Some vital steps for concrete post-pour inspection

This civil engineering article sheds light on the required steps for post-concrete inspection as soon as decluttering of any concrete structure is completed.

The activities prior to arrange concrete comprise of utilization and maintenance of curing compound or other techniques of curing, form removal, concrete repair and preservation of concrete cubes. The subcontractor will inform QA/QC that curing is retained by the submittal of curing records.

Some vital Inspection points:

Given below, the details about major key inspection items to be examined and/or checked in the context of concrete post placement activities:

• Ensure that the necessary method of curing is prepared.
• Ensure that the placement is examined constantly to assure uninterrupted curing (watch for dry spots).
• Ensure that curing is retained for a prolonged time if necessary.
• Ensure that proper protection against bad weather is taken when necessary (hot or cold weather) as indicated in specifications.
• Ensure that concrete forms are departed in exact position for prolonged time to assure that form removal will keep concrete undamaged or workers (take precautions concerning the forms supporting the weight of the concrete to make sure the concrete has attained adequate strength to sustain its own weight)
• When repair of concrete is essential, check that it is repaired compliant with specifications (on the basis of the intensity of the repair, verify if a nonconformance report is necessary)
• Ensure that concrete cylinders are preserved on site in conformity with BS codes and job site requirements
• Ensure that concrete cylinders are transported to the testing laboratory and consequently tested compliant with BS and job site requirements Documentation

The Concrete Pour Card (Attached at the end) and Concrete Test Report as well as all supporting documents associated with the concrete pour should be arranged in the master file for the specific concrete pour. These files should be retained during the construction process and prepared in compliance with the methods of Control of Quality Records. There should be a proper labeling system for the project that sustains traceability among the concrete test report and the Concrete Pour Card.



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.constructioncost.co
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Some useful tips on quality control and safety in construction

A structure may collapse or becomes defective because of substandard quality control. Re-construction becomes necessary and facility operations get damaged due to even small defects.

The construction cost is raised and construction delays occur. Also, there may be personal injuries or fatalities because of collapsing of structure.

Accidents throughout the construction process can also lead to personal injuries and greater costs. Indirect costs related to insurance, inspection and regulation are also raised significantly because of these inflated direct costs.

A knowledgeable project manager is liable for completing the construction work in scheduled time and he ensures that no major accidents take place on the project.

As with cost control, the most vital decisions concerning the quality of a completed facility are taken throughout the design and planning phases in spite of construction.

It is throughout these initial phases that component configurations, material specifications and functional performance are settled efficiently. Quality control throughout construction mainly comprises of insuring conformance to these original design and planning decisions.

Besides, unanticipated circumstances, inaccurate design decisions or modifications required by an owner in the facility function will involve reassessment of design decisions throughout the course of construction. These modifications are caused by the concern for quality, they characterize occasions for re-design with all the accompanying objectives and hindrances.

Some designs are based on the reasonable and perfect decision making throughout the construction process itself. As for instance, some tunneling methods will allow taking decisions concerning the amount of shoring essential at various locations on the basis of inspection of soil conditions throughout the tunneling process. Since such decisions are taken on the basis of superior information about actual site conditions, the facility design may be economical as a result.

By giving emphasis on conformance as the measure of quality throughout the construction process, the specification of quality requirements in the design and contract documentation becomes significantly vital. Quality requirements should be concise and valid, so that all the project stakeholders can recognize the requirements for conformance.

Safety during the construction project is also a great concern for the decisions taken throughout the planning and design phase. Some designs or construction plans are indigenously critical and hazardous for execution, whereas other equivalent plans may significantly lessen the chance of accidents. As for instance, clear segregation of traffic from construction zones throughout roadway rehabilitation can considerably minimize the chance of accidental collisions. Besides, safety is mostly based on education, vigilance and cooperation all through the construction process. Proper alert should be sent to the workers repeatedly to get rid of accidents and refrain from taking nonessential risks.



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Published By
Rajib Dey
www.constructioncost.co
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