GUIDELINES & SPECIFICATIONS

FOR CIVIL & TOWER WORKS

INDUS TOWERS LIMITED

Prepared By: Sadanand khodankar

Approved By: Nav Ratan Mahani

Guidelines & specifications for civil & tower works Page 1 of 32

 Disclaimer
This communication, being circulated by "Indus Towers Limited" is privileged and
confidential, and is directed to and for the exclusive use of the addressee. Information
contained in this communication is subject to change, at any stage, before or after the
due diligence, without notice, as a part of Indus Towers Ltd. business policy. No part of
this communication may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means [graphic,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, information retrieval
systems, etc.] or reproduced on any disc, tape, perforated media or other information
device etc. without the prior written permission of “Indus Towers Ltd”. The addressees
of this communication may use this content for their own business understanding
including consultants and employees. Indus Towers Ltd does not hold itself liable for
any consequences, legal or otherwise, arising out of the use of any such information.

Guidelines & specifications for civil & tower works Page 2 of 32

 INDEX

S.No. Description
1 Brief Overview
2 Broad Expectations from Civil Vendors
3 Guidelines & specifications for civil work
4 Material & Quality Standards
5 Recommended Practices at Sites
6 Approved Laboratories for Material Testing
7 Relevant Indian Standard Codes At a Glance
8 Safety Instructions

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 1. Brief Overview

This document is primarily intended towards our esteemed business partners,

executing required Civil Works for Site Built-up. The document explains in
detail the expectations, guidelines, specifications. Our business partners are
expected to go through the document carefully and ensure its compliance in true
spirit. The document entrusts a lot of responsibility on Civil Vendors to take
care of quality of work being executed, following standard processes and
guidelines and ensuring timely delivery of sites. Compliance of this document
is mandatory on the part of Civil Vendor / Contractor. This document is
indicative only and not exhaustive. The document does not relieve the Civil
Contractor from the responsibility of following other established civil
constructions norms and processes, not mentioned herein.

Any non-compliance observed by Indus, or any agency authorized by Indus to

do so, at any stage, shall be treated as breach of Quality Policy and Indus
reserves the right to take suitable action against concerned at its sole discretion.

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 2. Broad expectations from Civil Vendors:

• Vendors are expected to work as per INDUS Guidelines .Specifications,

Quality Processes, Defined SLAs.
• Not to deviate from Drawing / Design & Specifications in any situation.
• Any deviation (for any reason) shall be only through written consent from
SP / PMC and approval from INDUS.
• Vendor shall liquidate punch points of the Quality Audit Agency with full
honour and within the stipulated timelines.
• Vendor shall not try to influence / pressurise Quality Audit Agency in any
means to compromise on the quality issues.
• Quality Assurance shall be put into the system to minimise repetition of
punch points.
• Quality shall be a part of system rather than treating it as a separate one.
• Quality tools can be used as cost saving tools, as rework increases costs &
reduces profit margins. Do the works write at first time.
• Vendor to deploy a qualified engineer during project phase till site hand over
to SP / Indus.

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3. Guidelines & specifications for civil work

3.1 Site Survey

For RTT sites following points to be checked while surveying the site,
• See the physical site condition of the site.
• Building should be with frame structure (RCC Columns & Beams)
• Building should be with minimum 3-4 storied
• Proper approach road should be available to reach the material vehicles at
site.
• Space for material lifting should be available at site.
• Proper space for Electrical earthing should be available.
• Proper separate 24x7 accesses should be available.
• Site should be located at a distance of twice the height of Indus
communication tower from the high tension electrical wires.

For GBT sites following points to be checked while surveying the site,
• Proper plot size should be available.
• Proper approach road should be available to reach the material vehicles at
site.
• See the soil conditions, should not be water logged.
• See the land use of the sites.
• Site should be located at a distance of twice the height of Indus
communication tower from the high tension electrical wires.

3.2 Site documents to be available before starting the work

• Site lay out in agreement with landlord.

• Approved Foundation design.
• Municipal corporation approval

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3.3 SPECIFICATIONS OF CIVIL MATERIALS:

For all materials describe below, It will be vendor responsibility to make available
all civil materials at site as per specifications and parallel check from the site civil
supervisor/site engineer/civil engineer before using them. It will also be vendor
responsibility of returning back surplus material to warehouse.
• CEMENT (Confirm- IS:269-1978)

It is vendor responsibility to provide the good qualities of cement as per following

specifications:

• Grade of Cement: 43/53-grade Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) unless

specified otherwise.

Some Physical Rough Field-Test:

• Check Mixing of Ash: -Take a certain amount of cement in your fingers and
throw in a bucket of water, it sinks into water means it is free from any mixing
of ash.
• Open a bag of cement and insert your hand inside, if you feel slightly cool
means it is of good quality.
• Check for Deterioration: - Take an amount of sample and rubbing in your hands
if it feels like smooth powder it means is not deteriorated. Grittness indicates
deterioration.
Approved Brand / Make :
Birla-Uttam, Birla–Chetek, L&T, JK ,Ultra Tech,ACC, Gujrat Ambuja,
Birla Plus, Vikram , Shree or ISI-marked as per approval of Engineer-in-
charge.( For all other brands prior approval is must.)

