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QUALITY CONTROL IN PRECAST PRODUCTION A case study on Tunnel Segment Manufacture View project
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ABSTRACT
Quality control forms an integral part of precast production. An efficient quality system is most critical in the mass
production of precast components in any project. In this study, the quality control system implemented in a precast factory
is discussed. The precast factory is set up for the manufacture of large quantity of tunnel segments under a contract.
Processes in the precast manufacture are discussed with respect to the control procedures in the quality inspection plan. The
standard tests involved, roles of inspectors and corrective actions on-site are highlighted. Critical issues pertaining to the
productivity and quality of precast production are reviewed. These include the quality of staff and maintenance, which
could potentially affect the efficiency of the quality system. Some considerations should also be given to improve the
workflow and productivity of the plant.
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DIMENSI TEKNIK ARSITEKTUR Vol. 33, No. 1, Desember 2005: 153 - 164
key for the success of construction projects. There is tolerances in dimension and surface appearance
no exception in precast construction. While every given in standards such as ACI 117 (1988) and BS
measure is taken to ensure good quality product at 8110 (1985). The visual checks of the surface will
the upstream of prefabrication, the reliability of cover conformity and uniformity of color, finishing,
precast depends a lot on the skillfulness of workers holes, stains and other local defects. QA/QC work
carrying out the installation tasks. Although tolerance should be carried out by personnel other than those
is established during the design process, close responsible for production. Quality control staff
supervision should be executed in joint detailing, oversees the production process, carrying out
connection methods and water penetration preven- inspections, checking the moulds, steel and concrete,
tion during the installation of precast components. sampling materials, as well as testing specimens.
Periodic audits and system reviews are important in
Quality Assurance & Control (QA/QC) maintaining the quality system.
Quality control measures precast products’ The objectives of this study are to present the
characteristics and ensures they bear on the ability to quality control processes and evaluate the imple-
mentation of quality control system in a precast
satisfy the client’s needs and requirements (Warsza-
factory. The observation was conducted at a new
wski, 1999). The quality level can be measured in
terms of performance in health and safety, precast factory in Pontian Town of Johor State,
serviceability, aesthetic, etc. Usually the client’s Malaysia.
requirements are stated clearly in method statements
in the contract specifications. The objective of a TUNNEL SEGMENT MANUFACTURE
QA/QC system is to maximize predictability and
consistency of quality of precast components so as to The importance of quality control in precast
ensure they are up to a required standard. There are concrete is clearly demonstrated in this case study -
some guidelines in codes and standards for users, the prefabrication of tunnel segments in a precast
designers and producers to determine their desired factory. Precast concrete segments are used to form
level of quality. These include direct performance, tunnel linings, which have a minimum internal
aesthetic, technological and economic considerations. diameter of 5.8 metres. Each lining or ring is formed
The impact of possible cracks, deflections, and size by an assembly of six different types of segment (see
deviations on the strength, durability, serviceability, Figure 1). The production of precast segments is
and maintainability of the components are covered in broken down into two separate contracts. Each
the first consideration. The various defects and contract has different production schedule and
blemish that will affect the building’s appearance is volume, as shown in Table 1.
included in the second consideration. The precision
levels that can be expected from the equipment for
batching, moulding and other production operations
are covered in the third consideration. The last
consist of the cost of equipment, materials, skilled
labor, and inspection. While manufacturing precast
components, a full record of concrete mix
proportions, appearance and consistency of the mix
results, as well as other pertinent factors like ambient
temperature, humidity and timing of operation
including mixing, handling, placing and curing
should be maintained (Richardson 1991). Before
concreting, concrete covers and location of
Figure 1. Configurations of segment Type 1 to 6
reinforcements must also be double-checked. A well-
maintained supply of moisture promotes cement Table 1. Schedule of segment production
paste hydration, which can reduce concrete
Date Production
permeability and improve its performance especially Contract Phase
Start Finish Segments Rings
in weathering characteristics. The inspection of Contract Phase 1 Mar '02 Apr '03 7,000 1,200
finished precast elements should be carried out No. 1 Phase 2 May '02 Jun '04 13,800 2,300
before their storage and delivery to the installation Contract Phase 1 Jan '03 Dec '04 18,400 3,000
site. The dimension and surface appearance are the No. 2 Phase 2 Jan '03 Dec '04 13,300 2,200
Total 52,500 8,700
major concerns. In practice, there are certain
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QUALITY CONTROL IN PRECAST PRODUCTION (Agus Dwi hariyanto, et al)
As part of the contract requirement, the client design is selected by the precaster to suit their chosen
has placed a durability objective of 120 years on the work methods. Generally, the cementitious binder
precast structures to be constructed. To achieve this shall have regard to soil and ground water analysis in
objective, it is necessary for the precasters to produce accordance with the design criteria. For instance, the
high quality precast concrete segments. Therefore, nominal binder content of the concrete should be
the client has engaged an independent Inspection between 370 kg/m3 and 400 kg/m3 including silica
Agency to ensure strict compliance with quality fume. An approved superplasticizer is incorporated
standards throughout the precast production process. into the concrete mix. A summary of the approved
The Inspection Agency, which is an accredited ISO materials and their test standards is given in Table 2.
