QUALITY CONTROL

ASPECTS

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 OUTLINE:

Introduction
Concept of Quality
Factors Affecting Quality in Construction
Problems for Quality in Construction
Quality and Cost
Quality Cost in Construction
Objectives of Quality Control
Quality Control Procedures/System
Quality Assurance Plan
Conclusion 2
 Introduction
 Derived from Latin word ‘Qualita’ which means what some
thing is really like.

 ISO 9004 defines as “the totality of features and

characteristics of a product or service that bear on its
ability to satisfy stated or implied needs”.

 Quality control is the process and mechanism by which

the specified quality is achieved.

 Quality costs more, but lack of quality costs even more, so

cost of repairing bad quality is high.
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 Continuation..
 Quality is not grade. An example: Luxurious hotel with
poor service or small guest house with excellent services.
 Quality standards do not demand the best quality; they
establish the minimum requirements to be achieved.
 Quality control system is like human health, If one of its
part is weak, the whole system will suffer.
 For Engineers quality refers “meeting the Specifications
and Standards set out in full.”

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 Concept of Quality

Mathematically,
Q=P/E
Where, Q= Quality
P= Performance
E= Expectations

If Q>1,the customer has good feeling about the

product or service.

The determination of P and E will most likely to

based on perception with the organization
determining performance and the customer 5

determining expectations.
 Continuation..

Quality has 9 different

dimensions:
• Performance
• Service
• Features
• Response
• Conformance
• Aesthetics
• Reliability
• Reputation
• Durability
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Factors Affecting Quality in Const.
• Quality of design
• Quality of drawings and documents
• Quality of supervision
• Quality of construction materials
• Quality of workers
• Quality of tools and equipments
• Client’s desire to pay
• Management and organization
• Qualification of contractors
• Time period available for construction
• Geographical Location of construction site
• Statutory Regulations
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Problems for Quality in Construction:
A. Man Related Problems

• Poor communication
• Attitude and behavior
• Training
• High Expectations
• Lack of confidence on employees

B. Material related problems

• Hi-tech desire of the client
• Invention of new materials
• Quality of construction materials supplied 8
Continuation..
C. Money related problems
• Undue profit motive
• Competition in the market
• Cost of quality control

D. Method related problem

• Poor documentation

E. Minute (Time) related problems

• Pressure for design
• Pressure for contractors
• Testing and commissioning 9
 Quality and Cost

1. Quality Management Cost

• Prevention cost: cost involved in activities to
ensure right first time performance.
• Appraisal cost: cost involved in activities that
check whether right first time is achieved.

2. Failure Cost: cost involved in the activities which

result from not conforming to the right first time.

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 Quality Cost in Construction

• Price of Conformance (POC): includes the expenses

incurred to ensure that products or services are
provided as specified and represents about 3-4% of
sales in well run companies.
• Price of Non-Conformance (PoNC): includes all
expenses of doing wrong things and amount 20%
or more of sales in manufacturing companies and
35% of operating cost in servicing companies.

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 Continuation..
Price of Non-Conformance (PoNC) can be
minimized on major categories in general by
the following means:

Establish acceptable criteria for selection of

contractors & suppliers
Introduce the training project personnel
Motivate site personnel to do right things first
time
Insist that the site personnel check accuracy of
any setting out work 12
 Objectives of Quality Control
• To prepare and use good quality construction
materials.
• To employ appropriate construction methods.
• To enforce appropriate construction manner.
• To find out the construction defects through the
appropriate field inspection/supervision.

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 Quality Control System

The Quality Control System comprises:

• Methods
• Procedures
• Organization for the Quality Control of the works
Responsibility of Contractor for Quality:
Conformity:
• All material incorporated and all workmanship
performed strictly in conformity with the
requirements of the Specifications and
• the Contractor shall be responsible for the quality of
the works in the entire construction within the
contract.
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 Quality Control System
Responsibility of Contractor for Quality Cond..

Field Laboratory Establishment:

The Contractor shall provide, use and maintain on the Site,
throughout the period of execution of the contract:

• a laboratory with adequate laboratory equipment operated by

competent staff for carrying out tests required for the selection
and control of the quality of materials and for the control of
workmanship.
• The list of laboratory equipment to be procured and laboratory
facilities to be provided shall be got approved from the
Engineer.
• To assume that tests shall be required on all materials to be
used in the works and on all finished works or part of works.
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 Quality Control System
The Contractor’s system for Quality Control shall include:
1. Sequence
a. Compliant testing of materials including Laboratory Trials
b. Compliant testing for methods and equipments prior to the
commencement of the work , including site trials or trials
sections
c. Control testing during construction
d. Acceptant testing on completed works or part of the works
(Quality Control Flow Chart)
The Contractor to carry out all necessary tests and to
report to the Engineer the results of such tests before
submitting materials and/or finished works or part of
works to the Engineer for approval.

