TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 GENERAL ..............................................................................................................................

2
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Scope ........................................................................................................................................ 2 Definitions ................................................................................................................................ 2 Use of Language....................................................................................................................... 3 Work Included .......................................................................................................................... 3 Standards and codes of practice ............................................................................................... 3
1.5.1 1.5.2 1.5.3 Local Construction Specification ............................................................................................. 3 Project Specifications............................................................................................................... 4 British Standards ...................................................................................................................... 4

2.0

FABRICATION REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................... 4

2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Concrete production ................................................................................................................. 4 Placing of concrete ................................................................................................................... 4 Hot weather concreting ............................................................................................................ 4 Forms........................................................................................................................................ 4 Reinforcement .......................................................................................................................... 4 Embedded items ....................................................................................................................... 5 Curing....................................................................................................................................... 5 Accelerated hydration by heat treatment .................................................................................. 6 Production tolerances ............................................................................................................... 7 Repairs...................................................................................................................................... 7 Erection preparation ................................................................................................................. 7 Transient situations .................................................................................................................. 8 Lifting inserts ........................................................................................................................... 8 Lifting equipment and accessories ........................................................................................... 8 Joints and connections .............................................................................................................. 9 Sealants for joints ..................................................................................................................... 9 Maintenance of joints ............................................................................................................... 9 Erection safety .......................................................................................................................... 9

3.0

FINISHED PRODUCT REQUIREMENT .......................................................................... 7

3.1 3.2

4.0

ERECTION requirements ..................................................................................................... 7

4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8

5.0 6.0

FACTORY AND SITE STORAGE ...................................................................................... 9 MARKING OF ELEMENTS .............................................................................................. 10

6.1 6.2 6.3 Marking Procedure ................................................................................................................. 10 Shop Marking ......................................................................................................................... 10 Packing Lists .......................................................................................................................... 10

7.0 8.0

TRANSPORTATION .......................................................................................................... 10 QUALITY CONTROL ........................................................................................................ 11

8.1 Shop Quality Control ............................................................................................................. 11

8.2

Erection Quality Control ........................................................................................................ 11

1.0

GENERAL
The considerations for design, manufacturing and erection of structural and nonstructural precast elements including joints and connections for buildings and building works shall follow this specification.

1.1

Scope
The intent of this specification is to cover the minimum requirements for the materials, design, fabrication, supply and erection of all structural and non-structural precast elements including joints and connections required for the construction of buildings and miscellaneous structures as required, for the total completion of the project. The work shall be in accordance with standards listed in this specification. Before fabrication is started, checked shop drawings along with supporting design calculations as applicable shall be submitted to, and be approved by, the COMPANYS Engineer at least two weeks in advance. Drawings shall indicate all connections, details and other pertinent data, erection plans and bills of materials. Location of holes and other connections necessary for attachment of work of other trades shall be properly shown on the drawings.

1.2

Definitions
The following definitions apply:
COMPANY CONTRACTOR SUB-CONTRACTOR xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx The individual, partnership, firm or corporation qualified to practice precast concrete works including testing under the laws of the state, province or country in which the property for the works lies, and is contractually obligated to perform the specified services. xxxxxxxxxx Denotes mandatory action or requirement Denotes an action or requirement which is not mandatory but which is strongly recommended xxxxxxxxxxxx

PROJECT SHALL SHOULD SITE

1.3

Use of Language
Throughout this document the words 'will', 'may', 'should', 'shall' and 'must' when used in the context of actions by CONTRACTOR, have specific meanings as follows: Will is used normally in connection with an action by COMPANY, rather than by CONTRACTOR. May is used where alternatives are equally acceptable. Should is used where a provision is preferred. Shall is used where a provision is mandatory. Must is used only where a provision is a statutory requirement.

