General Notes

1. Duties and responsibilities of a site Inspector: Supervise the actual

construction in the site as guided and instructed by the civil or resident
engineer, Bear direct responsibility for applications of specifications in site,
Make sure that safety measures are applied by the contractor, Prepare daily
work report in addition to memoranda, Not act as a foreman for the
contractor, Not change specifications and plans.

2. Study for QC Inspector, the procedures of the following tests:

Slump test, concrete cylinder test, compressive test on cylinders, field

density test (FDT), liquid limit & plastic limit, proctor or moisture-density
test, California bearing ratio (CBR), check the progress and works during
and before the paving of asphalt & concrete.

3. QA – Quality Assurance: QA is oversight, assurance that a QC

program is in effect and being properly administered. QA focus on providing
confidence to the customer that the quality requirement can be achieved.

4. QC – Quality Control: QC is verifying that approved standards and

procedures are being followed properly to produce a certain level of quality.
Generally sampling or testing is employed to verify acceptable levels of
quality. Further QC is conducting inspection and or testing in order to attain
the certain quality level of requirement.

5. Quality is to meet the mini requirement.

6. RFI – Request for Inspection.

7. ITP – Inspection Testing Plan.

8. TIP – Typical Inspection Plan.

9. QCP – Quality Control Plan.

10. NCR – Non Conformance Report.

11. CAR – Corrective Action Report.

12. MDR – Materials Deficiency Report.

13. PMT – Project Management Team.

14. BOD – Biochemical Oxygen Demand.

15. PPI – Plastics Pipe Institute.

16. ACI – American Concrete Institute.

17. CRSI – Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute.

18. AWWA – American Water Works Association.

19. ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials.

20. AASHTO – American Association of State Highway and

Transportation Officials.

21. ASME – American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

22. SAMSS – Saudi Aramco Materials System Specifications.

23. PVC – Polyvinyl Chloride.

24. SAES – Saudi Aramco Engineering Standards.

25. SAEP – Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure.

26. SASD – Saudi Aramco Standard Drawings.

27. CSD – Consulting Service Department.

28. RTR – Reinforced Thermosetting resin pipes.

29. JMF – Job Mix Formula.

30. GI – General Instructions.

31. JERES – Jubail Export Refinery Engineering Standard.

32. SATIP – Saudi Aramco Typical Inspection Plan: A quality plan that
guides/assures quality in a specific type of work in a specific sequence of
QC activity steps.

33. SAIC – Saudi Aramco Inspection Checklist: A document that details

the specific steps needed to fulfill the QC activity in the SATIP.

34. SATR – Saudi Aramco Test Report: A written document or test report
for a specific activity in the SATIP & QC procedure or SAIC.

35. RFI will be raised when the status of the preliminary inspection is
satisfactory, and the items are hold or witness points.

36. The reference will be found in SAIC’s is SA STDs, procedures, code

references and specifications.

37. Schedule Q is an attachment to the contract, which is the provision of

Quality Assurance and Control, Inspection and test plan.

38. Levels of inspection for material:

Level – 0. Documents requirement only, no inspection.

Level – 1. Inspection prior to shipping.

Level – 2. Minimum requirement pre inspection meeting one or more
unspecified ‘in progress’ surveillance visits.

Level – 3. Same as level.2, except that ‘in progress’ surveillance inspection

shall be in regular basis.

Level – 4. Resident inspector continuously monitor the work.

39. Specification is a guide line to assure that minimum quality standards

are met.

40. Four types of Inspection action points are found in ITP’s: Review
point, Hold point, Witness point & Surveillance point.

41. Hold point: Inspection or test shall not carried without QA/QC
organization representative. Witness point: However the inspection or test
shall be performed as schedule if QA/QC organization is not present, or the
inspection activity can proceed after issuing the RFI. Surveillance point:
QA/QC organization to monitor work without notify from construction
organization. Review point: Review the documents (verification of
documents i.e. mill certificates).

42. ITP is a document based on the detailed manufacturing, fabrication

and construction program, which identify each process description, set out
the related sequence of activities to be inspected, examined and tested.

43. Quality control procedure is a documented procedure detailing the

process necessary to complete & specific work activity.

44. Quality control plan is an organization structure, procedures, process

and resources needed to implement quality management.

45. Hold point not to proceed the work until client approved.
46. The timing of RFI’s sending in advance, 24 hours to inspection.