consultancy firm, shall be the authorized represen-
tative of the client to carry out independent quality Table 2. Material approved list
assurance and control (QA/QC) check on all S/No. Material Standard tested Description
processes in the precast manufacture. 1 Cement: Ordinary BS 5328 Part 1-4: Guides to
Portland Cement Specifying
2 Mascrete BS 5328 Concrete
Precast Factory 3 Admixture SS 320: 1987 Specification for
Prefabrication of concrete segments is carried Concrete
Admixtures
out at a new precast factory in Pontian Town of Johor 4 Sand BS 812 Testing
State, Malaysia. It is set up by the main precast Aggregates;
contractor of the project. The site, which occupies an 5 Aggregate BS 812 Methods for
area of about 5 hectares, has full casting facility BS 882: 1983 Sampling and
necessary for mass production of precast Testing of Mineral
Aggregates, Sands
components. It is demarcated into a few areas, and Fillers
namely the batching plant, casting and moulding 6 Steel BS 4449: 1997 Specification for
area, demoulding and finishing area, and the storage reinforcement Carbon Steel Bars
yard. Site offices are located in proximity to the for the
casting area. Most of the raw materials such as Reinforcement of
Concrete
Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), sand, aggregate 7 Water BS 3148: 1980 Methods of Test for
and reinforcement are supplied directly by Malaysian Water for Making
companies. The machineries are also supplied Concrete
locally. These include mechanical hoisting devices
such as 10-ton overhead gantry crane and some Site Operations & Quality Control
heavy machines such as segment suction machine, 1. Prefabrication of Reinforcement Cage
turning machine, rebar fabrication machine. Steel
moulds are imported from Korea. Reinforcement of varying diameters (T10 –
The on-site labour force comprises mainly T20) is tack welded and tie wired to form into a steel
Vietnamese, Indonesians and local Malaysians. cage. Prefabrication of the steel cages is done in jigs
There are about 30 to 35 workers for each shift work that are mould related in respect to shape, cast-in
and the workers are distributed by task at the items and bolt inserts. The provision of concrete
production, coating and storage yards. Concrete mix cover is maintained by plastic spacers (see Figures 2).
is produced in the batching plant set up within the
casting yard. The mixing process is fully automated
and constantly monitored via a computer system
within the batching plant. As the client has set a
target production rate of 6 rings per day, the precast
factory is run on 24-hour per day operation. Shift
works are up to 12 hours long. The working
schedules are applicable to both the precasters as well
as inspectors from the Inspection Agency.
Design Specifications
The materials used in the production have to be
in accordance with the specification of the precaster
and contract requirements. Design grade of concrete
Figure 2. Plastic Spacer
is specified as Grade 60 (60 N/mm2) and the mix
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QUALITY CONTROL IN PRECAST PRODUCTION (Agus Dwi hariyanto, et al)
1. Responsibility of QA Engineer
The QA Engineer of the Inspection Agency co-
ordinates and oversees the quality management in the
precast production. He has to ensure strict
implementation of the quality control plan and
closely monitor the overall effectiveness of the
quality system. He needs to conduct technical audits
and report on the progress of the segment
manufacture to the client on a regularly basis,
highlighting any breaches of quality, safety issues,
problems faced and remedial actions taken. In
monthly reports, the QA Engineer may propose ways
to improve the quality system so that the operations
Figure 7. Method of segment stacking for delivery can be speeded up without any compromise in
quality. For example, the QA Engineer could
recommend alternative grouting material to repair
QA/QC SCOPE OF WORK damaged segments, if the existing grout gives a poor
surface finish.
