SECTION 4 - 3: PRECAST CONCRETE

PART I: DESCRIPTION
1.1 Scope
This section specifies the requirements for ordinary precast concrete, not cast in its final location.
The Contractor shall be permitted to obtain precast concrete units from outside suppliers provided that
they comply with these Specifications and that the Contractor obtains the Engineer's approval to each
supplier.

1.2 Tolerances
Unless otherwise specified in these Specifications or permitted by the Engineer, in-situ and precast
concrete units shall be cast to the following tolerances:
1.2.1 Lengths
Up to 3 meters

5 mm

3 to 6 meters

7 mm

6 meters upwards

10 mm

1.2.2 Cross Section (each direction)

+ 10 mm 1- 5 mm

1.2.3 Straightness or bow (Deviation from intended line)

Up to 3 meters

6 mm

3 to 6 meters

9 mm

6 meters upwards

12 mm

1.2.4 Squareness
When measuring the squareness of a corner the longer of the two adjacent sides shall be taken as the
base line. The shorter side shall not vary in its distance between the greatest and shortest dimensions
exceeding:
Length of short side
6 mm
Up to 1.2 meters

9 mm

1.2 to 3 meters
3 meters upward

12 mm

4-3 / 1

Technical Specifications
4-3: Precast Concrete

1.2.5

Twist

Any corner shall not be more than the tolerance stated from the plane containing the other three
corners:
Up to 700 mm wide and up to 6 meters in length

6 mm

Over 700 mm wide and for any length

9 mm

1.2.6

For Multi-Beam laid side by side in a Deck (lay side by side)

(1)
the difference in deflections in soffit levels between adjacent units before the in- situ concrete
is placed, shall not exceed 6.0 mm for units up to 4 m or 10 mm for larger span units;
(2)

the width of the deck soffit shall be within

25 mm of that described in the

Contract;
(3)

in adjacent spans, the continuity line of the outside beams shall be maintained;

(4)

the width of gap between individual inverted tee beams shall not exceed twice the nominal gap

described in the Contract;

(5)

the alignment of transverse directional holes shall permit reinforcement to be placed

without distortion.

1.3

Transportation, Storage, and Erection

1.3.1

General

The Contractor shall give the Engineer full details of his proposed methods of curing, form removal,
storage, transportation, and erection. The precast concrete members shall not be over stressed,
warped, or otherwise damaged or have camber adversely affected, including its own weight which
shall not induce a stress in it exceeding 0.80(fc) of its specified 28-day strength or as directed by
the Engineer.
The soffit of precast panel, beam or girder shall generally be factory-casted with down stand at each
end in order to accommodate the deck crossfall and profile as approved by the Engineer.
1.3.2

Bearing Surface

Where precast girders are to be placed in the Works without compressible bearing strip on the
unyielding surface of the bearings, the bearing shall be carefully screeded to the specified level on a
layer of 1O mm nominal thickness of approved non-shrinkable patch mortar bedding and to be left for
seven days prior to placing the units or confirmed by test as approved by the Engineer.

1.3.3

Dressed Surface

The surfaces of precast members which will be bonded to cast-in-situ concrete are designated as
"Dressed Surfaces". Dressed Surfaces shall be intentionally roughened to a full amplitude of 6 mm or
treated as construction joints as stipulated in Section 4.1: Concrete for Structures.

PART II:

PRODUCTS

2.1

Materials

2.1.1

1 Cement

Shall comply with the requirements of Section 4-1 CONCRETE FOR STRUCTURES.
2.1.2

Aggregates

Shall comply with the requirements of Section 4-1 CONCRETE FOR STRUCTURES.
2.1.3

Water

Shall comply with the requirements of Section 4-1 CONCRETE FOR STRUCTURES.
2.1.4

Reinforcement

Shall comply with the requirements of Section 4-2 REINFORCEMENT.