1.4

Work Included
The work to be carried out by the SUB-CONTRACTOR shall include, but is not limited to, the following: Calculation and design drawing/preparation when not carried out by the CONTRACTOR. Complete shop detail drawings with bills of material and inserts/ bolt schedules. Erection drawings. Supply and fabrication of all the items as required in specifications and/or drawings. Erection of all elements together and any necessary temporary bracing during erection. Supply and install all bolts, including anchor bolts where required and erection bolts with nuts and washers. Any work which is reasonably implied and necessary for satisfactory completion shall be performed by the SUB-CONTRACTOR though not explicitly indicated in the Specification or shown on the drawings. Supply as-built drawings.

1.5

Standards and codes of practice

Precast concrete elements should be designed and constructed in compliance with the Construction Regulations and other relevant codes of practice. The following specifications, codes and standards, in their last revisions, shall be read in conjunction with and shall be part of this Specification.

1.5.1

Local Construction Specification Precast concrete elements Good Engineering Practices, BCA-Singapore

1.5.2

Project Specifications Civil and Structural Design Basis. Specification for Concrete Works

1.5.3

British Standards BS EN : 13369 Common rules for precast concrete products

2.0
2.1

FABRICATION REQUIREMENTS
Concrete production
For concrete composition, type of cement, use of aggregates, additions and admixtures, and for resistance to alkali-silica reaction, chloride content and concrete temperature, Project specification for concrete shall be referred.

2.2

Placing of concrete
Concrete shall be placed as to retain no appreciable amount of entrapped air other than entrained air and to avoid detrimental segregation. Concrete shall be deposited into forms as near to its' final location as practical. The free fall of the concrete shall be kept to a minimum. Concrete shall be consolidated in such a manner that segregation of the concrete is minimized and honeycombed areas are kept to a minimum. Vibrators used to consolidate concrete shall have frequencies and amplitudes sufficient to produce well consolidated concrete.

2.3

Hot weather concreting

During hot weather, proper attention shall be given to ingredients, production methods, handling, placing, protection, and curing to prevent excessive concrete temperatures or water evaporation that could impair required strength or serviceability of the member or structure.

2.4

Forms
Forms for manufacturing precast concrete products shall be of the type and design consistent with industry standards. They should be capable of consistently providing uniform products and dimensions. Forms shall be constructed so that no product damage shall be caused by the forces and vibrations to which the forms will be subjected. Forms shall be cleaned of concrete buildup after each use. Coating of form release agents shall not be allowed to build up.

2.5

Reinforcement
Cages of reinforcement shall be fabricated either by tying the bars, wires or welded wire fabric into rigid assemblies or by welding where permissible in accordance with Project specifications. Reinforcing shall be positioned as specified by the design and so that the concrete cover conforms to requirements. Positive means shall be taken to assure that the reinforcement does not move significantly during the casting operations.

2.6

Embedded items
Embedded items shall be positioned at location specified in the design documents. Inserts, plates, weldments, lifting devices and other items to be imbedded in precast concrete products shall be held rigidly in place so that they do not move significantly during the casting operations.

2.7

Curing
All surfaces of newly cast concrete shall be protected against drying out, by at least one of the methods listed in Table 2 of BS EN 13369, unless it can be shown by tests on the product or otherwise, that no loss in strength or surface cracking will occur in the production environment. The protection against drying out shall be maintained until the minimum concrete strength (expressed either by the degree of hardening or by the cylinder/cube strength at the end of curing) given in Table 1 of BS EN 13369 is reached. The said tables are reproduced below for ready reference.

2.8

Accelerated hydration by heat treatment

Where heat treatment at atmospheric pressure is applied to concrete during production in order to accelerate its hardening, it shall be demonstrated by initial testing that the required strength is achieved for each concrete family. In order to avoid micro-cracking and/or durability defects, the following conditions shall be fulfilled unless previous positive experience has shown that these requirements are not necessary: A proper preheating period shall be applied when the heat treatment maximum mean temperature T exceeds 40 C; Where T exceeds 40 C the temperature difference between adjacent parts of the elements during the heating and the cooling phases shall be limited to 20 C. The preheating period and the heating rate shall be documented. The concrete strength shall be measured by testing a concrete sample cured in the same manner as the product. The degree of hardening may be measured either by testing a concrete sample or estimated by calculation using a hardening law based on an initial test and maturity concept. During the full heating and cooling period the maximum mean temperature T shall be limited to the values of Table 3 of BS EN 13369. The said table is reproduced below for ready reference.

