilding. LEED™ is based on accepted energy andenvironmental principles and strikes a balance be-




tween known effective practices and emergingconcepts. It encourages a whole building approachover a building’s life cycle that guides a collabora-tive and integrated design and construction pro-cess.

◆ Architectural Concrete – Concrete that has beendesigned to meet visual or other aesthetic perfor-mance characteristics such as colour, texture, nishor pattern. These performance concretes are con-cerned with concrete relating to overall mix consis-tency, ow and consolidation, and nish and uni-formity.

◆ Surface Hardened Concrete – Typically concreteoors that require a “hardener” to be applied need

a concrete mix that has been designed so the con-crete can easily accept the “hardener” for its ap-plication to be monolithic. Several things must be

carefully considered by the concrete supplier, suchas water content, SCMs (i.e. y ash or slag) foravailable surface moisture, set and nish time, andentrained air content. Concrete to receive a surfacehardener should not be air entrained.

◆ High Volume Supplementary Cementing Ma-terials Concrete (HVSCM 1 & 2) – CSA A23.1-04has included these designations for concrete thatcontains a level of supplementary cementing mate-rials above that typically used for normal construc-tion.

Appendix I: Specialty Concrete Applications




Appendix J Summary of CSAExposure Classes

Determination of the minimum concrete performanceproperties is based upon identifying the following keyrequirements:

◆ Applicable Exposure Conditions – The designermust assess the environmental conditions thatthe concrete will be exposed to during its ser-vice life. Direct input is also required from theOwner regarding possible future uses since theycan signicantly affect the exposure class selec-tion

◆ Structural Requirements – The designer mustdetermine the minimum concrete propertiesrequired to meet the applicable loading condi-tions

◆ Architectural Requirements – The designermust consider the effects of selecting variousarchitectural nishes on concrete material prop-erties.

◆ Minimum Durability Requirements – Basedupon the designer’s assessment of the exposureconditions, the CSA A23.1 standard sets mini-

mum concrete properties.

In cases where these various factors result in differingmaterial properties, the designer must select the moststringent requirement as the minimum concrete per-formance requirement.

CSA A23.1-04 – Concrete Materials and Methodsof Concrete Construction, Tables 1 – 4 outline theminimum durability requirements.




Appendix J: Summary of CSA Exposure Classes

Denitions of C, F, N, A, and S exposure classes(See Clauses 4.1.1.1.1, 4.1.1.5, 4.4.4.1.1.1, 4.4.4.1.1.2, 6.6.7.5.1, 8.4.1.2 and Tables 2 and 12.)

C-XL Structurally reinforced concrete exposed to chlorides or other severe environments with or without freezing and thawingconditions, with higher durability performance expectations than the C-1, A-1 or S-1 classes.

C-1 Structurally reinforced concrete exposed to chlorides with or without freezing and thawing conditions.Examples: bridge decks, parking decks and ramps, portions of marine structures located within the tidal and splash zones,concrete exposed to seawater spray, and salt water pools.

C-2 Non-structurally reinforced (i.e. plain) concrete exposed to chlorides and freezing and thawing. Examples: garage oors,porches, steps, pavements, sidewalks, curbs, and gutters.

C-3 Continuously submerged concrete exposed to chlorides but not to freezing and thawing. Examples: underwater portionsof marine structures.

C-4 Non-structurally reinforced concrete exposed to chlorides but not to freezing and thawing. Examples: underground park-

ing slabs on grade.

F-1 Concrete exposed to freezing and thawing in a saturated condition but not to chlorides. Examples: pool decks, patios,tennis courts, freshwater pools, and freshwater control structures.

F-2 Concrete in an unsaturated condition exposed to freezing and thawing but not to chlorides. Examples: exterior wallsand columns.

N Concrete not exposed to chlorides nor to freezing and thawing. Examples: footings and interior slabs, walls and columns.

A-1 Structurally reinforced concrete exposed to severe manure and/or silage gases, with or without freeze-thaw exposure.Concrete exposed to the vapour above municipal sewage or industrial efuent, where hydrogen sulphide gas may begenerated. Examples: reinforced beams, slabs and columns over manure pits and silos, canals, pig slats, access holes,enclosed chambers, and pipes that are partially lled with efuents.

