QUALITY CONTROL

on
CONCRETE
STRUCTURES
Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS

Control in
Measurement of Materials

In order that uniform batches of concrete of

proper proportion and consistency
are to be produced, it is essential that the
weighing of all ingredients be carefully
controlled.

Table I-23
Requirement of Materials
for Concrete Bridges & Road Projects
Material

Cement

Coarse
Aggregate

Test Item
Autoclave Expansion
7-days compressive strength
Initial Setting

Sieve Analysis
Clay Lumps
Soft Fragments
Abrasion
Passing 0.075 mm sieve
Soundness test (sodium sulfate)

Specifications
Not more than 0.8
More than 19.0 MPa
Not less than 45 min and not
more than 375 min

Not more than 0.25%

Not more than 3.5%
Not more than 40%
Not more than 1.0%
Not more than 12%

Reference Standard
AASHTO M-24
M-24
M-24

AASHTO T-27
T-112
T-12
T-96
T-27
T-104

Not more than 1%

Not more than 3%
Not darker than the
standard

AASHTO T-27
T-112
T-27
T-104
T-71
T-26

Fine Aggregate

Sieve Analysis
Clay Lumps
Passing 0.075 mm sieve
Soundness test (Sodium Sulfate)
Colormatic test for organic
Impurities

Water

Potable Water

pH Value 4.5 to 8.0

AASHTO T-26

Reinforcing Steel

Yield & tensile strength

Bending, dimension &
phosphorous content

6% maximum under nominal

mass

AASHTO M-31

Storage of Materials

Cement
cement shall be stored immediately upon
delivery at the site in a weatherproof building
which will protect the cement from dampness.
The floor shall be raised from the ground.
bulk cement, if used, shall be transferred to
elevated air tight weathered proof bins.
cement bags shall be stacked closed together to
reduce air circulation but should never be
stacked against outside walls.

Storage of Materials

Cement
stack the cement bags so that the first in are the first
out.
on small jobs where a shed is not available, bags
should be placed on raised wooden platforms at least 4
to 6 inches above the ground and water coverings
should fit over the pile and extend over the cement and
the platform.
cement which has been in storage for so long a period
that there is already doubt as to quality should be
tested prior to use.

Cement stored on an elevated airtight and

weatherproof stockroom

Storage of Materials

Aggregates

Store on separate platforms at

satisfactory location
Different sizes of aggregates shall be
stored in separate bins or in separate
stockpiles sufficiently removed from
each other to prevent the material at
the edges of the piles from becoming
intermixed

Aggregates should be stored on separate

platform at satisfactory location to prevent
inclusion of foreign materials

Stockpile of reinforcing steel bars should be elevated

above the ground to prevent detrimental rust

Flow Chart of Preparation for Fresh Concrete

CONSISTENCY
The consistency of concrete shall be
gauged by the ability of the equipment to
properly place it and not by the difficulty in
mixing and transporting.

Consistency of the mixture should be check frequently by

Slump Test

Measurement of Concrete Slump

For economy the lowest slump which can be
placed properly, should always be used.

BATCHING
Most specifications require that
batching be done by weight rather than by
volume because of inaccuracies in
measuring aggregate by volume.
The use of the weight system for batching
provides greater accuracy and simplicity
and avoids the problem created by bulking
of damp sand.

MIXING CONCRETE
at CENTRAL
BATCHING PLANT

Modern Batching Plant Facilities

Transit mixer
transporting fresh
concrete mix

MIXING CONCRETE
at
CONVENTIONAL
BATCHING
PLANT

Conventional Batching Plant

Placing of aggregates on sacks ready for

weighing prior to mixing

Weighing of aggregates for conventional batching of

concrete

Placing of known weights of

aggregates on concrete mixer

Placing of calibrated sack of aggregates on

the mixing bucket

Control
in
Placing
Concrete

Setting of Forms
forms shall be of steel and of equal depth to the
thickness of the pavement at the edge and
provided with adequate devices to withstand the
impact and vibration of consolidation and paving
equipment.
any roadbed, which at the form line is found
below established grade, shall be filled with
approved granular materials to grade in lifts of 3
cm. or less, and thoroughly re-rolled or tamped.
the forms after setting to the correct grade, shall
not deviate from the true line by more than one
(1) cm at any point.

