M 199 SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS

Standard Specification for

Precast Reinforced Concrete Manhole Sections

AASHTO DESIGNATION: M 199-931

(ASTM DESIGNATION: C 478-90b)

1. SCOPE1 T 22 Compressive Strength of an order, two separate and alternative

Cylindrical Concrete bases of acceptance are permitted for flat
Specimens slab tops as follows:
1.1 This specification covers precast
reinforced concrete manhole base T 280 Testing Concrete Pipe, 5.2.1 Acceptance on the Basis of Proof-
sections, riser sections, and Sections, or Tile of-Design Test-Acceptance of flat slab
appurtenances such as grade rings, tops 2.2 ACI Standard: tops will be on the basis of passing a
and special sections for use in sewer and proof-of-design test in accordance with
318 Building Code, Requirements Section 11. When agreed upon between
water works. for Reinforced Concrete the purchaser and the manufacturer,
1.2 A complete metric companion to certified copies of tests performed on
AASHTO M 199 has been developed-M identical tops shall be accepted instead of
199M; therefore, no metric equivalents 3. TERMINOLOGY
further proof-of-design acceptance tests.
are presented in this specification. In addition to such tests, the materials
NOTE 1-This specification is a manufacturing 3.1 Definitions-For definitions of terms comprising the flat slab tops shall
and purchase specification only, and does not relating to concrete pipe, see AASHTO conform in all respects to those required
include requirements for installation of metal M 262. for the riser sections.
frames, covers and gratings for access
purposes. 5.2.2 Acceptance on the Basis of
4. TYPES Rational Design-Acceptance of flat slab
tops will be on the basis of the
2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS purchaser's approval of design
4.1 Precast risers and grade rings calculations and detailed drawings. The
manufactured according to this specifica- basis of design shall be in accordance
2.1 AASHTO Standards: tion shall be of one type, and precast tops with the appropriate section of the latest
M6 Fine Aggregate for Portland shall be of the following three types: revision of ACI 318. In addition to such
Cement Concrete 4.1.1 Concentric cone, designs and drawings, the materials
M 31 Deformed and Plain Billet- 4.1.2 Eccentric cone, and comprising the flat slab tops shall
Steel Bars for Concrete conform in all respects to those required
4.1.3 Flat slab top.
Reinforcement for the riser sections.
4.2 Precast base sections shall be the
M 32 Cold Drawn Steel Wire for 5.2.3 In addition to the requirements in
following two types:
Concrete Reinforcement either Sections 5.2.1 or 5.2.2, the
4.2.1 Base riser sections and separate minimum requirements of Section 7 shall
M 55 Welded Steel Wire Fabric for base slab, and
Concrete Reinforcement apply.
4.2.2 Base riser section with integral
M 80 Coarse Aggregate for floor.
Portland Cement Concrete 6. MATERIALS
M 85 Portland Cement
5. ORDERING INFORMATION
M 148 Liquid Membrane Forming 6.1 Reinforced Concrete-The reinforced
Compounds for Curing concrete shall consist of cementitious
Concrete 5.1 Unless otherwise designated by the materials, mineral aggregates, and water,
M 221 Welded Deformed Steel Wire purchaser at the time of, or before placing in which steel has been embedded in such
Fabric for Concrete an order, acceptance of precast concrete a manner that the steel and concrete act
Reinforcement manhole sections, will be on the basis of together.
tests of materials and inspection of 6.2 Cementitious Materials:
M 225 Deformed Steel Wire for completed product. Acceptability of
Concrete Reinforcement 6.2.1 Cement-Cement shall conform to
bases and risers covered by this
M 240 Blended Hydraulic Cements the requirements for portland cement of
specification shall be determined by the
AASHTO M 85, or shall be portland
M 262 Terms Relating to Concrete results of such tests of materials as are
blast-furnace slag cement or portland-
Pipe and Related Products required in Section 6; by crushing tests
pozzolan cement conforming to the
on concrete cores or cured concrete
M 295 Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined requirements of AASHTO M 240, except
cylinders; and by inspections of the
Natural Pozzolan for Use as a that the pozzolan constituent in the Type
finished manhole sections, including
Mineral Admixture in IP portland pozzolan cement shall be fly
amount and placement of reinforcement,
Portland Cement Concrete ash and shall not exceed 25 percent by
to determine its conformance with the
weight.