A-2 Structurally reinforced concrete exposed to moderate to severe manure and/or silage gases and liquids, with or withoutfreeze-thaw exposure. Examples: reinforced walls in exterior manure tanks, silos and feed bunkers, exterior slabs.

A-3 Structurally reinforced concrete exposed to moderate to severe manure and/or silage gases and liquids, with or withoutfreeze-thaw exposure in a continuously submerged condition. Concrete continuously submerged in municipal or industri-al efuents. Examples: interior gutter walls, beams, slabs and columns, sewage pipes that are continuously full (e.g., forcemains), and submerged portions of sewage treatment structures.

A-4 Non-structurally-reinforced concrete exposed to moderate manure and/or silage gases and liquids, without freeze-thawexposure. Examples: interior slabs on grade.

S-1 Concrete subjected to very severe sulphate exposure (Tables 2 and 3).

S-2 Concrete subjected to severe sulphate exposure (Tables 2 and 3).

S-3 Concrete subjected to moderate sulphate exposure (Tables 2 and 3).

Notes:(1) “C” classes pertain to chloride exposure.(2) “F” classes pertain to freezing and thawing exposure without chlorides.(3) “N” class is exposed to neither chlorides nor freezing and thawing.(4) “A” class pertains to agricultural, municipal or industrial projects exposed to human or animal wastes.(5) All classes of concrete, exposed to sulphates, shall comply with the minimum requirements of of “S” class noted in

Tables 2 and 3.

CSA A23.1 – Table 1





Requirements for C, F, N, R, S and A classes of exposure(See Clauses 4.1.1.1.1, 4.1.1.3, 4.1.1.4, 4.1.1.5, 4.1.1.6.2, 4.1.2.1, 4.3.1, 7.4.1.1, 8.8.3, and 8.8.6.1, and Table 1.)

REQUIREMENTS FOR SPECIFYING CONCRETE

Class ofexposure*

Maximumwater-to-cementingmaterialsratio†

Minimumspeciedcompressivestrength (MPa)and age (d)at test†

Aircontentcategoryas perTable 4

Curing type (see Table 20)

Chloride ionpenetrability testrequirements andage at test‡

Normalconcrete

HVSCM1

HVSCM2

C-XL 0.37 50 within 56 d 1 or 2§ 3 3 3 < 1,000 coulombswithin 56 d

C-1 or A-1 0.40 35 at 28 d 1 or 2§ 2 3 2 < 1,500 coulombswithin 56 d

C-2 or A-2 0.45 32 at 28 d 1 2 2 2

C-3 or A-3 0.50 30 at 28 d 2 1 2 2

C-4** orA-4 0.55 25 at 28 d 2 1 2 2

F-1 0.50 30 at 28 d 1 2 3 2

F-2 0.55 25 at 28 d 2†† 1 2 2

N‡‡ For structuraldesign

For structuraldesign None 1 2 2

S-1 0.40 35 at 56 d 2 2 3 2S-2 0.45 32 at 56 d 2 2 3 2

S-3 0.50 30 at 56 d 2 1 2 2

* See Table 1 for description of classes of exposure.† The minimum specied compressive strength may be adjusted to reect proven relationships between strength and the water-

to-cementing materials ratio. The water-to-cementing materials ratio shall not be exceeded for a given class of exposure.‡ In accordance with ASTM C 1202. An age different from that indicated may be specied by the owner. Where calcium nitrite

corrosion inhibitor is to be used, the same concrete mixture, but without calcium nitrite, shall be prequalied to meet therequirements for the permeability index in his Table.

§ Use Category 1 for concrete exposed to freezing and thawing. Use air content Category 2 for concrete not exposed to freezing

and thawing.** For class of exposure C-4, the requirement for air entrainment should be waived when a steel trowelled nish is required.

The addition of supplementary cementing materials may be used to provide reduced permeability in the long term, if that isrequired.

†† Interior ice rink slabs and freezer slabs with a steel trowelled nish have been found to perform satisfactory withoutentrained air.

‡‡ To allow proper nishing and wear resistance, Type N concrete intended for use in an industrial concrete oor with atrowelled surface exposed to wear shall have a minimum cementing materials content of 265 kg/m 3.






