GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS

1. MATERIALS
Materials to be used for the work shall meet the requirement specified in the
standard specifications (Blue Book) issued by Department of Public Works and
Highways, the Republic of the Philippines.
1.1 Water
The contractor shall make his own arrangements for the provision of all water
necessary for concrete, mortar or any other purpose on works, at his own
expense. Only clean water free from all deleterious matter shall be used for
mixing mortar or concrete. The details shall be referred to item 311, Part E of
volume II, Blue Book.
1.2 Cement
Unless otherwise specified Cement shall mean ordinary Portland cement,
and the details shall be referred to item 700, Part I of volume II, Blue Book.
The cement shall be stored in such manner that can prevent their deterioration
or the intrusion of foreign matter and immediately upon arrival on the site of
the work, in substantial waterproof bodegas, with floor raised from the
ground sufficiently high to be free from dampness.
1.3 Aggregates
Concrete aggregate shall conform to the requirement of item 311, Part E of
volume II, Blue book. Samples of the fine and course aggregates to be used
shall be submitted for testing before the actual concreting operations are to
begin. It shall be the responsibility of the contractor to designate the source of
aggregates and submit them for testing. No concrete work shall commence
unless an evidence of approved aggregates is confirmed by the consultant.
The maximum size of the aggregate shall be not larger than 1/5 of the
narrowest dimension between sides of forms of the number for which the
concrete is to be used nor larger than of the minimum clear spacing
between individual reinforcing bar or bundles of bars.
Aggregate shall be stored in such a manner as to avoid the inclusion of
foreign matter.
1.4 Concrete Masonry Blocks

Concrete masonry blocks shall conform to the requirements of item 704, Part
I of volume II, Block Book. Dimensions and tolerances shall be specified on
the drawings.
Concrete blocks shall be sound and free of cracks or other defects that would
interfere with the proper placing of the block or impair the strength and
performance of the construction. Blocks that are intended to serve as a base
for plaster or stucco walls shall have sufficiently rough surface to afford good
bond. Where the blocks are to be used in exposed wall construction, the face
or faces that are to be exposed shall be free from chips, cracks or other
imperfections.
1.5 Timber
Lumber of the different species herein specified for the various parts of the
structure shall be all seasoned sawn straight, sun-dried or kiln-dried and free
from defects and other imperfections impairing its strength, durability, and
appearance.
Unless otherwise specified on the plans, the lumber species shall be used as
specified in item 1003.3.2.2, part C of volume III, Blue book. Rough lumber
for framing and siding boards shall be air dried or sun-dried such that its
moisture content shall not exceed 22 percent. Dressed lumber for exterior and
interior finishing, for doors and windows, millworks, cabinet work and floor
boards shall be kiln-dried and shall not have a moisture content of 14 percent
at the time of installation of structure.
Plywood shall conform to the requirement of the Philippine Trade Standard
631-02. Thickness of a single layer laminate shall not be lees than 2mm. The
laminate shall be superimposed in layers with grains crossing at right angle in
successive layers to produce stiffness. The laminate and face veneers shall be
bonded with water resistant resin glue, hot pressed and pressure treated.
Ordinary tanguile or red lauan plywood with good quality face veneers, 6mm
thick shall be used for double walling and ceiling not exposed to moisture;
waterproof or marine plywood shall be used for ceiling exposed to moisture
such as a toilets and eaves, and ceiling to be finished with acrytex.
1.6 Reinforcing Steel
The reinforcing steel shall meet the requirements of item 710, part I of
volume II, Blue Book. Provided the minimum dimensions, cross sectional
area and tensile properties shall meet the physical requirement for the size
and grade of steel specified.
All reinforcing bars requiring bending shall be cold- bent to the shapes shown
on the drawings. Bars shall be bent around a circular pin having the