• REINFORCMENT STEEL— High Strength Deformed Bar (Confirm

IS: 1786-1985)
All reinforcement shall be free from loose mill scales, loose rust and coats of
paint, oil, mud or other coatings, which may destroy or reduce bond .It should
be deformed/tor bar of grade Fe415.

Approved Brand / Make – SAIL,TATA , RATHI,KAMDHENU as per IS:

1786.( For all other brands prior approval is must.)

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 • SAND / FINE AGGREGATES

Fine aggregates shall consist of natural sand resulting from natural disintegration
of rock and which has been deposited by streams or glacial agencies, or crushed
stone sand or crushed gravel sand.
• It should be free from adherent, clay, mica and inorganic impurities.
• It should be clean, sharp, angular (gritty to touch), hard and durable.
For all works it should be coarse sand except for plastering works, which
require fine sand. All sand is generally found to contain some % of silt i.e. not
more than 6% except Stone Crusher sand. For ordinary masonry work, for
concrete etc., sand should pass through a sieve of 2mm x 2mm mesh. For fine
works, plaster, pointing etc, sand should pass through sieve No-14 or 16BS-
1mm sieve.
Note ; Crushed stone is not so satisfactory as natural sand since crushed stone
contains a lot of the fine particles like dust.

• COARSE STONE AGGREGATE ( Confirm IS: 383-1970)

Aggregates shall not contain any harmful material, such as iron pyrites, coal
fragments, shells, organic impurities etc., in such quantities as to affect the strength
or durability of concrete and in addition to the above, for reinforced concrete, any
material which might cause corrosion of the reinforcement.
General Characteristics:

• It should be hard, strong non-porous and free from laminated particles.

• It should have angular or roughly cubical in shape and in no case it should
be round shape.
• It should be well graded i.e. aggregate should be ordered in separate sizes
and recombined in the proper proportion while batching or before batching.
• Aggregate sizes: - For RCC work it should have 20mm and for PCC 40mm
nominal sizes.
A 40mm nominal max. Size aggregate will be ordered in three different—
40mm to 20mm, 20mm to 10mm and 10mm to 4.75mm.
A 20mm nominal max. Size aggregate will be ordered in two different—
20mm to 10mm, 10mm to 4.75mm.

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 • WATER

Water used for cement concrete, mortar, plaster, grout, curing or washing of coarse
aggregate shall be clear and free from injurious amounts of oil, acid, alkali, organic
matters or other harmful substance in such amounts that may impair the strength or
durability of the structure. Portable water shall generally be considered satisfactory
for mixing and curing of concrete.

• BURNT BRICKS

Burnt bricks shall have a minimum compressive strength of 105Kg/cm.sq. for

Class designation-105. They shall be sound, hard and well burnt with almost sharp
edges, free from more cracks. They shall give a clean metallic sound when struck
together. Bricks broken to examine the texture shall show that they are of clean,
homogeneous, and free from stones and lumps.

• SETTING OUT

The contractor shall be responsible for the true proper setting out the works in
relation to original points, line and levels of reference and for the correctness of the
levels, dimensions and alignment of all parts of work and for the provision of all
necessary instruments, appliances and labor in connection therewith. If at any time
during the progress of work any error appears or arise in the position of levels,
dimension or alignment of any part of work, the contractor will be responsible to
rectify the same at his own expenses to the satisfaction of the engineer-in-charge.
The contractor shall layout one or more permanent benchmarks in some where
within plot before the start the work, from which all-important levels for the work
will be set.

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3.4 PCC & RCC WORK

GENERAL

Scope:

This specification establishes the material, mixing, placing, curing etc of all
type of cast-in-situ concrete used in foundation, underground and over
ground structures, floors etc. Any special requirements as shown or noted on
the drawing shall govern over the provisions of this specification.

Codes:

All design and construction shall be performed in accordance with the IS

code of practice for plain and reinforced concrete IS: 456.

3.5 MIXING OF CONCRETE

The mixing of concrete shall be strictly carried out in a mechanical concrete

mixer. The mixing equipment shall be capable of combining the aggregates,
cement, sand and water within the specified time into a thoroughly mixed
and uniform mass, and of discharging the mixture without segregation. The
entire batch shall be discharged before recharging. The mixing period shall
be measured from the time when all the solid materials are in the mixture
drum, provided all of the mixing water shall be introduced. The mixing time
in no case shall be less than two (2) minutes & shall be continued until there
is a uniform distribution of materials and the mass is uniform in colour and
consistency. The contractor has to find suitable safe place to operate the
mixing machine .

Normally, hand-mixing of concrete shall not be permitted, but where it is not

possible like for roof top tower foundation or for smaller quantity, hand
mixing can be allowed as per approval of engineer-in-charge. For hand
mixing 10% extra cement shall have to be added to the normal mixes. It
shall be carried out on a water tight platform and care shall be taken to
ensure that mixing is continued until the mass is uniform in colour and
consistency.