47. Standard of Portland cement concrete Aramco specification is 09-

SAMSS-097.

48. Criteria for design & construction of concrete structures in Aramco

standard is SAES-Q-001.

49. Excavation and filling Aramco standard is SAES-A-114.

50. If we see any violation during the execution of work against project
specification & international engineering standard, then we will raise NCR.

51. 4 hours a hydro test carried out on an uncovered oily water sewer line.

52. 24 hours a hydro test carried out on a covered oily water sewer line.

53. 150 mm minimum thickness of sand bedding for a pipe in a trench.

54. 300 mm minimum thickness of sand cover for a buried pipe in a

trench.

55. 3 meters is the head of water for a gravity test on a sewer line.

56. 150 psi is the working pressure of an Aramco fire water main.

57. Sewer pipes in trenches shall be covered by clean sand 300 mm.

58. Compaction test on site should be done by troxler apparatus.

59. Density/Compaction to be determined by FDT (Field Density Test).

60. To improve the compaction at optimum moisture content limit is add

more water or aggregates.

61. Main points in earth work progress: Material is not oversized, not over
30 cm per layer, not exceeding optimum moisture content or less, not
rubberizing or foaming, while grading material is not segregated, number of
passes of rollers during compaction, and weight of compacter (8 passes
minimum with ½ overlap), smoothness of the finished surface of subgrade.
Contractor should use 4 m straight edge, tolerance limit is 6 mm for
subgrade, 3 mm for asphalt.

62. Thickness of each layer allowed for embankment and subgrade: For
embankment; 30 cm thick or as otherwise specified. For subgrade; Earth cut
– 30 cm to be laid in two layers (15x15), Earth fill – 40 cm to be laid in two
layers (20x20) if possible to attain the required 100% compaction. Rock cut
– 20 cm in one layer.

63. Procedure of starting the 1st layer of earth work if the total height of
embankment is less than 75 cm: Grabbing and scarifying the area till 15 cm
and watering it, and remove any unsuitable material then compacting it.

64. Insulation of roof shall be always flexible.

65. Time to test the leak test of roof is 24 hours.

66. Water proofing membrane of roof shall be U/V (Ultra Violet)

protected.

67. U/V water proofing shall be done in 2 coats.

68. Each coating U/V water proofing shall be 400 mic.

69. During surface preparation humidity should not be more than 85%.

70. Filling and coating must be done after sealing.

71. Non load bearing CMU shall be used for non-load bearing partition
and not for exterior walls.
72. FBE coated rebar if tested it shall be by rubbing a small piece of white
cloth with MEK in 1 mic.

73. Coated rebar shall be stored off the ground on 300 mm height min on
protective cribbing.

74. FBE coated rebar stored in outdoor area without protection not more
than 2 months.

75. The max amount of damaged coating shall not exceed 1% with 300
lengths.

76. The FBE coated bars shall not to be cut with flame.

77. The minimum lap permitted when splicing two pieces of rebar
irrespective of the diameter is 305 mm.

78. Type of spacers can be used to support reinforcement is plastic/PVC

spacers.

79. Foundation shall be founded on either undisturbed soil or compacted

fill and at least 600 mm below the existing or finish grade surfaces.

80. Foundation shall not be placed above underground piping,

telecommunications or electric items the zone of foundation pressure is
define as a plane extending outward and downward the bottom edge of the
foundation at a 45o angle.

81. Foundation including pipeline anchor blocks constructed near the

slope should ensure that a 45o plane extending downward from the bottom
edge of the foundation does not intersect the slope face.

82. The minimum ring wall width shall be 300 mm.

83. Anchor bolts and other embedded items shall be set accurately using
templates within the tolerances.

84. Building drain lowest piping system, receives discharge for soil, waste
etc. in side wall to 0.6 m outside.

85. Invert the lowest point of the internal surface of a sewer at any cross
section.

86. Prior approval is required for installation of nonmetallic piping under

slab or similar structure.

87. Every precaution shall be taken to locate, protect and support existing
services during excavation, pipe laying and back filling.

88. Thermoplastic and RTR pipes shall be stored if loose; 1) Out of direct
sunlight, allows free air circulation. 2) Max 1.5 m height. 3) Min 75 mm
bearing bd. 4) Max 3 m oc. & 1.5 m from end. 5) Free of sharp object.