3.0
3.1

FINISHED PRODUCT REQUIREMENT

Production tolerances
Production tolerances of structural parameters, which affect load-bearing capacity of the element in its intended use, shall not exceed the values given in Table 4 of BS EN 13369. For other parameters, different tolerances may be specified. For cross-sectional dimensions L, the permitted deviation is L, and for position of reinforcing steel, prestressing steel and for the design cover c the permitted deviation is c. The said table is reproduced below for ready reference.

3.2

Repairs
Any defects found in a precast unit should be checked to ensure that the unit is still aesthetically and structurally acceptable for use after an appropriate repair is made. The type of repair material and method depends on the pattern, extent of the defect and type of surface finish and should be agreed by all parties involved and approved by the Engineer. The repair materials and method should be effective and acceptable in terms of achieving the required concrete strength and structural integrity as well as producing a texture and colour similar in appearance to the surrounding surface.

4.0
4.1

ERECTION REQUIREMENTS
Erection preparation
Consideration should be given to the following items to ensure safe and efficient installation of the precast elements in accordance with the design intent:


Erection sequence; Assembly and erection method; Erection tolerances; Rigging requirements; Concrete strength or age requirements; Permanent structural connection and joint details, propping and temporary support details.

4.2

Transient situations
The following special cases of actions concerning transient situations of precast elements shall be considered. Dynamic vertical effects during lifting, handling, transportation and erection shall be considered. When relevant for the type of element, for transient situations a nominal transverse horizontal force to cover out of plane effects due to dynamic actions or verticality deviations shall be considered. This may be taken as 1,5 of the self weight of the element.

4.3

Lifting inserts
When determining the number and location of lifting inserts, the following should be considered: a. b. c. d. e. lifting insert capacity (safe working load); total weight of the element; strength of concrete at age of lifting shape of the unit; location of the inserts so that the failure of any one insert does not cause failure of the entire lifting system thereby ensuring the element can still be safely supported; f. position of any cut-outs and/or openings; and g. rigging arrangement. All lifting inserts should be purpose designed proprietary products. Reinforcing bars may only be used as lifting inserts if specifically designed and installed for this purpose. Typically, lifting inserts should be designed with a factor of safety of 4. Where, they are to be used for multiple lifts such as manhole covers, a factor of safety of 5 should be used. These factors are at ultimate limit state.

4.4

Lifting equipment and accessories

Lifting equipment such as mobile crane, gantry crane, forklift etc. must be carefully selected to ensure that lifting of precast units is carried out within the rated capacity of the equipment. The support for the lifting equipment must be checked to ensure that adequate supporting capacity is provided. Lifting accessories may comprise combinations of lifting beams or frames, slings or cables, hooks or shackles. The selection of each of these components should be predetermined to take account of the forces exerted on them due to all aspects of the lifting operations. A person suitably qualified in accordance with the relevant regulations must regularly inspect all lifting equipment prior to and after use. Results of such inspections must be properly recorded and be available for subsequent inspection by the Engineer upon request. Some precast elements handled by means of lifting clamps, strops or slings as they may have no lifting inserts. Lifting equipment of this type may wear rapidly and therefore should be regularly inspected. The location of lifting points should be clearly indicated on the drawings.

4.5

Joints and connections

The overall stability of a structure and the temporary stability of individual members during construction should be checked. If connection failure could result in a catastrophic failure of the structure, these connections should be avoided. A free flowing, self-compacting and non-shrink grout should be used at the interface with the precast elements to minimise the risk of cracking and to ensure good compaction at the joint. The fire resistance and durability requirements for joints should be at least similar to the members being connected.