design prescribed in this specification
1 and its freedom from defect. 6.2.2 Fly Ash-Fly ash shall conform to
Agrees with ASTM C 478-90b, except for limiting
the requirements of Class F or Class C of
absorption testing to the 5-hour boil method and the 5.2 Unless otherwise designated by the
method of retest in case of failure of absorption AASHTO M 295.
purchaser at the time of, or before placing
specimens.

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6.2.3 Allowable Combinations of
Cementitious Materials-The combination
of cementitious materials used in the
concrete shall be one of the following:
6.2.3.1 Portland cement only,
6.2.3.2 Portland blast furnace slag
cement only,
6.2.3.3 Portland pozzolan cement only,
or
6.2.3.4 A combination of portland
cement and fly ash wherein the
proportion of fly ash is between 5 and 25
percent by weight of total cementitious
material (portland cement plus fly ash).
6.3 Aggregates-Aggregates shall
conform to AASHTO M 6 and M 80,
except that the requirement for gradation
shall not apply.
6.4 Admixtures and Blends-Admixtures
and blends may be used with the
approval of the purchaser.
6.5 Steel Reinforcement-Reinforcement
shall consist of wire conforming to
AASHTO M 32 or M 225, or of wire
fabric conforming to AASHTO M 55 or
M 221, or of bars of Grade 40 steel
conforming to AASHTO M 31.
7. DESIGN
7.1 Designs:
7.1.1 The minimum compressive
strength of the concrete in the manhole
base, riser, and top sections shall be 4000
psi. The minimum wall thickness shall be
one-twelfth of the internal diameter of the
riser or largest cone diameter. The access
opening in cone or top sections shall be a
minimum of 24 in. in diameter.
7.1.2 Flat slab tops shall have a
minimum thickness of 6 in. for risers up
to and including 48 in. in diameter and 8
in. for larger diameters.
7.1.3 Base slabs or floors shall have a
minimum thickness of 6 in. for risers up
to and including 48 in. in diameter and 8
in. for larger diameters.
7.1.4 Base sections with precast
benched inverts may be cast as
monolithic casting or as a secondary
casting in a cured base section with the
following minimum dimensions.
7.1.4.1 Minimum slope of ½ in./ft from
the channel to the I.D. of manhole wall
for the benching.
7.1.4.2 Minimum channel invert depth of
one-half of the pipe inside diameter.
7.1.4.3 Minimum concrete thickness
from the invert to the bottom of the
integral base section shall be 4 in. when
precast monolithic as a benched unit.
SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS
7.1.4.4 Minimum concrete thickness
under the invert when the channel is cast
in a cured base section shall be 2 in.
7.1.4.5 Width of channel at top of the
benching shall be a minimum of the pipe
I.D.
7.1.4.6 Invert shall provide a positive
flow between inlet to outlet pipes.
7.1.4.7 The minimum channel center line
radius shall be the pipe inside diameter.
7.2 Modified and Special Design:
7.2.1 Manufacturers may submit to the
purchaser, for approval prior to
manufacture, designs other than those
described in Section 7. If such approval is
obtained, then such manhole sections
must meet all of the tests and
performance requirements specified by
the purchaser in accordance with
Sections 11 and 12.
7.2.2 If permitted by the purchaser, the
manufacturer may request approval of
designs of special sections, such as
reducers and bases.
8. REINFORCEMENT
8.1 Base, Riser, and Conical Top
Sections:
8.1.1 Circumferential Reinforcement:
8.1.1.1 The circumferential
reinforcement may consist of either one
or two lines of steel, the total area per
vertical foot of which shall be not less
than 0.0025 times the inside diameter in
inches.