Inspection Procedures
Under the conditions stated in the contract, the 2. Responsibility of Inspectors
Inspection Agency shall be an independent party to The duties of the senior inspectors and
ensure quality of the precast segment production. It inspectors are closely related to the daily operations
shall conduct on-site quality control audits and of the precast factory. They have to ensure quality
inspection on behalf of the client. Although the compliance on site by conducting routine inspections
precaster has its own QA team, the Inspection and audits (both technical and documentary). A
Agency will need to execute specific procedures and report on the production status and quality issues has
instructions to monitor the effectiveness of the to be submitted daily. Their scope of work also
quality system. These QA procedures cover all stages includes the inspection of the precaster's proposed
of work right from the beginning of casting to the test equipment and facilities, such that these are of
delivery of segments. The organization chart of the acceptable standard to perform tests in accordance
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DIMENSI TEKNIK ARSITEKTUR Vol. 33, No. 1, Desember 2005: 153 - 164
with the relevant accepted test procedures. When before delivery to site. However, it is also essential
calibration of equipment is being carried out, the for a third party to conduct similar tests, especially in
inspectors shall witness the calibration works and the absence of compliance certificate from suppliers,
check the equipment performance in accordance with to check the consistency and reliability of these
the quality plan. materials. Therefore, the Inspection Agency will send
Whenever deviations to the contract samples to an accredited laboratory on a regular basis
specification are identified, a non-conformance report for confirmatory testing. Most of the material tests
(NCR) shall be raised and issued to the precaster. The are prescribed under the standard British Codes (BS)
details of proposed action to remedy will be and hence shall not be further discussed in this study.
discussed with the Project Manager or Quality Nonetheless, certain tests such as the Adhesion Test
Manager prior to implementation. If the on coating and Tensile (Pull-out) Test on cast-in
nonconformance relates to the quality of segment, the socket are unique to this project and will be
segment will be demarcated with colour paint and elaborated in the following paragraphs. Visual
stored separately at the repair area. Corrective actions inspection and dimensional check are critical QA/QC
shall be taken until the NCR is closed. In the event of processes to be covered in details.
rejected segment, the NCR has to be signed off by
the Project Manager. The occurrence of non- 1. Dimensional Check
conformance is always included in the QA
The most important component in precast
Engineer's monthly report.
construction is probably the steel mould used for
fabrication. The condition of the mould affects many
Conduct of Tests
downstream processes, such as the ease of demoul-
In the QA/QC programme, there is a list of ding and the acceptance level of the segment
items that needs to be inspected to ensure compliance produced. Therefore, a thorough check on the mould
to standards. The list of items includes the testing of before concreting is essential in the quality control
raw materials, witness of control processes and visual system.
inspection of the precast segment (see Table 3). The Instruments (e.g. micrometer, gap gauge) are
range of tests spans across the pre-concreting stage to used to measure the dimensions of the steel moulds
the pre-delivery stage. The frequency of testing is and ensure the tolerance is not exceeded. Since each
based on the volume of concrete cast and may be precast segment is curved in shape, the intrados and
increased upon request by the client. extrados surface curvatures of the mould have to be
measured by the manufacturer’s template. During the
Table 3. Table of tests dimensional check on the steel mould, the general
S/No. Process Test Material Tests/Checks Frequency* appearance of the mould surface is also inspected. It
Conducted
1 Pre-con- Raw materials Sieve analysis, Start of production
includes a visual check on the cleanliness of the
creting (eg. Cement, moisture content Once in 12 months mould, location and attachment of cast-in sockets,
sand, test, impurities spacers and the placement of reinforcement cage in
aggregates, content etc.
water) the mould (Figure 9&10). This routine inspection
Reinforcement Tensile strength Start of production will ensure conformance of mould to design
test Once in 12 months
Steel moulds Dimensional & 1 cycle per month specifications, even after several cycles of casting.