89. Solvent and primer for thermoplastic pipe shall be stored in air-
conditioned area with maximum temp 26.7 0C.

90. Gaskets, O-rings and locking keys shall be stored flat on racks below
38 0C and out of direct sunlight.

91. Adhesive for RTR piping shall be stored in an enclosure where temp
do not exceed 38 0C.

92. Pipe and fittings shall be properly protected from impact especially on
their ends. They shall not be thrown, dropped, bumped, hit or dragged and
pushed over abrasive surfaces.
93. Loose thermoplastic and RTR pipe shall be handled by hand or using
nylon/cotton strap spreader sling.

94. Thermoplastic piping shall be examined for cut, scratches, groove,

twist, buckles and ultra violet. Damaged; pipe shall be cut and discharged,
fittings and by ultra-violet shall be discharged.

95. Damaged RTR pipe and fittings shall not be installed.

96. Pipe and fittings shall be cleaned and dried before installation.

97. Solvent cement to be discharged; 1) gelled or thickened, 2) leaking or

opened containers, 3) expired.

98. The bottom of the trench shall be dry before the pipe installation.

99. At the end of every work 1) Pipe ends shall be capped, 2) Piping shall
be anchored to prevent for floatation.

100. 150 mm minimum ground bed from bottom of the pipe.

101. In trenches with high pressure piping, such as fire water line a non-
woven geotextile (130 g/m2) should enclose the sand bedding up to 150 mm
above the pipe. Minimum overlap should be 200 mm.

102. Use of Geo textile fabric in trench, if ground water flow of water table
is expected within the pipe zone a geo textile fabric must be used. Geo
textile shall be used at the interface between all pipe zone bedding, back fill
and shall extend over top of the zone.

103. RTR piping, trench contour shall not cause joint angular
deflection/pipe bending radius exceed in limits.
104. Sheeting or shoring shall be in accordance with Saudi Aramco
construction safety manual, section II.

105. The maximum distance required for gypsum board control joints is 30
feet.

106. Restrained joints are capable of withstanding internal pressure as well

as longitudinal tensile load & Un-restrained joints are not longitudinal
tensile load.

107. In bolted connections, the minimum size of high strength bolts is 20

mm should be used.

108. The minimum thickness of gusset and stiffener plate should be 8 mm.

109. The minimum time that a plastic sheet should be in place on concrete
surface to determine its moisture content by plastic sheet method, ASTM
D4263 is 24 hours.

110. The minimum concrete slab thickness supported on the ground is 100
mm (4”).

111. Paving slabs subject to vehicular traffic shall have a minimum

thickness of 150 mm.

112. A beam with a depth of 8 inches requires 4 number of rows of bolts.

113. A clear space of 2 ft shall be maintained on all sides of the excavation.

114. Shoring shall be installed or sides shall be sloped or benched when the
depth of excavation reaches 1.2 meter.

115. Plant scales shall be calibrated four times a year and shall be certified
by an independent laboratory.
116. Structural steel receiving and steel erection inspection (12-SAMSS-
007/008 & AISC-American Institute of Steel Construction, PIP.STS 05130:
This involved experience in structural steel inspection against abuse and
damage, proper storage, proper sequencing on job site to minimize damage,
etc.

117. The grade of rebar is Grade 60, Grade mean stress & strength.

118. Determine the grades 40, 60 and 75 steel bars at site: By its
longitudinal stripe marking, Grade 40 – no marking between the longitudinal
strips, Grade 60 – one line between the ribs of the steel, Grade 75 – two lines
between the ribs of the steel.

119. Runway and formwork shall be not supported on the reinforcing bar.

120. Splicing/overlapping of bars is 40 d to 60 d (d = diameter of bars).

121. Steel bends: D – diameter of bend, d – diameter of bars.

D = 6d, for rebar’s dia. 22 mm or less, D = 8d, for rebar’s dia. 24 to 28 mm,

D = 10d, for rebar’s dia. 30 mm and above.

122. Installation of bars: a) First of all check the main bars as per drawing,
b) There should not be any conflict between diving bar and main bar, and c)
Number of bars, spacing of bar, diameter of bar & rebar splicing should be
as per drawing.

123. Tolerance allowed on the spacing of rebar on installation per drawing

dimension is 3 times of bar diameter.

124. Tolerance allowed on the spacing of rebar’s on installing per drawing

dimension is 25 mm.
125. Tolerance of anchor bolts plumb ness is 2mm.