8.1.1.2 A line of circumferential
reinforcement for any given total area
may be composed of two layers if the
layers are not separated by more than the
thickness of one cross member plus '/, in.
The two layers shall be tied together to
form a single cage. All other
specification requirements such as laps,
welds, and tolerances of placement in the
wall of the manhole, risers, and tops, etc.,
shall apply to this method of fabricating a
line of reinforcement.
8.1.1.3 Where one line of circular
reinforcement is used, it shall be placed
in the center third of the wall.
8.1.1.4 Where two lines of circular
reinforcement are used, each line shall be
so placed that the protective covering
over the circumferential reinforcement in
the wall of the section shall be I in.
8.1.1.5 The location of the reinforcement
shall be subject to the permissible
variations in dimensions given in Section
12.
8.1.1.6 The spacing center to center of
circumferential reinforcement in a cage
shall not exceed 6 in.
8.1.1.7 The continuity of the circum
ferential reinforcing steel shall not be
destroyed during the manufacture of the
sections, except when lift holes or pipe
openings are to be installed.
8.1.1.8 If the splices are not welded, the
reinforcement shall be lapped not less
than 20 diameters for deformed bars, and
40 diameters for plain bars and
colddrawn wire. In addition, where
lapped cages of welded-wire fabric are
used without welding, the lap shall
contain a longitudinal wire.
8.1.1.9 When splices are welded and are
not lapped to the minimum requirements
above, pull tests of representative
specimens shall develop at least 50
percent of the minimum specified
strength of the steel, and there shall be a
minimum lap of 2 in. For butt-welded
splices in bars or wire, permitted only
with helically wound cages, pull tests of
representative specimens shall develop at
least 75 percent of the minimum
specified strength of the steel.
8.1.2 Longitudinal Reinforcement-Each
line of circumferential reinforcement
shall be assembled into a cage that shall
contain sufficient longitudinal bars or
members, to maintain the reinforcement
in shape and position within the form to
comply with permissible variations in
Section 8.1.1.
8.1.3 Joint Reinforcement-Either the
tongue or groove of the joint shall
contain circumferential reinforcement
equal in area to that of a single line
within the wall of the section.
8.1.4 Reinforcement Cover-The
exposure of the ends of the reinforcement
stirrups or spacers that have been used to
position the cages during the placement
of the concrete, shall not be a cause for
rejection.
8.2 Grade Rings:
8.2.1 Circumferential Reinforcement-
The circumferential reinforcement shall
have an equivalent area of not less than
0.07 in.2/vertical ft but not less than 0.024
in .2 in any one grade ring.
8.3 Base Slabs and Floors:
8.3.1 A layer of reinforcement shall be
placed above the midpoint, and shall
have a minimum area of 0.12 in.'/linear ft
in both directions.
8.3.2 The minimum protective cover
over the reinforcement shall be 1 in.
8.4 Flat Slab Tops:
8.4.1 A layer of reinforcement shall be
placed near the bottom surface so that the
protective cover over the reinforcement
shall be 1 in. Flat slab tops manufactured
without a joint or other indication of the
top or bottom of the slab shall be
manufactured with two layers of steel
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reinforcement, one located near the
bottom surface and one near the top
surface so that the protective cover over
each layer is 1 in.
8.4.2 A layer of reinforcement shall
have a minimum area of 0.12 in.2/linear
ft in both directions.
8.4.3 Openings in flat slabs shall be
additionally reinforced with a minimum
of the equivalent of 0.20 in .2 of steel at
90 degrees. Straight rods used to
reinforce opening shall have a minimum
length equal to the diameter of the
opening plus 2 in.
9. JOINTS
9.1 The reinforced concrete manhole
base and riser sections, excepting grade
rings, shall be designed and formed with
male and female ends, so that when the
manhole base, riser, and top are
assembled they will make a continuous
and uniform manhole, compatible with
the tolerances given in Sections 12.3 and
12.4.
