POINTS TO REMEMBER FOR CIVIL SITE ENGINEERS Section 401 – General

Following are few general points to remember for civil site engineers to make
the construction work easier while maintaining quality of construction. 401.2.1
For structural concrete, fc’ shall not be less than 17 MPa (2500 psi).
1. Lapping is not allowed for the bars having diameters more than 36 mm. No maximum value of fc’ shall apply unless restricted by a specific code
2. Chair spacing maximum spacing is 1.00 m or 1 No. Per 1 m 2. provision.
3. For dowels rod minimum of 12 mm diameter should be used.
4. Chairs minimum of 12 mm diameter should be used. 401.2.3
5. Longitudinal reinforcement not less than 0.8% and more than 6% of Design and construction of one- and two-family dwellings and multiple
gross C/S. single-family dwellings (townhouses) and their accessory structures will be
6. Minimum bars for square column is 4 N’s and 6 No’s for circular column. covered by provisions of the National Structural Code of the Philippines,
7. Main bars in the slabs shall not be less than 8 mm (HYSD) or 10 mm Volume III, Housing.
(Plain bars) and the distributors not less than 8 mm and not more than
1/8 of slab thickness. 401.2.8 Special Provisions for Earthquake Resistance
8. Minimum thickness of slab is 125 mm. 401.2.8.1
9. Dimension tolerance for cubes +2 mm. In regions of moderate (seismic Zone 2) or high seismic risk (seismic Zone 4),
10. Free fall of concrete is allowed maximum to 1.50 m. provisions of Section 421 shall be satisfied. See Section 421.3.1.
11. Lap splices not be used for bar larger than 36 mm.
12. Water absorption of bricks should not be more than 15%. 401.2.9
13. PH value of the water should not be less than 6. This chapter does not govern design and construction of tanks and
14. Compressive strength of bricks is 3.5 N/mm 2. reservoirs.
15. In steel reinforcement, binding wire required is 8 kg per MT.
16. In soil filling as per IS code, 3 samples should be taken for core cutting Guidance on design and construction of concrete tanks and reservoir shall
test for every 100 m2. be obtained from the ACI 350-01 or ACI-06 “Code Requirements for
Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures” unless sufficient supporting
evidence can be obtaind from recognized literature.
Section 403 – Specifications or Test and Materials 403.5 Water
403.5.1
403.2 Test of Materials Water used in mixing concrete shall be clean and free from injurious
403.2.1 amounts of oils, acids, alkalis, salts, organic materials or other substances
The engineer may require the testing of any materials used in concrete deleterious to concrete or reinforcement.
construction to determine if materials are of quality specified.
Section 406 – Formwork, Embedded Pipes and Construction Joints
403.2.2
Test of materials and of concrete shall be made in accordance with the 406.1 Design of Formwork
standards listed in Section 403.9. (soon.) 406.1.1
Forms shall result in a final structure that confrms to shapes, lines and
403.4 Aggregates dimensions of the members as required by the design drawings and
403.4.1 specifications.
Concrete aggregates shall conform to one of the following specifications:
406.1.2
ASTM C 33 Specifications for Concrete Aggregates Forms shall be substantial and sufficiently tight to prevent leakage of
ASTM C 330 Specifications for Lightweight Aggregates for Structural Concrete mortar.

Aggregates failing to meet the above specifications but which have been 406.1.3
shown by special test or actual service to produce concrete of adequate Forms shall be properly braced or tied together to maintain position and
strength and durability may be used where authorized by the engineer-of- shape.
record.
406.1.4
403.4.2 Forms and their supports shall be designed so as not to damage previously
The nominal maximum size of coarse aggregate shall not be larger than: placed structure.

1. 1/5 of the narrowest dimension 406.2 Removal of Forms, Shores and Reshoring
between sides of forms; or 406.2.1 Removal of Forms
2. 1/3 the depth of slabs; or Forms shall be removed in such manner as not to impair safety and
serviceability of the structure. Concrete to be exposed by form removal shall
3. 3/4 the minimum clear spacing between have sufficient strength not to be damaged by removal operation.
individual reinforcing bars or wires, bundles
of bars, or prestressing tendons or ducts.

These limitations may be waived if, in the judgment of the engineer,

workability and methods of consolidation are such that concrete can be
placed without honeycombed or voids.