In certain circumstances, tests may be carried out at the 16

place of manufacture as per the CoC.

 Quality Control System

1. Sequence Contd..
• For satisfying himself about the quality of the works,
quality control tests shall be conducted by the Engineer
himself or by any other agencies deemed fit by the
Engineer.
• Additional tests may also be conducted where in the
opinion of the Engineer such tests are needed.
• Before commencement of the work, the Contractor shall
demonstrate a trial run of all construction equipment for
establishing their capability to achieve the laid down
Specifications and tolerances to the satisfaction of the
Engineer.

2 The supply and monitoring shall be in compliance with

Quality Assurance Plan (QAP) as discussed below: 17
 Quality Assurance Plan
The Contractor to submit to the Engineer for his
approval, the QAP, which shall be based on the
detailed Program of the Works:

The Quality Assurance Plan shall include the

following:
• Quality Control Schedule
• Staff at Laboratory and Organization
• Sequence of the activities
• List of source of materials and Program and supply
of materials
• List of tests and quality control procedure to be
implemented by sub-contractors
• Monitoring of QAP (Natural and Man made
material)
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 Quality Assurance Plan
Quality Control Schedule:
• The recapitulative test schedule and testing program
detailing the list of tests for compliance, laboratory
trials, site trials and trials Sections, construction control
tests and their frequencies, tests for acceptance of the
completed works with their dates.

• Recapitulative list of “critical” acceptance testing

procedures, for equipment or parts of the works which
corresponds to the tasks on the Critical Path according
to the construction Program. 19
 Quality Assurance Plan
Quality Control Schedule Contd…:
• Estimate of the number of tests to be carried out,
list and number of appropriate equipment to
conduct them, list of tests to be conducted outside
the site laboratory, if any, identification of the
outside laboratory where proposed to carry out the
test.

• Recapitulativelist of “critical” acceptance testing

procedures, for equipment or parts of the works
which corresponds to the tasks on the Critical Path
according to the construction Program.
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 Quality Assurance Plan

Sequence of Activities:

• Prepare a check list for the sequences of activities

to be carried for each item of Works (Sequence
of activities).

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 Quality Assurance Plan

Staff at Laboratory and Organization:

• Listof staff assigned to the laboratory, their

position and responsibilities in the quality control
procedures, their qualification and experience,
general description and detailed organization of
the laboratory activities.

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 Quality Assurance Plan

List of source of materials and Program and

supply of materials:
• The list of sources of materials and/or of
manufactured articles, their main characteristics,
their identification mode as provided by the
supplier when required; the program of supply
and procurement of material and/or
manufactured articles as per the work schedule.

• Make a location map for sources of natural

material.
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 Quality Assurance Plan

List of tests and quality control procedure to be

implemented by sub-contractors:

• The list of tests and quality control procedures to be

implemented by the sub-contractors, if any,
pointing out the “critical” acceptance testing
procedures relating to the Sub-contracted works,
which correspond to the tasks on the Critical Path
included in the Sub-contracted Works.

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 Quality Assurance Plan
Monitoring of QAP (Natural and Man made
material):

• The Contractor shall monitor and update the QAP

on the basis of the decisions taken at the periodic
review meetings or as directed by the Engineer and
in accordance with the program of the works.

• Basedon the Bill of Quantity (BoQ) of the Work

item and the frequency of the tests, the required
number of tests shall be calculated. The tests carried
out shall be compared with the required ones, to
monitor the compliance (Monitoring Chart).
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 Quality Assurance Plan
• The Contractor shall implement the Quality Control
in compliance with the approved QAP.

• The Engineer’s approval of the QAP shall not relieve

the Contractor from his responsibility of the quality
of the Works.

• Nor shall the Engineer’s approval of the QAP

exempt the Contractor of any procedure to inform
the engineer in writing or request for the Engineer’s
approval or re-approval.
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 Quality Assurance Plan
TESTING PROCEDURES AND SETS OF TESTS:
• For ensuring the quality of the work, the materials and the
workmanship shall be subjected to testing in accordance with
procedures and sets of tests.