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 3.6 PLACING OF CONCRETE

• Before placing concrete, all equipment for mixing and transporting the
concrete shall be cleaned and all debris shall be removed from the
place to be occupied by the concrete. All form and soil surfaces shall
be finished to desired levels and shall be thoroughly wetted
immediately prior to placing of concrete.
• Concrete shall be handled from the place of mixing to the place of
final deposit as rapid as practicable by methods which will prevent the
segregation or loss of any of the ingredients.
• The concrete shall in no case be dropped from a height of over 1.5m
and it shall be carefully laid in position. Concrete shall not be done
unless the form work conforms to the shapes, line and dimensions as
shown in drawings. The form work should be sufficiently rigid during
placing and compaction of concrete and no segregation of aggregates
shall take place. The method of placing and compaction employed in
any particular section of work shall be entirely to the satisfaction of
the Engineer-in-charge.
• To ensure bond and water tightness with old concrete surface, they
should be cleaned and roughened by wire brushing & chipping. The
bonding of old and new concrete should be done by applying the
cement slurry /binding compound after thoroughly watering the old
concrete surface and removing all free particles.
• Unless otherwise approved, concrete shall be placed in single
operation to the full thickness of slab, beams and similar members and
shall be placed in horizontal layers not exceeding 1m deep in walls,
columns and similar members. Concrete shall be placed continuously
until completion of the part of work between construction joints or as
directed by the Engineer-in-charge.
• Concrete shall not be started unless the electrical conduits, fan hook or
any other piping wherever required are laid by the contractor.
• Before concreting, the contractor shall provide, fabricated and lay/fix
in proper position all metal inserts, anchor bolts, pipe etc. as per the
relevant drawings and at the direction of the Engineer-in-charge.

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 • Where concrete is placed in soil, it shall be placed only of firm
undisturbed ground. Any concrete that is placed on a well compacted
fill shall have the prior approval of the Engineer-in-charge.
• The concrete after being laid shall be compacted by means of
vibrators of approved type under proper supervision as directed by the
Engineer-in-charge or technical person. Vibration shall not be
confined only to the top surface, but the whole mass of concrete shall
be well vibrated until the dense mass assume jelly like appearance and
consistency, water just appearing on the surface. Over vibration or
vibration of mix, which have too much of water shall be avoided. Care
should be taken to avoid segregation and formation of air bubbles.
• Concrete shall be compacted with mechanical vibrator equipment
supplemented, if necessary, to obtain consolidation then we can use
hand spading and tamping also .Care should be taken to prevent
contact of vibrators against reinforcement steel. Vibrator shall not be
allowed to come in contact with forms or finished surfaces.
The vibrator shall penetrate the layer being placed and also penetrate
the layer below while the under layer still plastic to ensure good
homogeneity between the two layers and prevent the formation of
cold joints.The whole process starting from the mixing of concrete
the placing and compaction shall not take more than twenty-(20)
minutes i.e. the process should be completed before initial setting
takes place.

3.7 CURING

Curing shall be accomplished in accordance with IS:456 by keeping

the concrete covered with Jute bag or similar absorbent materials,
which will be kept constantly, wet for at least seven (7) days from the
date of placing of concrete unless otherwise specified. In very hot
weather, precaution shall be taken to see that the temperature of the
wet concrete does not exceed 38-degree C while placing.

Heavy loads shall not be placed on or moved across floor slabs until
curing is complete. Care should be taken to prevent floor surface from
being marred/spoiled/damaged during the curing period. Fresh laid
concrete formwork shall not be jarred/shaken.

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 NOTE: Comparative Strength of OPC at various ages.

Days of % Compressive
curing Strength
3 days 40%
7 days 65%
28 days 100%

3.8 CONCRETE TEST / OTHER CIVIL MATERIAL OR WORK TEST

Sampling and testing of concrete shall be conducted in accordance with the

latest issue of IS: 1199And IS: 516. The frequency of tests shall depend
upon the direction of Engineer-in-charge.The sampling for the testing will
be as per IS:456.

• Cube Test (Compression Test)

Compression test is carried out to determine whether the concrete being
produced complies with the strength requirements specified. The test will be
made in accordance with IS:516. The size of cube are 15cm x 15cm x 15cm.
Normally 7-days or 28-days tests are made on different specimens.

As per IS:456 following are the minimum values of test results after curing
for 7& 28-days in respect to different concrete mix.

Concrete Grade… M15 M20

Compressive Strength :- 10.0 13.5

on 15cm Cubes(N/mm.sq.)
After 7-days.

Compressive Strength :- 15 20
on 15cm Cubes(N/mm.sq.)
After 28-days.

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 • Concrete Cube for Laboratory Test: - The cube shall be taken at
site during casting in front of site engineer. Take min. 6-Nos. of
cubes.

NOTE :- If the Engineer-in-charge is not satisfied from any materials like

bricks, cement, sand and reinforcement steel etc. and any work done then
INDUS Towers can go for their test ( Laboratory / Physical) from third
party which will be finalized by Indus only. These all test will be done as per
IS code specifications.