References:1 CSA A23.1-04 – Concrete Materials and Methods of Concrete Construction, Canadian Standards Association International

With permission of Canadian Standards Association, material is reproduced from CSA Standard, A23.1-04/A23.2-04, Concrete Materials and Methods of ConcreteConstruction/Methods of Test and Standard Practices for Concrete, which is copyrighted by Canadian Standards Association, 178 Rexdale Blvd., Toronto, Ontario, M9W1R3. While the use of this material has been authorized, CSA shall not be responsible for the manner in which the information is presented, nor for any interpretationsthereof. For more information on CSA or to purchase standards, please visit our website at www.shopcsa.ca or call 1-800-463-6727.

Additional requirements for concrete subjected to sulphate attack*(See Clauses 4.1.1.1.1, 4.1.1.6.2, 4.1.1.6.3, 8.4.1.2 and Tables 1.)

Class ofexposure*

Degree ofexposure

Water solublesulphate(SO4)† in soilsample, %

Sulphate (SO 4)in ground-water sample,mg/L‡

Water solublesulphate (SO 4) inrecycled aggregatesample, % §

Cementingmaterials tobe used**

S-1 Very severe > 2.0 > 10,000 > 2.0 HS or HSb

S-2 Severe 0.20 – 2.0 1,500 – 10,000 0.60 – 2.0 HS or HSb

S-3 Moderate 0.10 – 0.20 150 – 1,500 0.20 – 0.60 MS, MSb, LH, HS,or HSb

* For sea water exposure, see Clause 4.1.1.5.† As per CSA A23.2-3B.‡ As per CSA A23.2-2B.§ Cementing material combinations with equivalent performance maybe used (see Clauses 4.2.1.2, 4.2.1.3, and 4.2.1.4). Type HS

cement shall not be used in reinforced concrete exposed to both chlorides and sulphates. Refer to Clause 4.1.1.3.


Requirements for the air content categories(See Clauses 4.1.1.1.1, 4.1.1.3, 4.1.1.4, 4.1.1.5, 4.2.3.2.2., 4.3.1.1, 4.3.3.1, 4.3.3.2, 4.4.4.1.1.1, and Tables 2)

Range in air content* for concrete with indicated nominal maximumsizes of coarse aggregate, %

Air content category 10 mm 14 – 20 mm 28 – 40 mm

1† 6 – 9 5 – 8 4 – 7

2 5 – 8 4 – 7 3 – 6

* At the point of discharge from the delivery equipment, unless otherwise specied.† For hardened concrete, see Clause 4.3.3.2.

Notes:(1) The above difference in air contents has been established based upon the difference in mortar fraction volume required for

specic coarse aggregate sizes.(2) Air contents measured after pumping or slip forming may be signicantly lower than those measured at the end of the chute.





Appendix K Checklist forConcrete Ordering

and Scheduling




Appendix K: Checklist for Concrete Ordering and Scheduling

Introduction

A Task Group of the National Ready Mixed Con-crete Association (NRMCA) and the AmericanSociety of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) has

developed this checklist for Ordering and SchedulingReady Mixed Concrete. With permission of the originalauthor, the Ready Mixed Concrete Association of On-tario (RMCAO) and the Ontario General ContractorsAssociation (OGCA) have reviewed and revised thisdocument for use on Canadian construction projectsfollowing the requirements of the most recent CSAA23.1/.2 Standard.

The intent is to simplify the ordering process througha logical approach while establishing the necessary in-

formation from the supplier’s and the purchaser’s per-spective, especially on smaller projects. The presump-tion is that on larger projects the concrete constructionteam has been through a pre-construction conferenceand has addressed the pertinent items in the Check-list for Concrete Pre-Construction Conference andthose items are excluded from this document. The or-dering requirements of CSA A23.1/.2 Concrete Mate-rials and Methods of Concrete Construction/Methodsof Test and Standard Practices for Concrete generallygovern unless over-ridden by the purchaser.

A Task Group of the Ready Mixed Concrete Associationof Ontario (RMCAO) and the Ontario General Contrac-tors Association (OGCA) has revised this document foruse on Canadian projects with the co-operation andpermission of the RMC Foundation and NRMCA.