Preparations Before Placing

Moistened the sub-grade especially in hot,
dry weather
to keep the dry sub-grade from drawing
too much water from the concrete
to increase the immediate air-moisture
level
to decrease the amount of evaporation
from the concrete surface.

Batching
Most specifications require that
batching be done by weight rather than by
volume because of inaccuracies in
measuring aggregate by volume.
The use of the weight system for batching
provides greater accuracy and simplicity
and avoids the problem created by bulking
of damp sand.

Mixing of Concrete
the concrete may be mixed at the site of the
work, in a central-mixing plant, or in truck
mixers.
concrete mix when supplied by a batching
plant, shall only be allowed in DPWH projects
provided it is duly accredited by BRS ( DO #
253, S. of 2003 ).
batching plants installed/used in DPWH
contract projects shall also be required to be
accredited prior to supply of concrete mix.
concrete when mixed at the site or in a central
mixing plant, the mixing time shall not be less
than 50 seconds nor more than 90 seconds.

Mixing of Concrete
the time elapsed from the time the water is
added to the mix until the concrete
is
deposited in place at the site, shall not
exceed 45 minutes when concrete is hauled in
non-agitating trucks, nor 90 minutes when
hauled in truck mixers.
when
volumetric
measurements
are
authorized for small project requiring less
than 75 cu.m. of concrete per day of pouring,
the weight proportions shall be converted to
equivalent volumetric proportions. Use of
chute is allowed provided that a weighing
scale for determining the batch weight will be
used.

Mixing of Concrete
re-tempering concrete by adding water or by other
means shall not be permitted, except that when
concrete is delivered in truck mixers, provided:
- all these operations are performed within 45
minutes after the initial mixing operation, and
- the water-cement ratio is not exceeded.

Limitation of Mixing

no concrete shall be mixed, placed or

finished when the natural light is insufficient,
unless an adequate and approved artificial
lighting system is operated.
re-tempering of concrete or mortar which has
partially hardened that is remixing with or
without additional cement, aggregate or
water, shall not be permitted.

Placing of Concrete
concrete shall be unloaded into an approved
spreading device and shall be deposited continuously
as near as possible to its final position to prevent
segregation of the materials.
placing shall be continuous between transverse joints
and the use of hand spreading shall be done with
shovels not rakes. Workmen shall not be allowed to
walk in a freshly mixed concrete with boots or shoes
coated with earth or foreign substances.
when concrete is to be placed adjoining a previously
paved lane and a mechanical equipment will be
operated upon the newly paved lane, such equipment
will be allowed to carry on that previously constructed
lane provided it has attained the strength for 14 day
concrete.

Placing of Concrete
if only finishing equipment is carried on the
newly paved lane, paving in adjoining lanes may
be permitted after 3 days.
concrete shall be thoroughly consolidated by
means of a vibrator inserted in the concrete in a
vertical position and should not be operated
longer than 15 seconds in any one location.
vibrators shall operate at a frequency of 8,300 to
9,600 impulses per minute under load and the
space interval of inserting vibrators should be
between 50 cm to 60 cm.

Placing of Concrete
vibrators shall be used for consolidation only,
and not for moving concrete horizontally along
the forms.
a well consolidated concrete is 20 % to 25 %
higher in strength than that of concrete which is
not thoroughly consolidated.
concrete not in-place within 90 minutes from the
time the ingredients were charged into the
mixing drum or that has developed initial set
shall not be used.

COMPACTION/CONSOLIDATION
OF CONCRETE
Concrete during and immediately
after placing shall be thoroughly
compacted. The compaction shall
be done by mechanical vibration.

Vibrator is inserted vertically to penetrate

underlying lift for homogeneity between lifts

Final Finish
brooming operation should be executed that the
corrugations produced in the surface shall be
uniform in appearance and not more than 1.5 mm in
depth.
the hardened surface of the finished pavement shall
have a coefficient of friction less than 0.25 or more.
Completed pavement that is found to have a
coefficient of friction less than 0.25 shall be
grounded or scored by the contractor at his own
expense to provide the required coefficient of
friction.