• Frequencies are not restrictive.

• The Engineer shall direct for the tests to be carried out as
frequently as deemed necessary that the materials and
workmanship comply with their Specifications.

• Where no specific testing procedure is mentioned in the

Specifications, the tests shall be carried out as per the
prevalent accepted engineering practice or directions of the
Engineer. 27
 CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS

• Construction inspections are an essential part of the

construction process. If done correctly, they can
have tremendous advantages for anyone working in
the industry. They can provide the certainty that
everything proceeds as it should and in a safe way.
• It is clear that inspectors have a crucial job. They
have to check everything and give a heads up for
any violations or mismanagement during the
completion of the project. Inspections are very tricky
and in the present post, we will try to shed some
light on the various pros and cons that they may
have for construction.

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 TYPES OF INSPECTION:
• Scheduled Inspections
During a scheduled inspection, things are more
straightforward and structured for both sides. An
“inspection target” is selected and notified
beforehand. The element of surprise isn’t present in
such cases. In that sense, the people who are
responsible for the project have more time to
prepare. The target selection is based on various
criteria, such as the location or the accident risk
around the project. However, there always are
concerns about the neutrality of the choices.

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TYPES OF INSPECTION:
• Random Inspections
Unannounced inspections tend to create more
fuss, due to the element of surprise that we
mentioned before. It’s an excellent way to get a
more “sincere” overview of the situation but it can
also lead to an inefficient inspection due to the
random nature of the whole procedure.

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 MAIN BENEFITS:
• Proper Safety Planning
The attention that inspectors invest on safety is a big plus for
construction. Identifying the safest road in using equipment
and making sure that all the members of your construction
project aren’t in any kind of danger is priceless. And that’s why,
inspections should always be one of the main pillars in a
construction project.
• Hazard Identification
Coupled with the point made above, hazard identification is
hands down one of the most mention-worthy pros of
construction inspections. If you want for your inspection to
have a positive outcome, you have to be fully aware of the
various dangers on site. In that manner, you can also be better
protected. And that’s something that adds great value to the 31

inspector’s job.
 MAIN BENEFITS:

• Better Task Focus

Inspections may be a pain sometimes but they help those who
work in a construction site to maintain an alert state of mind. In
simple words, this signifies that construction workers and agents
have better concentration and clearer focus on what they are
doing. What is more, they have all the necessary means for
working efficiently given the fact that everyone is living up to the
pre-established expectations.
• Improved Construction Quality
Inspections can have a very positive impact on the quality of the
building structures. Putting together a project context that follows
the existing regulations can help significantly in upgrading both its
quality and safety. The greater the quality the greater the profit for
those involved.

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MAIN BENEFITS:

• Greener Construction
Last but certainly not least, the beneficial impact of
inspections on the environment. At the moment, there are
thorough environmental regulations for the construction
industry. Inspections are contributing a lot in making
construction companies actually follow them. The serious
penalties that come as a result of any potential
environmental violations have been, through the years, a
great ally to the effort for a greener construction industry.

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 CONS:
• Resource Waste
First point of criticism when it comes to inspections has to do with
the excessive amount of resources that have to be dedicated to it.
In many cases, site foremen believe that there is no inherent value
in putting so much effort and assets in inspections given the lack of
efficiency that characterizes them.
• Inefficiency of Scheduled Inspections
In close relation to the prior remark, inefficiency can be a huge pain
for construction inspections. Especially when we are talking about
scheduled inspections. There are many concerns that planned
inspections have no practical value due to the fact that the
construction project agents have all the time that they need to
prepare accordingly and conveniently hide any negative spots or
practices.
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 CONS:

• Data Validity
The legitimacy of the inspection data is another plausible worry.
According to an extended research, conducted by the OSHA
Integrated Management Information Service (IMIS), there often are
serious inadequacies in the inspection data. This is a very important
hit against the integrity and status of the whole process.
• Small Scale Projects
Another source of complaints regarding inspections is inextricably
connected with the scale of the projects. At the time being,
inspections are targeting mostly toward massive construction
projects. This leaves a huge gap when it comes to more limited
projects which simply aren’t getting checked as often as it should.
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CONS:

• Lack of Scope
Probably the most vital drawback of inspections has to do
with its very own core. There is a strong need for
reevaluating the whole process and try to narrow down its
mission. In that way, inspectors can be more productive
and we can build a more effective context around the
whole system.

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THANK YOU!

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