10. MANUFACTURE
10.1 Mixture-The aggregates shall be
sized, graded, proportioned, and mixed
with such proportions of cementitious
materials and water as will produce a
homogeneous concrete mixture of such
quality that the manhole sections will
conform to the test and design
requirements of this specification. All
concrete shall have a water-cementitious
materials ratio not exceeding 0.53 by
weight. Cementitious materials shall be
as specified in Section 6.2 and shall be
added to the mix in a proportion not less
than 470 lb/yd', unless mix designs with a
lower cementitious materials content
demonstrate that the quality and
performance of the pipe meet the
requirements of this specification.
10.2 Curing-Manhole sections shall be
subjected to any one of the methods of
curing described in Sections 10.2.1 to
10.2.4 or to any other method or
combination of methods approved by the
purchaser, that will give satisfactory
results. The manhole bases, risers, and
tops shall be cured for a sufficient length
of time so that the concrete will develop
the specified compressive strength at 28
days or less.
10.2.1 Steam Curing-Manhole sections
may be placed in a curing chamber, free
of outside drafts, and cured in a moist
atmosphere maintained by the injection
of steam for such time and such
temperature as may be needed to enable
the manhole bases, risers, and tops to
SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS
meet the strength requirements. The
curing chamber shall be so constructed as
to allow full circulation of steam around
the entire manhole base, riser, or top.
10.2.2 Water Curing-Concrete manhole
sections may be water-cured by covering
with water-saturated material or by a
system of perforated pipes, mechanical
sprinklers, porous hose, or by any other
approved method that will keep the
manhole bases, risers, and tops moist
during the specified curing period.
10.2.3 The manufacturer may, at his
option, combine the methods described in
Sections 10.2.1 to 10.2.4 provided the
required concrete compressive strength is
attained.
10.2.4 A sealing membrane conforming
to the requirements of AASHTO M 148
may be applied and should be left intact
until the required strength requirements
are met. The concrete at the time of
application shall be within 10°F of the
atmospheric temperature. All surfaces
shall be kept moist prior to the
application of the compounds and shall
be damp when the compound is applied.
11. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
11.1 Test Specimens-The specified
number of specimens required for the
tests shall be furnished without charge by
the manufacturer, and shall be selected at
random by the purchaser and shall be
from manhole sections that would not
otherwise be rejected under this
specification. The selection shall be made
at the point or points designated by the
purchaser when placing the order.
11.2 Number and Type of Test
Required-A purchaser may require
compression test specimens in the
amount of 5 percent of the total order, but
not to exceed two cylinders for each day's
production. One flat slab top for each
design shall be tested if Section 5.2.1 has
been designated as the basis of
acceptance, unless the purchaser has
indicated otherwise.
11.3 Concrete Strength:
113.1 Compressive Strength-
Compression tests for satisfying the
minimum specified concrete strength
requirement may be made on either
standard rodded concrete cylinders or
cylinders compacted and cured in a
similar manner to the manhole sections
or, at the option of the manufacturer, on
cores drilled from the wall of the
manhole sections. If cylinders are tested,
they shall be tested in accordance with
AASHTO T 22. The average
compressive strength of all cylinders
tested shall be equal to or greater than the
specified design strength of the concrete.
Not more than 10 percent of the cylinders
tested shall fall below the specified
design strength. In no case shall any
cylinder tested fall below 3200 psi. If
cores are drilled from the wall of the
manhole sections and tested, they shall be
cut and tested in accordance with the
requirements of AASHTO T 280. The
average compressive strength of all cores
tested shall be equal to or greater than the
specified design strength of the concrete.
In no case shall any core tested fall below
3200 psi.
When the cores cut from a section of
manhole section successfully meet the
strength test requirement, the core holes
shall be plugged and sealed by the
manufacturer in a manner such that the
manhole section will meet all of the
requirements of this specification.