appropriate diameters in relation to the diameter of the bar in accordance with

the DPWH standards.
2. SITE PREPARATION AND EARTHWORK
2.1 Site Work
The part of the site occupied by the works shall be cleaned of all trees, roots,
vegetation, rocks, boulders etc, and as much surface soil as directed by KEI.
Cutting or filling of earth on the site shall be done to lines, levels and slopes
as shown on the Drawings. Surplus earth from the excavations within the
area, if found suitable may be utilized for filling, but any earth required in
excess shall be obtained by the contractor at his own expenses, from dry
earth, free from debris, plants and vegetable matter , and other organic
materials.
2.2 Excavation
All excavation shall be carried out to the lines and levels, shown on the
drawings or as directed by KEI. Excavation work includes necessary
diverting of live streams, bailing, pumping, draining, sheeting, bracing and
furnishing and placing approved foundation elevation of structures.
2.3 Filling/ Embankment
Prior to construction of embankment, all necessary clearing and grubbing in
that area shall be performed in conformity with section 2.1 site work.
Embankment and filling shall contain no muck, peat, sod, roots or other
deleterious matter. The surface of the existing ground shall be compacted to a
depth of 150mm and to the specified requirement of this item.
Each layer shall be level and smoothed with suitable leveling equipment and
by distribution of spalls and finer fragments of earth. Filling shall be done in
regular horizontal layers not exceeding 150mm in thickness.
3. REINFORCING STEEL
All steel reinforcement shall be accurately placed in the position shown on
the drawings and firmly held there during the placing and setting of the concrete.
Bars shall be tied at all intersections except where spacing is less than 30mm in
each directions, in which case, alternate intersections shall be tied.
Distance from the forms shall be maintained by mean of stays, blocks, toes,
hangers, or other supports, so it does not vary from position indicated on the
drawing by more than 6mm. Holding reinforcement from contact with the forms

or separating layers of bars shall be precast mortar blocks or other equally suitable
devices. Unless otherwise shown on the drawings, the minimum distance between
bars shall be 40mm.
Splicing of bars shall be staggered as far as possible and with a minimum
separation of not less than 40 bar diameters. Not more than one-third of bars may
be spliced in the same cross section. Unless otherwise shown on the drawings, bar
shall be lapped a minimum distance of.
Splice Type
Tension
Compression

Grade 40
24 bar dia
20 bar dia.

Grade 60
36 bar dia
24 bar dia

Not less than

300mm
300mm

In lapped splices, the bars shall be placed in contact and wired together. Welding of
reinforcing steel shall not be allowed.
4. CONCRETE WORK
4.1 Mixing of Concrete
Five classes of concrete are provided, namely A,B,C,P and Seal. Each class
shall be used in that part of the structure as called for on the drawings. The
classes of concrete will generally be used as follows:
Class A. All super structures and heavily reinforced substructures.
The important parts of the structure included are slabs,beams,
Girders,columns, arch ribs, box culverts,reinforced abutments,
Retaining walls and reinforced footings.
Class B. Footings, pedestals, massive pier shafts, pipe bedding and gravity
Walls and unreinforced or with only a small amount of
Reinforcement.
Class C. Thin reinforced sections, railings, precast R.C. piles and
Cribbing and for filler in steel grid floors.
Class P. Prestressed concrete structures and members.
Seal.
Concrete deposited in water
The requirement of materials for mixing shall be referred to item 311,part E of
volume II, Blue Book.

As work progresses, at least one sample consisting of three concrete cylinder test
specimens, 150 x 300 mm shall be taken for fraction thereof placed each day. The
samples shall be tested in accordance with the standard method listed in item 405.36, Part
F of volume II, Blue Book.
4.2. Placing of concrete
The concrete shall be placed as nearly as possible to its final position and the
use of vibrators for moving of the mass of fresh concrete shall not be
permitted.
4.2 Compaction of Concrete
The compaction shall be done by mechanical vibration. The intensity of
vibration shall be made so as to visibly affect a mass of concrete with a 3 cm
slump over a radius of at least 50 cm.
4.3 Constructing Joints
Concreting shall be carried out continuously to predetermined construction
joints, in position shown on the drawings or as may be approved by the
consultant.
4.4 Curing
Concrete shall after being placed be suitably protected during the first state of
hardening from the harmful effects of sunshine, drying winds, heavy rain,
surface water shocks. Concrete made with normal cement shall be prevented
from drying out for not less than 7days by application of water.