Reinforcement visual check
cage (mould)
2 Concreting Wet concrete Slump test, cube (Site witness)
test, temperature
check
3 Post- Drying Visual inspections Every cast
concreting concrete Dimensional Every 8 weeks
check (segment) Every 150 rings
Rapid Chloride
Permeability
(RCP) test
4 Coating Corrosion Wet film, dry film Every 500 rings
protection coat test, adhesion test
5 Pre- Cast-in socket Tensile (Pull-out) Every 2000
delivery Trial ring test sockets
Tolerance check Start of production
Final inspection Every delivery
Note (*): Test by 3rd party Source: Setsco, 2002.
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DIMENSI TEKNIK ARSITEKTUR Vol. 33, No. 1, Desember 2005: 153 - 164
onset of cracking or any deformation observed on the a 13-month period is graphically presented in Figure
segment shall be clearly recorded in data sheets. 17 and 18.
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QUALITY CONTROL IN PRECAST PRODUCTION (Agus Dwi hariyanto, et al)
Based on past experience, insufficient compac- occasions due to delay in payment of salary. As a
tion of the wet concrete mix using the poker vibrator result, productivity was often affected and quality
would lead to the formation of honeycombs, typically was indirectly compromised. To minimize the
near edges of the mould and bolt pockets. An early negative impact induced by workers, some efforts
removal of the steel forms before the concrete has had been made by the project team to tighten
achieved its required strength would render it to supervision on site. Critical works processes, such as
cracking. Similarly, the stacking of segments concreting and coating work, were closely supervised
immediately after coating would cause some peeling by responsible staff. More workers were deployed for
coats to occur at sides of the segments. In some shift works to solve the manpower shortage problem.
instances, the source of the problem could be traced To prevent future occurrence of strike, the precaster
back to a non-conformance in an upstream process. ensured that the workers’ salaries were paid promptly
For instance, an undetected mass of hardened every month. In addition, the factory conducted
concrete left in the hopper of the batching unit had monthly safety training to increase the awareness
led to honeycombing in a few sets of cast segments. amongst workers. QA/QC inspectors were tasked to
Had the non-conformance been identified earlier, the conduct more regular checks on the factory area to
downstream processes would not been affected and assess and monitor the production progress.
additional resources would not be required to rectify
the problem. 3. Others – Housekeeping and Safety
Under the standard procedures, the “damaged”
QA/QC calls for a concerted effort from all
segments would be assessed to determine the severity
parties in the precast production pipeline. Apart from
of the defect. For small localized areas of honey-
competent staff, the equipment and machinery on-
combing and spalling, surface patching with an
site should be in good working condition at all times
approved cementitious repair material would suffice.
to deliver the quality product. After months of
Other blemishes on the concrete surface were
production, there were some signs of poor main-
normally repaired using similar techniques. The
tenance of equipment observed at the precast factory.
repaired area would be inspected again by qualified
Frequent breakdown of machinery such as the gantry
staff before the NCR could be closed. All details of
crane had caused much disruption to the smooth
the course of remedial action taken would be
workflow laid down in the initial stage of production.
documented in the NCR for future reference. In the
In some incidents, the malfunction of machinery had
event that the damage is beyond economical repair,
even caused potential hazard to the workers in the
the segment shall be labelled (with red paint) as
vicinity. For instance, the segment suction machine
rejected and stored separately in the yard.
was immobilized due to a power overload, which in
turn caused the segment to fall off from the machine.
2. Attitude of Workers
Consequently, the segment cracked due to impact
Although the precast fabrication process is and had to be rejected. The QA/QC team has often
semi-automated in the factory, many work processes highlighted the maintenance issues to the project
are still labour-intensive. This implies that the quality team, but little improvements were made to correct
of the precast segment produced depends on the these problems.
quality of the workforce to a certain extent. At times, Cleanliness and safety of the site were amongst
the project team faced the problem of managing other concerns. As more precast segments were
production workers on the site. Due to cultural being produced and stacked up, the safe working
differences and communication barriers, some space of the factory was reduced. This inevitably
foreign workers exhibited poor working attitude increased the risk of segment toppling at the precast
towards the prefabrication process. These workers yard. The situation was aggravated when there was a
were indifferent to quality control procedures and slow-down in delivery on site. The storage yard was
paid little attention to safety issues, until being fully occupied and the surplus segments had to be
warned by their respective area supervisors. stacked in the coating area instead. This problem was
Compared to the current practices in Singapore, the partially resolved when normal delivery resumed at a
enforcement of good construction practices at the later stage.