Shear key bar embedded along edge or side of precast multi-beam bridge deck and precast girder
shall be weldable type of reinforcmenting steel.
2.1.5

Prestressing Reinforcement

Shall comply with the requirements of Section 4-4 PRESTRESSI NG REINFORCEMENT.

2.1.6

Formwork

Shall comply with the requirements of Section 4-1 CONCRETE FOR STRUCTURES.

2.2

Surface Finishes

Surface finishes shall be compatible with the use of steel formwork except as shown otherwise. In
particular for precast beams, some surfaces of which will later be bonded to in-situ concrete, these
surfaces shall have all laitance removed and the coarse aggregates shall be exposed. Dressed
Surfaces at top of precast girder for composite construction shall conform to Sub-Clause 1.3.3 above.

2.3

Identification and Marking

All precast girders shall be marked to indicate the location, top surface and date of fabrication.
Identification marks shall correspond to the installation plan.
All members shall be indelibly marked to show the Member Mark, the production line on which they
were manufactured, the date on which the concrete was cast. If they are symmetrical sections, the
face which will be uppermost when the member is in its correct position in the Works shall be marked
TOP. All markings shall be located so that they are not visible when the member is in its final position in
the Works. Identification marks shall correspond to the installation plan.

PART Ill:

EXECUTION

3.1

Preparation

3.1.1
Casting of members shall not begin until approval of the Shop Drawings, required
computation, pre-stressing system (if required) and method of manufacture has been given.
3.1.21
The Engineer's approval to the method of manufacture and the manufacturer, if this is not
the main Contractor, shall be obtained before work is started. When the method and manufacturer
have been approved, no changes shall be made without the Engineer's written approval.
3.1.32
The Contractor shall inform the Engineer in advance of the date of commencement and
location of manufacture of each type of member, and no work of concreting shall be permitted
without the Engineer's prior approval.
3.1.43
All concreting operations shall be performed in the presence of the Engineer unless
otherwise agreed in writing by the Engineer.

3.2

Tests

3.2.1
A copy of all 28 days cylinder test results and any tests to establish transport strength
shall be submitted to the Engineer immediately after testing.
3.2.2
Where the Engineer requires tests to be performed on members or their material
constituents, no members to which such tests relate shall be dispatched to the Site until such tests
have been satisfactorily completed and the members accepted by the Engineer. The cost incurred
shall be borned by the Contractor.

3.3

Rejection of Members

Any member considered by the Engineer to be substandard and not conform to Sub- Clause 1.2
above shall be rejected and replaced at the Contractor's expense by an acceptable unit.

3.4

Erection

3.4.1
Precast girders and cross beams shall be adequately braced and supported
during erection to ensure proper alignment and structural integrity until permanent connections are
completed.
3.4.2
Beams shall be so arranged that as far as practicable, those having the largest
camber are placed at or near the longitudinal centre line of the deck.
3.4.3
Beams shall not be placed in their final positions until the Engineer has approved
the beams and has checked and approved the location and alignment of the bearings or
bearing pads on the substructure.
3.4.4
When beams are being placed in position, they shall be braced independently
against overturning or any other movement, before being released by the crane or other lifting
device.
3.4.5
When placing in-situ concrete over precast members in decks, it shall be placed in such
a sequence that the advancing edge of the freshly placed concrete over the full deck width or
between longitudinal construction joints is approximately parallel to the deck supports.
3.4.6

As far as possible, any longitudinal construction joints shall be parallel to the

precast members and located between the adjacent top flanges of two adjacent members.

3.4

Forming Structural Connection

3.4.1
No structural connections shall be made until the Approval of the Engineer has been given.
3.4.2
Leveling and supporter devices shall only be released or removed with the approval of the
Engineer.

3.5

Protection
At all stages of construction, precast concrete units and orther concrete associated
therewith shall be properly protected to prevent damage to permanently exposed concrete surfaces,
especially edges and decorative features.

END OF SECTION