3.9 FORMWORK / SHUTTERING

Form work for concrete in foundations/super structure shall be plywood,
steel, good seasoned timber or other approved materials as directed by the
engineer-in-charge. Formwork shall be properly designed so that it will be
easy to remove and clean. It should be sufficiently tight to prevent loss of
cement slurry from the concrete. All joints and holes in the formwork shall
be closed with putty, jute cloth or other approved materials to the
satisfaction of Engineer-in-charge. The inner face of the shuttering shall be
cleaned and thoroughly wetted or greased with approved material. Care
should be taken that such coating is kept free from concrete with the
reinforcement.

The stripping time for the shuttering and formwork shall be confirmed by
the Engineer-in-charge as per IS:456.

Under no circumstances shall the contractor attempt to cover up

honeycombed concrete or otherwise attempt to camouflage/cover bad work.
After removal of formwork the engineer-in-charge shall examine the surface
of the concrete and shall give instructions for it proper finishing. In case of
bad concrete work, the engineer-in-charge may require the contractor to
demolish the entire structure or part thereof and reconstruct it without any
claim.

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 3.10 BRICK WORK IN MASONRY

Brickwork shall be laid with specified mortar to be prepared in accordance

with IS:2258. It shall be of cement and sharp coarse sand and shall be made
in small quantities so as to be used up within 30-minutes. The cement and
sand in required proportion, shall be first mixed dry thoroughly and then
water added and mixed to a sufficient thick consistency as required by the
engineer-in-charge. No left over mortar shall be used. The mortar
recommended shall be of the following proportion unless mentioned;
• 1:5 for brick of a thickness of not less than 21cm.
• 1:4 for brick piers, half brick wall, honey combed brickwork and
hollow blocks.

• Soaking of bricks

Brick required for masonry in cement mortar shall be thoroughly soaked in

clean water or wetted by pouring of water before use for at least 6-hours and
until air bubbles cease to come out. The soak bricks shall be kept on wooden
planks or back platform to avoid earth being smeared/dirty on them.

• Curing

Masonry work as it progresses shall be kept thoroughly well watered on all

faces for at least 7-days after completion.

3.11 DPC AT PLINTH (1:2:4) & BITUMINOUS APPLICATION

The surface has to be properly cleaned with brushes and splashed with
water. The damp proof course shall be 40mm thick with cement concrete
1:2:4 (1-cement:2-coarse sand:4-12.5mm nominal size aggregate). This
should be mixed with water proofing compound and applying a coat of hot
bitumen 1.7kg/sq.m. on DPC after the concrete surface is thoroughly dry.
The surface should be cleaned with brushes before application of the
bitumen layer.

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 3.12 CEMENT PLASTER

• Preparation of surface

The surface, to be plastered, shall be thoroughly cleaned so that it is free

from dust, dirt. Oil. Salts etc. The joint of brickwork shall be raked out
properly. On cement concrete surface, the surface shall be cleaned with wire
brush and scarified by lines with trowel or backed by chisel. The surface in
both cases shall be washed properly and kept wet for 4-hours before
plastering is commenced.
• Mortar

The mortar mix shall be used at site as per mentioned in particular item of the
specs agreed.

• Plastering

Plastering shall be started from the top and gradually worked down towards
the floor. The thickness of plaster shall be as per specified. To ensure an
even surface, plaster pads of about 10cm x 10cm shall be first made
horizontally and vertically at not more than 2m interval over the entire
surface to serve as gauges. The mortar shall then be applied on the wall or
the surface between the gauges and finished even.
Rounding chamfering corners, junction etc. wherever required shall be done
by the contractor. If specified in item, chicken mesh of sufficient width to
extend over the uncommon material and fixed by nail before plastering is
done.

• Curing

Curing shall start 24-hours after the plaster is laid. It shall be kept wet for
7-days. During this period, it shall be suitably protected from all damages at
the contractor expense.
Any cracks, which appear on the surface and all portions found hollow when
tapped, or are found to be soft or otherwise defective shall be cut out in
rectangular shape and redone as directed by the Engineer-in-charge.

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 3.13 FLOORING

General

Flooring shall consist of a sub-base laid on the compacted earth or sand fill
as required, as base course laid on the sub-base and then a finished layer of
concrete or any other material, as specified, to be laid. The material for
filling (earth or sand as specified) shall be brought from the source as
approved by the engineer-in-charge.

• Filling

The surface to receive the filling shall be first cleared free of all roots,
vegetation and wetted. Filling in plinth or other specified levels shall
proceed in layers of 15cm along with the construction of building. It shall be
watered and well rammed in layers as mentioned above and compacted to
the satisfaction of the engineer-in-charge.
Care should be taken to remove all roots, vegetation, foreign matter etc.
from the earth used for filling.
Where sand filling is specified, the sand shall be clean, free from vegetation
and other deleterious/ harmful materials. In case of sand filling, flooding
shall be done to achieve compaction if required.

• Preparation of bed

The bed for flooring shall be prepared with level or slope as instructed by
Engineer-in-charge. Care shall be taken so that there are no roots,
vegetation, foreign matters etc.

• Sub-base

On the prepared bed as indicated above, boulder or gravel or broken brick or

cement concrete as specified in drawing/item as per IS:456 shall be laid to
thickness as specified in drawing/items. The layer shall be beaten with
hammer until thoroughly consolidated. All the material used shall conform
to the required specifications. The materials, proportion, mixing laying
curing etc for concrete shall be carried out as specified.
The finished work shall have uniform and even surface over the whole floor
or as directed by the engineer-in-charge.

