Using the New ACI 301
ACI 301-96, “Specifications for Structural Concrete,” is broader in scope and offers
greater technical content and flexibility than its predecessor
BY TIMOTHY L. MOORE
he American Concrete In-
T stitute has recently com-
pleted a major revision of
its long-standing flagship
concrete specification, ACI 301,
“Specifications for Structural Con-
crete for Buildings,” last revised in
1989. Users can apply ACI 301-96
to any project by citing it in the
project specifications. The new ti-
tle of ACI 301, “Specifications for
St ru c t u ral Co n c re t e,” is the most
obvious change: The reference to
buildings has been dropped to
make the specification applicable
to a wider range of projects. This
change also signals that ACI 301-96
is much more comprehensive than
its predecessor.
The re o rg a n i zed ACI 301 covers
all aspects of structural concrete
m a t e ri a l s, proportioning, mixing,
d e l i ve ry, placement, form w o rk ,
curing, and strength evaluation. Its
extensive technical changes reflect
new developments in concrete ma-
terials and construction technology
over the last 15 years. It also in-
cludes explanatory material and
documentation requirements to
help the user understand the spec-
ification and clearly define each
party’s responsibilities.
Changes in Organization
The old ACI 301 contained 18
chapters, each organized in a gen-
eral specification format in accor-
dance with the Construction Speci-
fication Institute (CSI) format.
Rather than chapters, ACI 301-96
contains nine sections, eight of
which are organized into the CSI 3-
Part Format (General, Products, Ex-
ecution); the first section, General
Requirements, does not conform to
the 3-Part Format. Following are
the nine technical sections that
comprise the specification:
Section 1—General Requirements
Section 2—Fo rm w o rk and Form
Accessories
Section 3—Reinforcement and Re-
inforcement Supports
MUCH MORE COMPREHENSIVE
THAN ITS PREDECESSOR,
ACI 301-96 COVERS ALL
ASPECTS OF STRUCTURAL
CONCRETE MATERIALS,
PROPORTIONING, MIXING,
DELIVERY, PLACEMENT,
FORMWORK, CURING,
AND STRENGTH EVALUATION.
Section 4—Concrete Mixtures
Section 5—Handling, Placing, and
Constructing
Section 6—Architectural Concrete
Section 7—Lightweight Concrete
Section 8—Mass Concrete
Section 9—Prestressed Concrete
ACI 301-96 is intended to be refer-
enced in its entirety. Referencing in-
dividual sections or subsections can
result in problems or misinterpreta-
tions, because many sections and
subsections refer to others in the
document and should not stand
alone. Users of the old ACI 301
should update any reference to indi-
vidual sections. They should also
note that the section and subsection
numbers have been completely re-
vised and reorganized in ACI 301-96.
Using Checklists Effectively
In addition to the technical spec-
ification, ACI 301-96 contains three
checklists: the first details manda-
tory requirements; the second, op-
tional requirements; and the third,
submittals. These lists can be used
by the specifier to tailor the specifi-
cation to the project.
By incorporating the various op-
tions built into ACI 301-96, it can be
used to specify both relatively sim-
ple projects and large, complex
projects. The options used depend
on project scope, choice and avail-
ability of materials, size and
method of concrete placements,
weather and concrete exposure
conditions, and many other vari-
ables. If the user does not have the
time, re s o u rc e s, or inclination to
exercise the optional requirements,
ACI 301-96 contains conservative
default values that reflect good
practice and protect the user.
The Mandatory Re q u i re m e n t s
Checklist contains eight items the
user must specify for every project,
such as type and grade of reinforc-
ing steel and compressive strength
of concrete for various portions of
the work. Though the number of
items in the list has been increased
from two to eight to reflect in-
creased scope and technical con-
tent, Committee 301 has kept the
requirements very simple so the list
is easy for the specifier to use.
Any of the 98 items on the Op-
tional Requirements Checklist
(ORC) can be incorporated by the
user to meet the needs of specific
p ro j e c t s. This checklist has been
greatly expanded, since the old ACI
301 contained only 57 options,
called “supplemental require-
ments.” To further aid the user, the
ORC includes much more explana-
tory material as well as references
to other publications for more
comprehensive guidance.
If the user chooses not to use the
ORC, ACI 301-96 contains reason-
ably conservative default values
that provide adequate technical re-
quirements in lieu of the options.
For example, ACI 301-96 subsection
4.2.2.4 states: “Unless otherwise
specified, concrete shall be air-en-
trained. Unless otherwise specified,
air content at the point of delivery
shall conform to the requirements
of Table 4.2.2.4 for severe exposure.”