precast factory was less stringent. For delivery purpose, the PCC segments were
There was also inconsistency in the attendance arranged by rings and stacked up onto the delivery
of workforce on site. A large number of absentees trucks before heading to the site. Initially, the method
was usually observed during festive seasons and of securing the segments was merely by means of a
public holidays, despite the 24-hour operation of the single rope over each stack. As a result, the rope gave
factory. Workers had also gone on strike on few way during delivery. Segments that fell onto the road
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DIMENSI TEKNIK ARSITEKTUR Vol. 33, No. 1, Desember 2005: 153 - 164
surface were subsequently rejected. Investigation person monitoring the progress of repair nor
work, which involved manpower and abortive inspecting the repaired segments. The QA Engineer
administrative work, was carried out. The method of will only carry out routine audits and hence may not
securing segment was later improvised to prevent the be timely to spot further noncompliance issues.
occurrence of such incidents and wastage of Therefore, the management team of the project
resources. would have to rely heavily on staff and inspectors on-
site to conform to quality procedures. The inspectors
have a bigger role to play to ensure repair is properly
CRITICAL REVIEW OF WORK
performed and the standard of quality is maintained.
In construction management, no control system
is perfect. There is no exception to a QA/QC system. Possible Improvements
In the case of the precast plant, the number of non- The production rate, QA/QC system, fluctuation
conformance based on the NCRs raised, is still in the employment of plant workers and storage
relatively high after months of production. There capacity will be reviewed to examine the possible
might be some factors in the QA/QC system or parts improvements to the quality of precast segment
of the precast manufacture system that have affected production.
the production quality. These factors are highlighted The precast factory in the case study is
in the following paragraphs. categorized as a permanent plant. There are many
benefits in using a permanent plant off-site compared
Remedial Works to a fabrication plant at the construction site. In a
Remedial works are carried out to minimize the permanent plant, the production takes place in a
waste production in precast. A qualified staff should shaded enclosed space. Prefabrication and casting
be consistently put in-charge of these remedial works work can still continue under inclement weather
to determine the level of defect and procedures to conditions. Further, the factory is located remotely
from built-up areas and hence will not cause
adhere. If the defect does not affect the functional use
disturbance to the surroundings. It can also be run on
of the element, it shall be categorized as minor
a 24-hour operation in two shifts works per day,
defects immediately and repairs can proceed without
which is ideal for the maximization of resources and
delay. Otherwise, the defect is considered as major
productivity. Since there is high capital cost involved
and should be reported to the site Project Manager or
in production machinery such as the 10-ton gentry
Quality Engineer for further actions to be taken. The crane and other costly equipment, the rate of return
feasibility of remedial works for major defects should based on a 24-hour operation is considered
then be decided by the Project Manager, with the reasonable. Nevertheless, precision in production
opinion of experienced inspector as to whether it is planning and control should be carefully exercised to
efficient and economical to proceed. If it is feasible, ensure timely delivery of precast segments. The
the procedures of repair should be established efficiency of the system is often compromised due to
immediately; else the segment should be rejected and the high breakdown rate of equipment. Routine
separated. maintenance of equipment should be carried out to
In this precast project, the inspection of minimize the undesired disruption in production.
segments is always conducted by on-site staff of the Care and due diligence in handling the equipment
precaster and witnessed by qualified inspector from should be exercised by all staff at the precast factory.
the Quality Inspection Agency. QA/QC system has a significance role to
Furthermore, the details of remedial works are maximize the predictability and consistency of
discussed with the Project Manager and properly quality in precast segment product. The quality
documented by the Inspection Agency. In terms of control system in a prefabrication plant shall always
the management of non-conformance, the procedure consist of quality specifications, quality control
of NCR is effective as there is good accountability on procedures and quality inspection personnel
site as well as in the reporting system. In NCRs, the (Warszawski, 1999). Based on the outline of the
locations of the defects on each type of segment are quality inspection procedures (shown in Appendix
clearly indicated with detailed description of the B), the scope of the Quality Inspection Agency has
original condition and the required condition. This fully covered all these aspects. Effective coordination
will ease the work of any future inspection or review and communication between QA/QC team and the
of the repair. site project team (precaster) should therefore be of
Although the NCR is finalized and endorsed by utmost importance, assuming the QA/QC system and
the Project Manager, he is less unlikely to be the procedures are implemented precisely.
