Engineering Specification -

Setting Out and Construction

Tolerances
ES901 Rev A

December 2017
Mott MacDonald
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Engineering Specification -
Setting Out and Construction
GEN ES901 A
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ES\2018_ES_Final\9_Civil\ES901_Rev A_Setting Out and Construction Tolerances.docx
Mott MacDonald
Tolerances
ES901 Rev A

December 2017

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Registered office: Mott MacDonald House,
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Mott MacDonald | Engineering Specification - Setting Out and Construction Tolerances
ES901 Rev A

Issue and Revision Record

Revision Date Originator Checker Approver Description

A 01/12/2017 NRV ADS SGP For implementation

Document reference: GEN | ES901 | A

Information class: Standard

This document is issued for the party which commissioned it and for specific purposes connected with the above-
captioned project only. It should not be relied upon by any other party or used for any other purpose.

We accept no responsibility for the consequences of this document being relied upon by any other party, or being
used for any other purpose, or containing any error or omission which is due to an error or omission in data supplied
to us by other parties.

This document contains confidential information and proprietary intellectual property. It should not be shown to other
parties without consent from us and from the party which commissioned it.
This r epo rt h as b een pre par ed s olely fo r us e by the par ty which co mmissio ned i t (t he ‘Clien t’) in conn ectio n with t he c aptio ned pr oject. I t sho uld not b e us ed f or a ny o the r pu rpos e. No pe rson oth er t han the Clie nt o r a ny pa rty w ho h as ex pres sly ag ree d te rms of r elianc e with us (t he ‘Re cipien t(s)’ ) m ay r ely on the cont ent, i nfo rma tion or a ny views exp resse d in t he rep ort. W e acc ept no d uty o f ca re, resp onsibility or lia bility to any oth er recipie nt of this docu men t. T his r epo rt is c onfid ential and cont ains p rop riet ary in tellect ual p rop erty .

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Mott MacDonald | Engineering Specification - Setting Out and Construction Tolerances
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Contents

1 Introduction 1
1.1 Scope 1
1.2 Exclusions 1
1.3 Abbreviations and Definitions 1
1.4 Other References 2

2 Setting Out and Construction Tolerances: Requirements 3

2.1 Construction tolerances for new tank foundations 5
2.2 Storage tank structure 5

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1 Introduction

1.1 Scope
This Specification covers the minimum technical requirements for the Setting out and
Construction Tolerances for Civil and Structural building works as described below.

● Setting out
● Levels, Position and verticality of Structural steel works
● Levels, Position and verticality of in-situ concrete works
● Lift walls
● Block work
● Door and Window openings
● Welded tanks for Oil storage
Different or additional requirements if specified in project specifications shall prevail over this
specification.

Any requirement of local authority regulations shall be complied by the Contractor.

1.2 Exclusions
The following structures are excluded from the scope of this document.

● Marine
● Piles
● Precast concrete
● Timber structure
● Manufactured Components
● Cladding
Requirement of accuracy of any other special structures shall be finalised in accordance with
relevant codes, regulations of local regulatory authorities

1.3 Abbreviations and Definitions

API - American Petroleum Institute

BS - British Standard

RC - Reinforced Concrete

TBM - Temporary Bench Mark

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1.4 Other References

Document referred below shall form part of this Specification. All design and construction shall
be undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the relevant codes, standards and
legislation. All Codes, Standards and By-Laws referred to in this Specification shall be current
editions including all amendments/ supplements/ revisions and addenda.

Table 1: References
Sl. Code ID
1 BS 5606
2 BS 5964
3 BS ISO 1803
4 BS 6954
5 BS 7308
6 BS 7307-1
7 SP 145
8 API 650
Description
Guide to Accuracy in Building
Building Setting out and Measurement
Building Construction Tolerances Expressions of Dimensional Accuracy
Principles and Terminology
Tolerances for Building
Method for Presentation of Dimensional Accuracy Data in Building
Constructions
Building Tolerances. Measurement of buildings & Building products
Methods and instruments
Setting out Procedures CIRIA
Welded Tanks for Oil Storage

In case of conflict between the requirements of this specification and the documents listed, the
requirements which are more stringent shall govern.