The phrases “unless otherwise
specified” or “where required” are
included to alert specifiers that the
default requirements can be modi-
fied using the ORC.
If the user chooses not to modify
subsection 4.2.2.4, it will be re-
quired by default to use air-en-
trained concrete in accordance
with Table 4.2.2.4 requirements for
s e ve re exposure, which mandate
the highest air content of all the
table’s exposure conditions. How-
e ve r, the ORC for 4.2.2.4 tells ACI
301 users to specify if concrete is
not required to be air- e n t ra i n e d .
For a project such as an interior
floor, for example, air-entrainment
is usually not needed.
The user can also choose to re-
quire air-entrained concrete, but at
an air-content for more moderate
conditions, such as mild exposure.
The ORC for 4.2.2.4 explains where
each of the exposure conditions is
applicable.
Another example of using the
ORC can be found in ACI 301-96
subsections 5.3.4.3.b and c. These
items require use of the straight-
edge method to measure floor tol-
erances for residential and nonres-
idential floors smaller than 10,000
square feet and use of the ASTM E
1155 F-number system for nonres-
idential floors exceeding 10,000
square feet, unless otherwise spec-
ified. The ORC for 5.3.4.3.b and c
explains the basis for these require-
ments and where the user could
possibly deviate from them. It also
refers to other publications for fur-
ther guidance.
Users of ACI 301-96 should re-
view the ORC even for small pro-
jects, since conditions for each pro-
ject are different. Also, an initial
review and subsequent modifica-
tion of the specification can help
clarify the project to bidders and
contractors as the job progresses.
A new feature of ACI 301, the
Submittals Checklist is intended to
assist the specifier, contractor, and
bidders by clearly delineating sub-
mittal requirements to all parties.
The user does not need to take any
action; instead, the checklist has
been organized to reduce the like-
lihood of missing submittal items,
particularly approvals. Mo re over,
the contractor can organize in ad-
vance all the submittals re q u i re d ,
eliminating the need to wait for ap-
provals and possibly delay the pro-
ject. Howe ve r, some submittal re-
quirements may not apply to a
project, such as those pertaining to
architectural concrete for a project
that does not use architectural con-
c re t e. And use of an ORC might
eliminate a submittal that would
have otherwise been required.
Highlights of Technical Changes
Following are highlights of the ma-
jor technical changes in ACI 301-96.
Fresh concrete properties:
• New field-acceptance criteria for
concrete are delineated for air
content, slump, and temperature.
Concrete not meeting these re-
quirements is subject to rejection.
• Provisions for superplasticized
concrete have been added, such
as requiring a slump of 2 to
4 inches before addition of
superplasticizer and a maximum
slump of 8 inches after addition.
• Concrete slump is now stan-
dardized at 4 inches, to be mea-
sured at the point of delivery, ex-
cept for plain mass concrete and
superplasticized concrete.
Slump tolerance is ±1 inch as
given in ACI 117-90. The old ACI
301 tolerance permitted one
batch in any five consecutive
batches to have a slump 1 inch
above the maximum indicated.
This was confusing and difficult
to use practically in the field.
• A i r- e n t rained concrete is now
the default requirement, elimi-
nating the confusion caused by
the previous requirement, which
allowed the contractor to inter-
pret exposure conditions and
determine where destructive ex-
posures requiring air entrain-
ment existed.
• The maximum allowable tem-
perature of concrete as delivered
is specified as 90°F, except for
mass concrete. A temperature
limit higher than 90°F may be
specified in accordance with the
ORC if concrete delivered at the
higher temperature has been
used successfully in given cli-
mates or situations.
Durability:
• Criteria have been added for de-
termining potential durability
deficiencies. The criteria are
based on concrete strength, ma-
t e ri a l s, air content, curing, tem-
p e ra t u re protection, and envi-
ronmental protection. If
deficiencies exist, actions such
as obtaining samples, perform-
ing lab tests, and repairing or re-
placing concrete are prescribed.
• Re q u i rements for coated re i n-
forcement, wire, and re i n f o rc e-
ment supports have been ex-
panded, including prov i s i o n s
 for repair of damaged coated
reinforcement.
• Concrete cover re q u i re m e n t s
have been revised and expand-
ed. Required cover varies with
the function of the stru c t u ra l
member (slabs and joists, beams
and columns, walls, and footings
and base slabs) and with the ex-
posure conditions (including dry
conditions and exposure to
sewage, earth, water, or weath-
er). The cover requirements are
also affected by whether sur-
faces are formed or unformed
and whether members are
placed on concrete work mats.