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QUALITY CONTROL IN PRECAST PRODUCTION (Agus Dwi hariyanto, et al)
One of the considerations of maintaining or against the affected workers for the overall benefit of
even increasing the productivity of the plant is the the system. In addition, compulsory training should
fluctuation in the attendance of site workers. The be held for all workers to update their technical skills
fluctuation should be kept to a minimum. However, regularly.
there is some inconsistency observed in the Since the precast factory uses fully automated
production rate at this precast factory due to its mixing processes in the concrete mix, its contribution
dependency on foreign labour. The poor working in term of cost, time and quality should be significant
attitude and attendance of workers further aggravated in the tunnel lining construction. Higher quality of
the problems of inconsistent productivity and precast segment is attainable through careful choice
occurrence of nonconformance. Evaluation of the of material, use of better production tools in batching
workers’ performance should be done on a regular and casting process and strict quality control. With
basis. It is also recommended that an incentive and time and cost factors taken into consideration, there
penalty be implemented to improve their working might be constraint in the selection of materials for
attitude. quality testing. The frequency of selective testing is
The shortage of storage space with respect to once in every 12 months for raw materials and
production rate should be brought to the attention of reinforcement, and 1 cycle per month for steel
the client urgently. The storage yard was fully moulds and reinforcement cage. The variation that
occupied and the surplus segments had to be stacked exists in the test result should be scrutinized in
in the coating area when the installation on site tolerance with other standard practices. It might be
the result of non random sampling, probability causes
slowed down. Such a condition actually increases the
or other factors that are not readily detectable. A
storage cost relative to the quantity elements in stock,
predictable pattern such as a normal distribution
therefore it should be minimized. Furthermore, safety
should become a parameter of the chance variation.
of the plant might be compromised due to the
Strict quality control is a must to minimize the impact
additional stacking within the yard area. of cost and time constraint in the segment production.
The continuity of delivery process to the site
should be sustained with the result that there is no
delay in segment installation on site. In anticipation CONCLUSIONS
of the worst situation, an alternative storage yard
In this study, the quality control processes of a
should be sourced to provide extra storage capacity precast segment manufacture are presented and
for the continuing production of the plant, should discussed. The precast segments are to be assembled
there be further slow-down in the delivery. Ideally, into rings for tunnel linings. For this purpose, the
the alternative storage yard can be acquired in the effectiveness of the QA/QC system becomes very
proximity of the existing precast factory, such as the critical. An independent Inspection Agency was
vacant land adjacent to it, to minimize transportation henceforth appointed to ensure strict implementation
cost and the additional resources required. of the quality system at the precast factory. Various
measures in place to ensure quality compliance
Constraints & Considerations throughout the production process. These include
The effect of human factor in the precast scheduled tests on materials and segments, dimen-
segment production cannot be overlooked. Due to sional checks, visual inspection and so forth. The
cultural differences and communication barrier, some QA/QC inspectors play an important role by auditing
workers could impact on the cost and quality of the daily quality processes on-site, whilst the QA
production indirectly. Human factors such as Engineer reports on the progress and make
recommendations for improvement. In spite of the
fluctuation in employment of labour should be
quality control system, some areas of problems were
minimized. However, this factor is quite uncon-
identified. These arised primarily due to non-
trollable as the attitude of workers varies from person
conformance in the casting process and lack of
to person. An incentive may be effective to motivate maintenance. A substantial number of non-confor-
these workers, but the appraisal of workers could be mance were associated with surface defects of
very subjective to their supervisors. segments. A review of the QA/QC control system
Ultimately, any communication barrier and shows there is no inadequacy in the system, but
disputes should be resolved at the workers’ level. certain aspects could be improved. These include the
This may be the preferable solution to address the workflow of remedial works, maintenance of
problems of poor working performance and attitude. equipment and working attitude of staff. Amongst the
In repeated cases of non repentance, the management factors to maintain good quality, cost and skill level
staff should not hesitate to take disciplinary actions of workers are likely to be the main considerations.
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REFERENCES
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