The Project for

•
Capacity Development of Road and Bridge Technology
in the Republic of the Union of Myanmar (2016-2019)

QUALITY CONTROL MANUAL

FOR BRIDGE FOUNDATION

(1st Edition)

April 2019

Ministry of Construction, the Republic of the Union of Myanmar

Japan International Cooperation Agency

(iii) Confirmation of Support Layer

Basically, support layer can be confirmed by comparison between excavated soil and designed
condition and geotechnical survey. Additionally, excavation speed change could be reflected soil
condition.

(iv) Embedment to Support Layer

Excavation should reach to confirm support layer. Inspection tool should be installed for confirmation
of excavated depth. More than 4 places at one hall should be inspected on excavated section.

Excavation Depth

Measured Point

Figure 6.2-14 Measuring Point for Embedment

Figure 6.2-15 Measurement

(v) Hole Wall Stabilization

Inner hole water should be kept higher than ground water by 2 m, at least. Quality of inner hole water
should be checked during excavation, at least 4 times by each pile.

At sand or gravel soil (permeability coefficient larger than 10-2 cm/sec), leaking water could occur,
and it should be prevented in order to keep hole wall stable.

BF-83
 Water
Bentonite Bentonite
Bentonite
Water

Water-impermeable coat
Leaking water
Water-impermeable coat
cannot be formed

Figure 6.2-16 Hole Wall Stabilization

Table 6.2-6 Bentonite Quality

Silt, Mud Sand Gravel

Mix design Base Bentonite % 2 -4 4-6 5–8

material CMC % 0 – 0.1 0.05 – 0.1 0.05 – 0.2

Support Leaking % - 0 – 0.5 0–1

material inhibitor

Properties Viscosity Sec 20 - 24 22 - 30 25 – 40

Filtering water ml 10 - 20 ≤ 15 ≤ 15

Specific gravity* - 1.01 – 1.02 - 1.03 –

pH - 9 – 10.5 9 – 10.5 9 – 10.5

*Attention for affection of Sedimental Velocity and Replacement are needed as below (Table 6.2-7) if more
than 1.05.

Table 6.2-7 Effecting of Bentonite Quality

Water Height Specific Viscosity Filtering Water Sand Content

Gravity

High Low High Low High Low High Low High Low

Wall Collapse ◎ ◎ 〇 ◎
Prevention

Sedimentation * ◎ ◎
Velocity

Replaceability * ◎ ○ ◎

◎ : More Effective
○ : Effective
BF-84
 Table 6.2-8 Comparison Bentonite and CMC
Bentonite CMC
Viscosity, Specific Gravity, Effected by Situation Stable
Filtering Water
Sedimentation Velocity Slow Fast

Deterioration Factor Lot Few

Recycle Not easy Easy

Material Lot, but low cost Few, but high cost

Waste Lot Few

Cost Low High

CMC: Carboxymethyl Cellulose

(vi) Bottom Processing

After completion of excavation, sediment on bottom of pile, such as slime, suspended sand, which
could affect quality of concrete should be removed. Also, if slime is remained, concrete cannot reach
support appropriately.

Basically, bottom processing is conducted twice during pile construction, primary and secondary.

(vii) Primary Bottom Processing

After excavation completed, before rebar cage placed, bottom processing is conducted in order to
remove slime or suspended sand as primary bottom processing.

Hammer grab or bucket can be used for primary bottom processing.

Figure 6.2-17 Bottom Processing by Grab Figure 6.2-18 Bottom Processing by Bucket

BF-85
 Figure 6.2-19 Removed Slurry

Before starting bottom processing, it is necessary to

take time for slime sediment duration (at least 20 –
30 minutes). Slime sediment duration should be
measured at test pile construction.

(viii) Secondary Bottom Processing

After rebar placed, before casting concrete, situation

of slime sediment should be measured and if needed,
secondary bottom processing should be conducted.

Figure 6.2-20 Slurry Sediment

Figure 6.2-21 Measurement of Slurry Sediment

BF-86