Manhole sections so sealed shall be
considered as satisfactory for use.
NOTE 2-Concrete of such low water content
that it cannot be properly consolidated by the
methods prescribed herein is not covered by
this method. Provisions for specimens and
methods of testing will be found in the
standards concerned. There ate concretes that
can be consolidated by external vibrations, but
additional forces on the surface are required to
embed the coarse aggregate thoroughly and
consolidate the mixture. For such mixtures the
following procedures may be followed: Using
external vibration fill 6 by 12-in. cylinder
molds in 3-in lifts using a 10-lb cylindrical
surcharge, or 3 by 6-in cylindrical molds in 2-
in lifts using a 2.5-lb cylindrical surcharge.
The surcharge should have a diameter ¼ in.
less than the inside of the mold.
Simultaneously each lift should be compacted
by external vibration with the surcharge on the
top surface of the concrete, until the mortar
begins to ooze around the bottom of the
surcharge.
11.3.2 Absorption-The absorption of a
specimen from the wall of the section, as
determined in accordance with AASHTO
T 280 shall not exceed 9 percent of the
dry mass. Each specimen shall be a piece
broken from the wall or a core drilled
from the wall, shall have a minimum area
of 9 in' as measured on one surface of the
section wall and a thickness equal to the
section wall and shall be free of visible
cracks. When the initial absorption
specimen from a section fails to conform
to this specification, the manufacturer
shall be allowed a retest on two
additional specimens from the same
section for each specimen that failed. The
section shall be acceptable only when all
of the retest specimens meet the
absorption requirements.
11.3.3 Retest of Manhole Sections-When
not more than 20 percent of the concrete
test specimens fail to pass the
requirements of this specification, the
manufacturer may cull his stock and may
eliminate whatever quantity of manhole
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sections he desires and must so mark
them that they will not be shipped. The
required tests shall be made on the
balance of the order and the manhole
sections shall be accepted if they conform
to the requirements of this specification.
11.4 Flat Slab Top-The flat top test
procedure shall be in accordance with
AASHTO T 280. The ultimate test load
shall, be at least 130 percent of the dead
load on the slab and at least 217 percent
of the live-plus impact load on the slab.
The dead load is the weight of the
column of earth over the slab plus the
weight of the riser supported by the slab.
The live load is the maximum anticipated
wheel load that may be transmitted
through the riser to the slab. The slab
shall be required to support the test load
without failure. Failure is defined as the
inability of the slab to resist an increase
in the applied test load.
11.5 Test Equipment-Every
manufacturer furnishing manhole
sections under this specification shall
furnish all facilities and personnel
necessary to carry out the tests in
AASHTO T 280.
12. PERMISSIBLE VARIATIONS
12.1 Internal Diameter-The internal
diameter of manhole sections shall not
vary more than 1 percent
12.2 Wall Thickness-The wall
thickness shall be not less than that
described in the design by more than 5
percent or ± 3/16 in., whichever is the
greater. A wall thickness greater than that
shown in the design shall not be cause for
rejection.
12.3 Length of Two Opposite Sides-
Variations in laying lengths of two
opposite sides of manhole sections shall
be not more than ⅝ in.
12.4 Length of Sections:
12.4.1 The underrun in length of a
section of manhole base, riser, or conical
top shall be not more than ¼ in./ft of
length with a maximum of ½ in. in any
one section.
12.4.2 The vertical spacing and vertical
alignment between adjacent manhole
steps and horizontal distance from the
inside wall to the center line of a manhole
step may vary 1 in. from the design
dimensions.
12.5 Position or Area of
Reinforcement:
12.5.1 Position-For sections with a 4-in.
thickness or less, the maximum variation
in the position of the reinforcement from
that described in Section 8 shall be ± 10
percent of the thickness or ± ¼ in.,
whichever is the greater. For sections
SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS
with a thickness greater than 4 in., the
maximum variation shall be ± 10 percent
of the thickness or ± ⅝ in whichever is
the lesser. In no case, however, shall the
cover over the reinforcement be less than
¾ in. The preceding minimum cover
limitation does not apply to the mating
surfaces of the joint.