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 • Sand layer

The sand layer shall be spread in one or more layers to the thickness as
indicated in drawing or quantity specification, watered and rammed.

• Base Course

Cement concrete shall be of specified mix as indicated in drawing/item.

Cement concrete shall be placed in position with or without reinforcement as
shown in drawing/as indicated in item and beaten with trowel/scuffle and
finished smooth with neat cement or left rough as directed by the Engineer-
in-charge.

3.14 PAINTING

Plastered surface shall be thoroughly cleaned of dust, dirt, grease, oil marks
etc. before the coat is applied. All the holes and depressions should be filled
with gypsum prior to application of the paint. The surface shall be wetted
with clean water before paint is applied. The colour of paint shall be
indicated in item specs or as per the Engineer-in-charge. All paint should be
done with the help of paintbrush only.

• Oil bound paint

First coat shall be followed with base primer and if the plastered surfaces are
not smooth, it shall be made smooth by using proper filling material over the
base primer and then applied the coat of oil bound paint on it as per specified
no. of coats. It is generally done inside the rooms.

• Snowcem Paint

It shall be done on the out side of building and boundary wall and applied
2/3-no. of coats as per specified in item specs. Curing shall be done for min
7-day. It must be up to the satisfaction level to the Engineer-in-charge.

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 • Synthetic Enamel Paint

Synthetic enamel paint of approved brand and manufacture and of required

shade shall be used for the topcoat only. The paint for the under coat(base
primer) shall be as recommended by the approved manufacturer.
The surface shall be thoroughly cleaned. All dirt, scales and grease shall be
removed before painting is started. The surface should be perfectly dry to
permit good absorption.

3.15 WATER PROOFING OF ROOF SLAB

Water proofing treatment shall be given to the RCC roof slab by laying tar
felt sheet, hot bitumen, mud-Phuska and top with brick tilling. The following
procedure shall be adopted.
• The surface should be completely dry.
• Clean the surface.
• Lay the tar felt sheet all over the roof area. At joint in between the sheets,
min 150mm overlap should be given. All joints in between the sheets and
at the edges near parapet should stuck to parapet & roof surface by
providing adhering material bitumen.
• Lay a thick layer of bitumen 1.45kg/sq.m all over the sheet.
• Lay mud-Phaska by providing proper slope towards rain water pipe with
proper compaction.
• Lay the brick tiles by providing 10mm joint thickness. Remove the mud
from the joints up to tile thickness, the tipping the joints with mortar mix
1:3. Proper slope at least 2-inches towards rain water pipe should be
maintained.
• Top surface of tile shall be finished with thick neat cement slurry.

3.16 ANTI TERMITE TREATMENT (For Ground base site)

It should be done as & where applicable by providing and injecting chemical

emulsion for pre-constructional anti-terminated treatment and creating a
chemical barrier along the external perimeter of the building and in the
foundation pits before placing the PCC. Any one of the following chemicals
(as specified) in water emulsion shall be used.
• Dieldrin emulsifiable concentrates (IS:1054-1962) 0.5%
• Aldrin emulsifiable concentrates (IS:1307-1958) 0.5%
• Heptachlor emulsifiable concentrates 0.5%

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4. Material / Quality Standards:

• It is recommended to use Pre/Ready Mix Concrete for the GBT sites.If

available in the nearby area.
• Grade of Cement – Shall be 53 Grade (IS: 12269) OPC for RCC & 53 or 43
Grade (IS: 8112) OPC for PCC works.
• Brand of Cement – L&T, Ultra Tech; ACC; Gujrat Ambuja, Birla Plus,
Vikram, Shree.
• Life of Cement – Cement shall be used within 45 days from manufacture
date
• Grade of Reinforcement – Fe 415 Grade TMT Bars only
• Make of Reinforcement – TATA, SAIL, ISPAT, RATHI,KAMDHENU as
per IS: 1786 .( As per best brand available in circles)
• Concrete Mix – RCC – M20 ( 1:1.5: 3); PCC – M10 (1: 3: 6)
• Cement Qty – M20 – 8 bags / m3 of Conc; PCC – M10 – 4.25 bags / m3 of
Conc.
• Water cement ratio – for M20 – 0.55 (30 litres / 50kg bag of cement); for
M10 – 0.68 (34 litres / 50kg bag of cement).
• Quality of water – Clean / potable water shall be used for concreting. Water
from dewatering shall not be used.
• Quality of aggregates – Coarse / fine aggregates shall be free from organic
impurities. Sand shall be free from silt, dust, etc. If silt / dust found in excess
sand shall be washed before use
• Sand / fine aggregate quality – Sand shall be free from silt, dust, etc. If silt /
dust found in excess sand shall be washed before use.
• Machine Millar shall be used for concrete mixing for all stages. Minimum
mixing time shall be 2 minutes
• Vibrator (40mm / 60mm) shall be used for all stages
• Concrete cover blocks shall be provided
• Good quality steel shuttering material to be used. Face of shuttering shall be
clean and treated with form releasing agent.
• Fast setting agent / compounds need to be used wherever, required.
• Only A- Class Bricks (105kg/cm2 strength) to be used.