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2 Setting Out and Construction Tolerances:

Requirements

The Contractor is responsible for the accuracy of all setting out and construction tolerances.
These shall not be greater than those specified in this section.

a Setting Out 1 in 3000

b Structural Steel Works
1 Range of deviations in level with reference to the nearest TBM
Base of first erected/constructed member ±10 mm
2 Position on plan in relation to the nearest reference line at the same level
Walls ±10 mm
Structural frame – columns ±10 mm
All other elements above foundations ±10 mm
3 Dimension on plan in relation to target sizes
Structural frame length and width up to 8m ±12 mm
Over 8m and up to 15m ±16 mm
Over 15m and up to 25m ±18 mm
4 Plumb of columns in 30 m height ±15 mm
5 Level of beam at junction with column measured from transferred bench mark ±15 mm
6 Level of beam at junction with column measured from transferred bench mark of ±10 mm
storey in which beam is located
7 Levels of upper or lower surfaces of two or more beams meeting at a column ±6 mm
8 Difference in level of ends of a beam
Up to 8 m long ±5 mm
From 8 to 15 m ±10 mm
c In-situ Concrete
1 Mass concrete foundations
Dimensions on plan ±50 mm
Formation level ±34 mm
Level of upper surface ±20 mm
2 Reinforced concrete foundations other than Plant Foundations
Dimensions in plan ±50 mm
Formation level ±30 mm
Level of upper surface ±16 mm
3 Elements and components above Foundations including Plant Foundations
Position on plan measured from nearest building grid line ±10 mm

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d Verticality – Plumb in height of Walls Block work In-situ Concrete

Up to 2m 9 mm 11 mm
Up to 3m 10 mm 17 mm
Up to 7m 14 mm 16 mm
e Verticality – Plumb in height of Columns In-situ Concrete
Up to 3m 12 mm
Up to 7m 16 mm
f Cross section and linear dimensions
1 Dimensions of beams, slabs, columns & walls
Up to 300 mm ±5 mm
Over 300 mm and up to 600 mm ±10 mm
Over 600 mm and up to 1.5 m ±15 mm
Over 1.5 m and up to 3.0 m ±20 mm
Over 3.0 m and up to 15 m ±30 mm
Over 15 m and up to 30 m ±40 mm
2 Window or Door openings
Width up to 3m ±14 mm
Height up to 3m ±20 mm
Position on plan in relation to the nearest reference line at the same level ±12 mm
g Level (permissible deviation from designed level with reference to nearest temporary bench
mark)
1 Length of Elements Extensions above Plant foundations
foundations
Up to 8 m ±10 mm ±5 mm
Over 8 m and up to 15 m ±15 mm ±10 mm
Over 15 m ±20 mm ±15 mm
h Overall dimensions of a Concrete Framed Building - length and width for dimensions
Up to 15 m ±15 mm
Over 15 m and up to 30 m ±25 mm
For each subsequent 30 m ±15 mm
Height up to 30 m ±20 mm
i Items Cast in Position
1 Permissible deviation for the position of a component fixing or whole cast in from ±10 mm
design position
j Accuracy of level for all types of survey
1 Site TBM relative to Ordnance Survey bench mark ±10 mm
2 Spot levels relative to site TBM ±10 mm
k Lift Walls (in situ concrete)
1 Position on plan in relation to the nearest reference line at the same level ±12 mm
2 Verticality of each RC wall for the first 30m of height ±25 mm

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2.1 Construction tolerances for new tank foundations

Where foundations true to a horizontal plane are specified, tolerances shall be as follows:

a. Where a concrete ring wall is provided under the shell, the top of the ring wall shall be level
within ±3 mm (1/8 in.) in any 9 m (30 ft) of the circumference and within ±6 mm (1/4 in.) in
the total circumference measured from the average elevation.

b. Where a concrete ring wall is not provided, the foundation under the shell shall be level
within ±3 mm (1/8 in.) in any 3 m (10 ft) of the circumference and within ±13 mm (1/2 in.)
in the total circumference measured from the average elevation.

c. Where a concrete slab foundation is provided, the first 0.3 m (1 ft) of the foundation (or
width of the annular ring), measured from the outside of the tank radially towards the centre,
shall comply with the concrete ring wall requirement. The remainder of the foundation shall
be within ±13 mm (1/2 in.) of the design shape.

2.2 Storage tank structure

The maximum out-of-plumbness of the top of the shell relative to the bottom of the shell shall not
exceed 1/200 of the total tank height. The out-of-plumbness in one shell course shall not exceed
the permissible variations for flatness and waviness as specified in ASTM A 6M/A 6, ASTM A
20M/A 20, or ASTM A 480M/A 480, whichever is applicable.

The maximum out-of-plumbness of roof columns, guide poles, or other vertical internal
components shall not exceed 1/200 of the total height. The 1/200 criteria shall also apply to fixed
roof columns.

For tank structure having internal floating roof, maximum out-of-plumbness shall be as per clause
No 7.5.2 of API 650
For tolerance on radius of tanks, clause No 7.5.3 of API 650 shall be applicable.

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