• Requirements have been added
for maximum allowable water-
soluble chloride content for var-
ious types of concrete members
and exposure conditions, in-
cluding prestressed members,
members exposed to chlorides,
and dry or protected members.
• Water-cement ratio required for
various exposure conditions has
been eliminated and is now cov-
ered in the ORC. The specifier—
not the supplier or contractor—
must determine the applicable
exposure condition.
Mix proportioning:
• Water-cement ratio is now wa-
ter-cementitious materials ratio.
Limits are placed on the maxi-
mum percent of pozzolanic ma-
terial, such as fly ash or slag.
• Provisions for high-strength
concrete from 5000 to 15,000 psi
have been added to the table for
required average strength for
proportioning when suitable ex-
perience data are not available.
• Field verification of mix designs,
along with appropriate adjust-
ments, is now required.
Tolerances and testing:
• Reference is made to ACI 117-90,
“Specifications for To l e ra n c e s
for Concrete Construction and
Ma t e ri a l s,” for all tolerances for
form construction, re i n f o rc e-
ment fabrication and place-
ment, concrete cover, concrete
slump, and concrete finishes.
The ACI 117 tolerances are not
repeated within ACI 301-96.
• Testing agencies must conform
to ASTM C 1077, “Standard Prac-
tice for Laboratories Testing
Concrete and Concrete Aggre-
gates for Use in Co n s t ru c t i o n
and Criteria for Laboratory Eval-
uation,” for concrete and con-
crete materials, and to ASTM E
329, “Standard Practice for Use in
the Evaluation of Testing and In-
spection Agencies as Used in
Co n s t ru c t i o n ,” for re i n f o rc i n g
steel.
• Time of concrete discharge re-
quired by ASTM C 94, “Standard
Specification for Re a d y- Mi x e d
Co n c re t e,” may be exceeded if
the specified air content, slump,
and temperature re q u i re m e n t s
are verified and met.
• Provisions have been added for
the use of ASTM E 1155, “Stan-
dard Test Method for Determin-
ing Floor Flatness and Levelness
Using the F-Number System,” to
measure floor tolerances. Use of
the straightedge method is still
allowed for some floors, as de-
fined in the specification. The
ORC has been greatly expanded
in this area to guide the specifier.
Mass concrete:
• The definition of mass concrete
has been expanded in the ORC,
so specifiers can more correctly
define mass concrete in project
documents.
• When early strength gain is more
important than minimizing heat
buildup, accelerating admix-
tures can now be used in mass
concrete where approved in ac-
cordance with the ORC.
• Mass concrete slump provisions
are included for both plain and
re i n f o rced concre t e. Re q u i re d
slump is 3 inches maximum for
plain mass concrete and 4 inch-
es maximum for re i n f o rc e d
mass concrete.
• Minimum curing time for mass
c o n c rete is reduced from 14 to
s e ven days, unless otherw i s e
specified in accordance with
the ORC.
Miscellaneous changes:
• Consolidation must now be by
mechanical vibration. Manual
spading, forking, or rodding is not
allowed. Included is a table for ac-
ceptable vibrator sizes based on
applications, such as stiff mass
concrete or plastic flowing con-
crete in thin members.
• Keyways in construction joints
are no longer mandatory unless
specifically required.
• Provisions have been added to
emphasize needs for project co-
ordination, submittals, product
representatives on-site, and pre-
construction conferences for ar-
chitectural concrete.
• Provisions have been added in
the ORC to permit removal
of structural formwork at an ear-
lier age than that required to
reach the specified compressive
'
strength, fc . Provisions are added
in the specification for submittal
requirements to request a lower
form-removal strength.
A Continuing Effort
ACI 301-96 is the culmination of
many years of continued effort by
the members of Committee 301,
who represent a broad spectrum of
industry experience. The specifica-
tion is a vast improvement over the
previous one in scope, technical
content, and flexibility. As the
concrete industry changes, ACI 301
must also change. Committee
301 continues to review and modi-
fy the specification as technology
changes and more information be-
comes available. Suggestions and
comments are most welcome, as
the committee strives to continu-
ally improve ACI 301.
Timothy L. Moore is senior
c i v i l / s t ructural engineer with San
Diego Gas & Electric and a Fellow
of ACI. He was chairman of ACI
Committee 301 during the develop-
ment and completion of ACI 301-96.
PUBLICATION #C960340
Copyright © 1996, The Aberdeen Group
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