4.6

Sealants for joints

In choosing the appropriate type of sealant for the joints, consideration should be made in respect of the movements between the components to be joined, the bond that is achievable between the components and the sealant, and the nature of the sealing material itself. Sealants are classified as elastic, elastoplastic, plastoelastic or plastic according to their response to movement. High moisture content may be detrimental to the adhesion of the sealant. Sealing should not be undertaken if there is free water present on the surface of the concrete.

4.7

Maintenance of joints
The design of joints should allow for inspection, repair and, if necessary, replacement of deteriorated jointing products during maintenance. All joints should be designed in a manner that should be accessible for inspection and repair.

4.8

Erection safety
Safety during the handling and erection of precast concrete elements is of paramount importance and compliance with the relevant regulation is required. All equipment used for the handling and erection of a precast element must be maintained to a high standard, load tested as necessary, and be suited to the intended use. Consideration should also be given to the site environment particularly with regards to built up areas and implications this may have on erection safety.

5.0

FACTORY AND SITE STORAGE

Storage areas must be large enough so that the precast units can be stored safely, with adequate room for lifting equipment and transporting vehicles to manoeuvre. The ground of the storage area must be hard, level, clean and well drained to permit organised storage. Precast elements can be damaged by incorrect stacking and storage. Where the locations of support points for a precast unit are critical the locations for the supports should be noted on the shop drawings. Supports must be arranged to avoid twisting or distorting of the precast elements and must be adequate to transfer the weight of the stacked units to the ground without excessive settlement. The stored and stacked units should be protected to prevent accidental damage. Lifting points should also be well protected and kept accessible while the units are in storage. Precast units must be stored safely with adequate supports such that it would not endanger any workers moving in the vicinity.

6.0
6.1

MARKING OF ELEMENTS
Marking Procedure
All elements shall be marked in accordance with following marking procedure.Erection marks shall include:

Prefix number Structure number Level number Piece number

6.2

Shop Marking
Erection marks of all pieces shall be shown on erection drawings and shop drawings. All shop assembled pieces shall be provided with both: Cold notched match marks (letters and numbers height 5mm minimum) surrounded with paint Painted marks (letters and numbers height 50mm minimum) The location of the mark shall be on the left hand end of the piece, as detailed. On the erection diagram the mark shall be in the corresponding "in place" position.

6.3

Packing Lists
Packing lists reflecting what is actually shipped shall be furnished with each load in a water proof package.

7.0

TRANSPORTATION
The precast units should have gained sufficient strength before being loaded for transportation. Precast units must be loaded carefully on to delivery vehicles to prevent damage. To protect the edges throughout their journey, proper devices should be used to support, secure and wedge the precast units. The units should be adequately secured and supported to prevent them from overturning, shifting or being damaged during transportation. Adequate non-staining cushioning should be provided between the unit and any securing chains, cables or ropes to prevent localised damage. Precautions should also be taken to ensure that no undesirable stresses will be transmitted to the precast unit due to any flexing of truck or barge deck.

8.0
8.1

QUALITY CONTROL
Shop Quality Control
A factory selected for the casting of units must ensure that the precast units are manufactured under a Quality Assurance Scheme certified under ISO 9000 covering the following items: Quality control tests of materials; Calibration of laboratory equipment for quality control tests. Production process and control of equipment at the casting yard.

The authorised engineer must satisfy himself that the precast concrete units have been constructed in accordance with the Approved Drawings and specification. Upon leaving the precasting factory all precast units or batch of units must carry documentation certified by the factory stating that the units have been manufactured under a certified quality assurance scheme and in accordance with the specification.

8.2

Erection Quality Control

CONTRACTOR shall establish a field inspection system to perform inspections and to assure conformance to CONTRACT requirements.