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5. Recommended Practices at site :

5.1 General :

• Copy of Site Layout & Foundation design drawings shall be kept available
at site at all times.
• It is recommended to use pre-mixed concrete if available in nearby area.
• Carry out concreting in good weather conditions only. Discourage
concreting in night times / poor lighted conditions
• Any deviation having prior approval of Indus and SP/PMC to be marked on
drawing and signed jointly by Civil Contractor & SP/PMC Engineer.
• To ensure that checklists and pour cards are signed at all stages as specified.
Same to be retained in good condition and submitted alongwith bills
• Minimum cover to main reinforcement shall be as per the drawing
• Concrete cover blocks can be made at site in bulk.
• Lap / development length shall be as per drawing or atleast 45 dia.
• Care shall be taken to avoid honey combs during concreting
• No construction joint other than specified shall be permitted
• Removal of formwork shall be carried out after a minimum period of 24 hrs
after concreting
• Concrete cube samples (raft / footing stage – 6 nos.) shall be taken and
tested at 7th & 28th days and reports submitted to client.
• Column alignment shall be as per drawing. Eccentricity is not acceptable.
• Template shall be placed as per design, exactly in the centre of the column
and in water level. Supports shall be provided to template bracing members
in between two columns.
• Foundation bolts should be as per design / drawing meaning diameter, length
and threading length, etc. Nuts should be inserted with some friction. Incase
if, nuts are getting inserted easily then same should be brought in knowledge
of SP/ PMC and INDUS.
• Civil Vendors to ensure timely intimation notice before 48 hours to SP/
PMC and INDUS.
• Non-readiness of the site from civil vendors should not happen after offering
the same for inspection.

Guidelines & specifications for civil & tower works Page 21 of 32

 • Civil Vendors to complete excavation work before calling for inspection.
• Correct water cement ratio is used as per approved standards.
• PCC thickness should not be less and quality should be upto mark.
• Adequate chairs and spacer bars are used to hold the reinforcement in
position
• Vibrators are not to be used continuously as per guidelines during all three
stages of concreting
• Pedestal level difference is being checked / rectified at the time of
concreting.
• Concreting is to be done during day light only. In exceptional cases if
concreting needs to be done in night, proper lighting should be arranged.
• Bolt projections above pedestals should be thoroughly checked before taking
up concreting of pedestals

5.2 Excavation :

Below is the common & ideal procedure for excavation

• Layout shall be marked on ground before starting the excavation

• Wooden or steel rod shall be pegged outside excavation area such that
footing centre lines can be derived
• Once excavation is done then line dori shall be tied between pegs and
column centre points can be transferred on ground
• Before putting PCC pit dimensions & pit symmetry with respect to centre
lines should be verified.
• Ensure column is exactly in centre of footing and there is no chance of
template eccentricity
• Eccentricity of base plate with respect to column centre is structurally in-
correct
• If any level difference in existing ground is found, then soil excavation shall
be with reference to the lower level and the soil shall be back filled upto the
top most level of natural ground level to avoid soil erosion.

5.3 Backfilling:

• In case required depth is not achievable for any reason, then revised drawing
shall be taken and implemented

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 • Provision of sand bed / rubble soling shall be verified from the soil
consultant / foundation designer in case of marshy or clay soil
• In case of dry soil with no water table, all foundation pits shall be soaked
with water for 24 hours and compacted well prior to laying PCC
• Loose pockets in foundation pits shall be completely removed and back
filled with PCC
• Foundation pit shall be kept dry (free from water) during laying of PCC &
RCC and further for a period of 48 hours from the time of concreting
• All back filling shall be done with good soil (preferably murrum) free from
organic impurities and boulders.
• Soil back fill shall be done in layers of 200 – 300 mm starting from centre
towards the end and densely compacted and sprinkling min. water as
necessary for compaction.
• After completion of back filling and compaction, 100mm high earth bund
shall be made along sides and the area shall be filled with water for atleast
24 hours.
• Backfilling should be with proper watering and compaction.
• Boulders, Black cotton & soil with organic impurities are not to be used for
back filling. In case excavated soil is black cotton / hard rock then murum
should be brought from out side for backfilling.
• Backfilling should be done in 300mm thick layers with watering and
compaction.
• Back filling should start only after the approval of site-in-charge.

5.4 Reinforcement:

• Reinforcement shall be bent and fixed in accordance with relevant IS Code

• Reinforcement steel shall not be re-bent or straightened
• All reinforcement shall be placed and maintained in position as per drawings
by providing cover blocks, chairs, spacers, etc
• Cross bars shall not be welded
• Rough handling or dropping of reinforcement from height shall not be
permitted.