Broom finishing of fresh concrete deck slab meeting

the required depth of 1.5mm

Protecting fresh concrete from rapid hydration or

sudden rainfall

METHODS OF CURING
CONCRETE
1
2
3
4
5
6

Water Method
Curing Compound
Waterproof Membrane
Method
Form-in-place Method
Curing Cast-in-situ Concrete
Curing Pre-cast Concrete
Piles

Curing of Concrete
Curing of concrete shall be done by any of the following
method:
1. Water Method
The concrete shall be kept continuously wet by the
application of water for a minimum period of 7 days after the
concrete has been placed. Cotton mats, rugs, carpets, or earth
or sand blankets may be used to retain the moisture.

2. Curing Compound
Surfaces exposed to the air may be cured by the application of an
impervious membrane and shall be practically colorless liquid.
The compound shall be applied with a pressurized spray to cover
the entire concrete surface with a uniform film and shall be of
such character that it will harden within 30 minutes after
application.

Curing of Concrete
3. Waterproof Membrane Method
The exposed finished surfaces of concrete shall be sprayed with
water, using a nozzle that so atomizes the flow that a moist and
not a spray is formed until the concrete has set, after which a
curing membrane of waterproof paper or plastic sheeting shall
be placed.
Curing membrane shall remain in place for a period of not less
than 72 hours.

Curing of Concrete
4. Forms in-place Method
Formed surfaces of concrete may be cured by
retaining the form-in-place and shall remain in
place for a minimum period of 7 days after the
concrete has been placed, except that for members
over 50 cm in least dimensions, the form shall
remain in-place for a minimum period of 5 days.
Wooden forms shall be kept wet by watering
during the curing period.

Curing of Concrete

5. Steam Curing Method

this method is applicable on pre-cast concrete members.
After placement of the concrete, members shall be held for a

minimum 4 hours pre-steaming period.

to prevent moisture loss on exposed surfaces during the pre-steaming
period, members shall be covered immediately after casting or the
exposed surface shall be kept wet by fog spray or wet blankets.

Curing by using waterproof membrane method

Curing using burlap mat or other absorbent materials

Curing by ponding or continuously

saturated covering of sand

Protection
of
Concrete

Removal of Forms
forms for concrete shall remain in place undisturbed
for not less than 24 hours after concrete pouring.
In case portions of the concrete are spalled during
the removal of forms, they shall be immediately
repaired with fresh mortar mixed in the proportioned
of one part of Portland Cement and two parts of fine
aggregates.
in case major honeycombs occurs on sides of the
pavement, it shall be removed and replaced at the
expense of the contractor.

Sealing of Joints
joints shall be sealed with asphalt sealant soon after
the completion of the curing period and before the
pavement is opened to traffic.
prior to sealing of joints, it shall be thoroughly
cleaned of all foreign materials including membrane
curing compound and joint faces shall be in a
surface dry condition when the seal is applied.
the use of sand or similar material as a cover for the
seal will not be permitted.
the pouring of sealant shall be done in such a
manner that the material will not spilled on the
exposed surfaces of the concrete.

Protection of Pavement
the contractor shall protect the pavement and its
appurtenances against both public traffic and traffic
caused by his own employees and shall include
watchmen to direct the traffic and the erection of
and maintenance of warning signs, lights, pavement,
bridges, etc.
all boreholes after thickness and/or strength
determinations of newly constructed concrete
pavements shall be immediately filled/restored with
the prescribed concrete mix after completion of the
drilling works.
( Dept. Memo Circular No. 97, dated August 9,1991 )
any damage to the pavement, occurring prior to final
acceptance shall be repaired or the pavement shall
be replaced.

Protection of Pavement

In order that the concrete may be

properly protected against rain before
the concrete is sufficiently hardened,
the Contractor will be required to have
at all times, materials for the protection
of the edges and surface of the
unhardened concrete.

FORMWORKS
AND
FALSEWORKS
The falsework shall be
constructed to conform to the
falsework drawings. The materials
used in the
falsework construction shall be of
the quantity and quality necessary
to withstand the stresses
imposed.

Formwork for concrete placed

under water shall be watertight.
When lumber is used, this shall be
planed, tongued and grooved.

Forms and falsework shall not be

removed without the consent of the
Engineer.

Proper
construction of
Formworks and
Falseworks