126. Max percentage of rebar area touch-up allowed before the rebar, shall
not exceed 1% of the total surface area of 0.30 m length rebar.

127. Inspection during the fabrication of reinforcement: Size of mend rail

is a). It should be according to international standard, b). It must be made of
plastic not steel, c). We check the size of rebar’s, it should be as per bar
bending schedule so there will not problem during installation of bars.

128. Receiving and handling the FBE (fusion bond epoxy coated) rebar’s:

a) Check the documents like mills certificate, coating companies, coating

either approve or not by client.

b) Check the tag of bars which should be as per bar bending schedule.

c) Check the shape as per bar bending schedule.

d) If FBE coating of bars is damage more than 2% that will be reject.

e) If FBE coating of bars is damage less than 2% that will be repairable

with same used epoxy & approved by client.

f) Any of bars should not touch with soil or ground and put on wooden
timber.

g) If any bars stock will not use up to one month that will cover with
tarpaulin sheet & put on wooden stand.

129. The distance of borrow pit from structures is downstream, minimum

200 meters or as otherwise specified.

130. The distance of borrow pit from roadway toe or embankment toe is
minimum 30 meters.
131. Inform the material engineer, if rained the whole night and the
aggregates & sand is wet.

132. Check the survey equipment’s: First of all check the machine
calibration that is expire or not, then fix dumpy level on tripod & make the
bubble center, check the bubble center in three angles 900, 1800 & 3600. If
bubble is center equipment will be ok and then check cross line.

133. Structural foundations: structural column base plate; with or without

shear keys & with sleeved anchor bolts to resist high shear force.
Miscellaneous structural supports: Stairs, stiles, pipe rack & pipe support
etc.

134. Water stopper is required for watertight construction.

135. Joint sealer shall be Elastic type.

136. Form coating shall be applied before rebar placed.

137. Embedded sleeves are Galvanized/PVC.

138. Nuclear density gages shall have valid calibration certificate.

139. Gypsum board metal stud spacing is 400 mm/600 mm center.

140. Doors, windows, opening area to be use double studs.

141. The fire rated gypsum board shall be continue until the end of wall.

142. The normal gypsum board wall shall be continue 50 mm min from
ceiling.

143. The color code of fire rated gypsum board is Red.

144. The color code of water resistant gypsum board is Green.

145. The color code of regular gypsum board is Blue.

146. The minimum expansion joint length of gypsum board wall is 15 feet.

147. Need dewatering, in case of high ground water table, adequate

dewatering shall be required through suction pumps or through well point
system depending on ground water condition.

148. FRP pipe is a tubular product containing glass fiber reinforcements

embedded in or surrounded by cured thermosetting resin.

149. AWWA standard, provide us direction and guidance for the purchase
of fiber glass reinforced pipe for the use of water distribution and
transmission on both above & below ground.

150. Pre stressing tendons shall be non-coated.

151. When a new site to be excavated 24’’ (610 mm) deep must be cleaned
and grubbed.

152. During earth works, the purpose of sloping and benching sides of
excavation, to prevent the sides from caving in.

153. Lime is added in mortar for Air-entraining agent.

154. Mortar samples for compressive strength test (cylinders or cubes 2’’ x
2’’) are taken too immediately after the mortar is mixed.

155. Primer – One coat (15 – 40 micrometers); Top coat – One coat (15 –
40 micrometers); Total dry film thickness is 30 to 80 micrometers.

156. Responsibilities of QC supervisor: Leading & managing of QC

Inspectors team to implementation of QA/QC Plan at site. Co-ordination
with the client and contractor Engineers for day to day technical matters &
maintain inspection records. Deficiencies on the construction to rectify
immediately. Prepare and issuance RFIs for the construction activities and
review RFIs after completion in all respects. Directly responsible to assure
that all the planned activities is being implemented with the Quality System.
Attending weekly construction/QC meeting with Management & Client.
Monitoring of all QC activities executed by the construction according to
approved drawings, Specifications and Method Statement. Carry out planned
inspections, Surveillance inspections and release hold paints by signing
various qualities as proof of inspection confirming to specifications. Control
Non-conformance report & Log Book Entries. Report the progressive work
daily & weekly meetings to QC Manager. Responsible to provide
administrative services to executives and senior Manager. Facilitate
management review meeting discussing the output from the internal audit.
Internal auditing of Project with regards to QC activities on site. In charged
in determining quality requirements for both Electrical and mechanical
installation.