Besides items covered in this checklist other items thatneed to be dened and claried between the supplierand purchaser include:

◆ Advance notice for concrete orders◆ Add-on orders◆ Change orders◆ Will call orders and advance conrmation◆ After hours placements and charges,◆ Weekend/holiday orders and charges◆ Cancellation of orders◆ Clean-up load estimates and advance

notice◆ Additional charges for items such as

returned concrete, short loads, etc.◆ Requirements for personnel and plant

certication

This checklist will facilitate the person taking the orderto assist the person placing the order by walking him/ her through these items and documenting the order.

The section on type of construction is to facilitate

tracking changes in concrete market segments forpromotion activities.


http://www.ogca.ca/






Appendix K: Checklist for Concrete Ordering and Scheduling

CHECKLIST FOR CONCRETE ORDERING AND SCHEDULINGProject:

Location:

Name Phone Mobile Fax

Order taken byOrdered byPurchased by

Time/Date Called Quantity (m 3)Date Required Truck Spacing/DurationStart Time Placement Rate (m 3/hr.)

Location Mix Code Strength (MPa)Early StrengthRequirements(MPa/Hours)

Slump (mm) Air Content (%)

No Yes ± No Yes

Concrete Temperature Limits No Yes Minimum: _____°C Maximum:_____°C

Admixtures orOther Ingredients No Plant-

addedSite-

addedAdmixtures or

Other Ingredients No Plant-added

Site-added

Synthetic Fibres High Range Water ReducerSteel Fibres

AcceleratorChloride

High Early Cement (HE) Non-ChlorideMid-Range Water Reducer Maximum Aggregate Size (mm):

Directions to the Jobsite

Site Access

Transportation Units Access

Safety Info to Drivers

Wash-Out Areas Other

Placement Method Pumping Conveyor Bucket Other

Emergency Contacts for schedule changes, equipment breakdown, plant/truck breakdown, mixture adjustments

Contact Phone Mobile Home PhoneSupplierContractorGeneral Contractor

Type of Project Highway Streets and local roads Recreational paving Airports Parking garages Tilt-Up construction Bridges Transit Buildings Water resource structures Waste management structures Flowable ll Parking areas Driveways/residential atwork Basement walls

Residential walls (ICFs) Other: __________________________




The creation of this document is due to the time and efforts of the following key individuals:

Dennis Baker – St. Lawrence Cement Inc. David Bayne – Vanbots Construction Corporation Dale Hollingsworth – Lafarge North America John Hull – Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario Bart Kanters – Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario Lloyd Keller – Ellis-Don Construction Ltd. Geoff Kinney – Duron Ontario Ltd. Glen Norman – PCL Constructors Canada Inc. Jeff Pigott – Kenaidan Contracting Ltd.

Bryan Schulz – Canada Building Materials

Mike Ste – Toronto Redi-Mix Limited Clive Thurston – Ontario General Contractors Association

This document was created as a joint publication of both the Ontario General Contractors Association and theReady Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario. Additional technical information was also supplied by allied con-crete and related associations in both Canada and the United States as identied in the document.

Acknowledgements

American Concrete Pumping Association (ACPA) (www.concretepumpers.com)American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) (www.ascconline.org)American Concrete Institute (ACI) (www.aci-int.org)Canadian Standards Association (CSA) (www.csa.ca)Concrete Floor Contractors Association of Ontario (CFCAO) (www.concreteoors.ca)Concrete Construction Magazine (www.concreteconstruction.net)National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) (www.nrmca.org)

Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) (www.ogca.ca)Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario (RMCAO) (www.rmcao.org)Ready Mixed Concrete Foundation (RMC) (www.rmc-foundation.org)World of Concrete (www.worldofconcrete.com)

Website Links





http://www.aci-int.org/


http://www.csa.ca/

http://www.csa.ca/



http://www.concreteconstruction.net/




http://www.ogca.ca/

http://www.ogca.ca/



http://www.rmc-foundation.org/


http://www.worldofconcrete.com/





http://www.ogca.ca/




http://www.csa.ca/







http://www.ogca.ca/

Documents

RMCAO Best_Practices_Guidelines for Concrete Construction