5.5 Curing:

• Curing of foundations shall be carried out over a min. period of 7 days in the
following manner-

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 • Base raft, beam shall be kept continuously in damp or wet condition by
ponding or covering with sacking for a minimum period of 2 days after final
setting time of concrete ( 12 hrs)
• Back filling shall start after 72 hrs of concreting
• After completion of back filling the soil shall be kept moist/ damp/ wet
condition until 7 days from concreting
• Tower Erection shall start after 7 days of concreting and anchor bolt setting.
• Continuous curing should be done. Just spreading water at fixed intervals in
a day not acceptable. Ponding and continuous watering should be done.
• It is recommended to use any of the below mentioned curing admixtures to
take additional precaution.
9 Quick strength gaining – compound – CONPLAST NC – 85% strength
attained in 5 days. Quantity – 1.5 litres/bag of cement.
9 Curing Compound – Requires no watering of surface applied for.
9 Compound – CONCURE WB
9 The strength is attained by concrete as per the normal course.

Application is by brush or spraying to concrete surface-after 60 mins

(immediately after concreting) to the surface exposed to atmosphere-
immediately on removal of side shuttering. 1 litre can be applied for an area of
5 sq. meters. (Both are of FOSROC make).

5.6 Grouting:

• Surface to be grouted shall be thoroughly roughened and cleaned of all

foreign matter and laitance.
• Anchor bolts, anchor bolt holes and the bottom of column base plates shall
be cleaned of all oil, grease, dirt and loose material. The use of hot strong
caustic solution for this purpose will be permitted.
• Prior to grouting, the hardened concrete surfaces to be grouted shall be
saturated with water.
• Water in anchor bolts holes shall be removed before grouting is started.
• Forms around base plates shall be reasonably tight to prevent leakage of the
grout.
• Adequate clearance shall be provided between forms and base plate to
permit grout to be worked properly into place.
• Grouting, once started, shall be done quickly and continuously to prevent
segregation, bleeding and breakdown of initial set. Grout shall be worked
one side of one end to the other to prevent entrapment of air.

Guidelines & specifications for civil & tower works Page 24 of 32

 • Below specifications shall be followed for the grouting of Tower base plate:

For equal or less than 50mm thickness

Cement Mortar of proportion 1:4 shall be used along with one of the following
admixtures

• Sika admixture – Interplast – EP&N 200 or

• Fosroc admixture – Cebex 100 or
• Any other tested equivalent.

Manufacturers’ recommendation shall be followed for deciding the proportion

of admixture to be used.

Alternatively, one of the following cementitous grouting materials can be

adopted with INDUS’s approval in lieu of the above mixture.

• SikaRep – Microcrete; or
• Conbextra GP or Degusa constructional chemical – Masterflow 918 or
• Any other tested equivalent.

For more than 50mm thickness:

Cement concrete of proportion 1:1.5:3 (aggregate – baby chips) shall be used

along with one of the following admixtures:

• Sika admixture – Interplast – EP&N 200 or

• Fosroc admixture – Cebex 100 or
• Any other tested equivalent.

Manufacturers’ recommendation shall be followed for deciding the proportion

of admixture to be used.

Alternatively, one of the following cementitous grouting materials can be

adopted with INDUS’s approval in lieu of the above mixture.
• SikaRep – Microcrete; or
• Conbextra GP or
• Degusa constructional chemical – Masterflow 918 or

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 • Any other tested equivalent.

Need to give focus on the following:-

• All base plate should be in one level. Level difference should be zero.
• Grouting under the base plate should be done as per recommended
specification.
• Base plate thickness should be seen after grouting at all sides.
• Ensure plastering / finishing done to pedestal top and sides in line & level.
On top slope should be provided to prevent water stagnant around base plate.

Template & foundation bolts placement

• Template should be exactly in center of the columns.

• All templates should be in one level.
• Check nut below template should be kept at starting of the threading of the
bolts.
• Check nut bottom should be top of the column concrete & all columns
concrete top should be in one level.

5.7 Criteria for non acceptance of Foundation civil works

• Excavated depths not achieved / done as per design drawings.

• Deviation in reinforcement placement in terms of size, numbers & cutting
length.
• Punch points not attended / rectified and proceeded with work.
• Eccentricity in placing column bars with respect to footing centre
• Cement beyond limit (should be within 45 days of manufacture).
• Non usage of mixer / vibrator.
• Deviation in workmanship like mix proportions, maintaining water cement
ratio, etc.
• Any stages of work carried out in absence of Audit Agency.
• Concreting during night time without proper lighting arrangement.
• Any other issue which is critical to the safety & quality of foundation as
decided by SP / PMC / Audit Agency / INDUS.

Guidelines & specifications for civil & tower works Page 26 of 32

6. Approved Laboratories for Material Testing

Civil Contractor shall arrange 3 cube at every Concreting stage occurred during
three stage inspections for GBT & two stage inspections for RTT sites for testing
purposes. Civil Contractor will submit the Cubes (taken at site) Test reports (List
of Approved laboratories as mentioned below) to Audit Agency in original & its
copy, duly received by Audit Agency. Other than list below, Govt. approved,
CPWD, PWD, Engineering collage laboratories can be used for tesing.

Approved Laboratories

S.No. Name of Laboratories Location

1 Thapar Engineering College Patiala
2 Punjab Engineering College Chandigarh
Regional Engineering College(Dr.B.R Ambedkar
3 Jalandhar
National Institute of Technology)
4 Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College Ludhiana
5 Guru Nanak Dev University/Engineering College Amritsar
6 Giani jail Singh Engineering College Bathinda
7 REC Kurukshetra
8 IIT New Delhi
9 Delhi College of Engineering New Delhi
10 Shriram Institute New Delhi

Guidelines & specifications for civil & tower works Page 27 of 32

7. RELEVANT INDIAN STANDARD CODES AT A GLANCE

Towers are designed, manufactured, erected and commissioned in accordance with

relevant National Standards:

• Angle Sections of structural grade IS:2062-1992/ IS:226

• Code of practice for use of structural steel in overhead transmission line

towers: materials, loads and permissible stresses (sec1&2) IS:802 (Part-1)-
1995, IS-806

• Hexagonal nuts (size range- M5 to M36 IS:1363-1992-part3)

• Technical supply conditions for threaded steel fasteners IS:1367-1980

• Specifications for hot dip zinc coatings on structural steel and allied products
IS:4759-1984

• Hexagonal bolts for steel structures IS:6639-1972

• Tolerance for fabrication of steel structures IS:7215

• Bolts shall be of 5.6 Grade as per IS:12427

For items not covered by National Specifications, Indus towers specified

specifications are to be followed.

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8. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS:
Safety Instructions:

“An accident may occur if the safety precautions are neglected.

This type of accident may be fatal or cause serious injury. It may
also damage the product.”

For WIP sites both RTT & GBT sites proper Red colored safety indicator Tape
along the periphery of site should be placed.

The following special symbols are used to indicate the risk of radio frequency
radiation, electrical hazards and electrostatic discharge:

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 8.1 Electrical Hazards:

• Direct contact with the mains power and indirect contact via damp items or
moisture can be fatal.

• Improper electrical installation may cause fire or electrical shock.

Approved circuit breakers for the AC mains and the specified cable’s cross
sectional areas must always be used.

• Only a qualified and authorized electrician is permitted to install or modify

the electrical installation.

• Verify that the cable markings correspond before connecting /disconnecting

cable.

• Batteries can be hazardous if improperly handled. Special care must be used

to prevent short-circuiting batteries, or loss of electrolyte. Electrolyte
contains potentially hazardous material.

“Refer to operation’s manual of a specified manufacturer.”

• Short circuits can cause injury or damage. Although the battery voltage may
be low, the released power can be extremely high.

8.2 Working at Heights:

When working on a mast, tower or a roof, the following precautions must be

taken:
• Personnel working at heights must have the appropriate training and medical
certificate.
• Full body safety harness, safety belts, shoe and safety helmet must be used.
• Adequate protective clothing is essential in cold weather.
• All lifting devices must be tested and approved.
• During work on a mast, all personnel in the area must wear helmets.

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 8.3 Safety instructions for working with Ladders:

• Make sure that the ladder is undamaged and has been approved for use.
• Do not overload the ladder.
• Leaning ladder longer than 5m.
• Free-standing ladder with a platform and knee-support, and with over 2
meters height to the platform.
• Any other free-standing ladder longer than 3m.
• Use the ladder foot or a ladder support to reduce the risk of tipping over
sideways.
• Always attach extension legs to a ladder that is to be used on a sloping
base. Never prop up a ladder with boxes, stones or the like.
• Extend the ladder completely.

Climbing and using the ladder:

• Climb the ladder facing it.

• When you lean sideways, outward from the ladder, your navel should
never be outside the edge of the ladder’s frame.
• Always keep 3 points of contact (two feet and one hand, two hands one
foot) with the ladder when working on it. This will reduce the risk of
falling.
• Never climb the topmost four rungs of a ladder.

8.4 Handling Heavy Goods:

• Use tested and approved lifting devices only. They must only be used by
trained personnel.
• Always check that all parts of the lifting devices are intact.
• Make sure that all lifting devices are properly stabilized or attached to
fixed objects such as walls or buildings before lifting.
• Give clear and consistent command signals, for example
− lift
− lower
− stop

Guidelines & specifications for civil & tower works Page 31 of 32

 • Make sure that there is never an angle of more than 90_ between
the straps at the point where they are attached to the lifting hook.
• Too large an angle between the lifting straps increases the strain on
them and may cause them to snap. Overloading, or wrong use of lifting
devices in other ways, can have catastrophic consequences.
• Never walk under hoisted loads.
• Follow local regulations for safety clothing and safety equipment
for hoisting and moving goods.
• Unsecured cabinets have a high center of gravity. They can easily
tip over and harm personnel.

WARNING

There is a danger of the assembly toppling over, which could

cause injury to personnel or damage to the equipment.

8.5 Fire Safety :

WARNING

Fire may spread to neighbouring rooms. When working on a

radio base station you may have to open cable ducts, channels
and access holes, thereby interfering with the fire sectioning of
the building.

• Close the cable ducts and fire doors (if applicable) as soon as
possible.
• After completing work on cables, seal the cable ducts according
to the regulations for the building.
• Minimize the amount of inflammable material.
• Avoid storing empty packaging material on the site.
• Use a powder or carbon dioxide type of fire extinguisher due to
the electric nature of the equipment inside the Radio Base Station.

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