12.5.2 Area-Steel areas that are 0.005
in.'-/linear ft less than that called for by
the design will be considered as meeting
the required steel area.
13. MANHOLE STEPS AND
LADDERS
13.1 Access through manholes may be
by steps that are cast, mortared, or
attached by mechanical means into the
walls of riser or conical top sections or by
ladder. Ladders shall conform to the
requirements of the Occupational Safety
and Health Standards, U.S. Department
of Labor.
13.2 Manhole steps that are cast,
mortared, or attached by mechanical
means into the walls of riser or conical
top sections shall meet the requirements
of Sections 13.3 through 13.6.
13.3 Design:
13.3.1 Steps in riser and conical top
sections shall be aligned in each section
so as to form a continuous ladder with
rungs equally spaced vertically in the
assembled manhole at a maximum design
distance of 16 in. apart.
13.3.2 Steps shall be embedded in the
riser or conical top section wall a
minimum distance of 3 in.
13.4 Materials:
13.4.1 When dissimilar types of
materials are used in the steps,
appurtenances and fastenings, the
materials shall be treated to prevent
deleterious effects.
13.4.2 That portion of the step
projecting into the riser or cone opening
shall be free of splinters, sharp edges,
burrs, or projections which may be a
hazard.
13.5 Dimensions:
13.5.1 Ferrous metal steps not painted or
treated to resist corrosion shall have a
minimum cross sectional dimension of 1
in.
13.5.2 The minimum width of rungs or
cleats shall be 10 in.
13.5.3 The rung or cleat shall project a
minimum clear distance of 4 in. from the
wall of the riser or cone section measured
from the point of embedment.
13.5.4 The minimum clear distance
between the rung or cleat and the
opposite wall of the manhole riser or
cone shall be 18 in. measured at the
center face of the step.
13.6 Testing and Acceptance:
13.6.1 Vertical and horizontal load test
procedures for manhole steps shall be in
accordance with AASHTO T 280. The
manufacturer furnishing manhole
sections with steps under this
specification shall furnish all facilities
and personnel necessary to carry out the
tests as required in Section 10 of
AASHTO T 280.
13.6.2 The horizontal pull out load shall
be 400 lb.
13.6.3 The vertical load shall be 800 lb.
13.6.4 One installed manhole step of the
type to be used on a project shall be
tested unless certified test results are
available.
13.6.5 The step shall be acceptable if the
following requirements are met:
13.6.5.1 The step remains solidly
embedded after application of the
horizontal load test.
13.6.5.2 The step sustains a permanent
set of ½ in. or less after application of the
vertical load test.
13.6.5.3 No cracking or fracture of the
step nor spalling of the concrete is
evident.
13.6.6 If certified test results are not
available and the step selected fails to
conform to the test requirements, the
manufacturer may select two other steps
for retests. If either of these steps fail, the
steps shall be rejected.
14. REPAIRS
14.1 Manhole sections may be
repaired, if necessary, because of
imperfections in manufacture or damage
during handling and will be acceptable if,
in the opinion of the purchaser, the
repaired manhole sections conform to the
requirements of this specification.
15. INSPECTION
15.1 The quality of materials, the
process of manufacture, and the finished
manhole sections shall be subject to
inspection and approval by an inspector
employed by the purchaser.
NOTE 3-Experience has shown that
successful performance of this product
depends on the type of bedding and backfill
and the care in the field installation of the
manhole and connecting pipes. The purchaser
is cautioned that he should require inspection
at the construction site.
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16. REJECTION
16.1 Manhole sections shall be subject
to rejection on account of failure to
conform to any of the specification
requirements. In addition, individual
sections of manhole sections may be
rejected because of any of the following:
16.1.1 Fractures or cracks passing
through the wall, except for a single end
crack that does not exceed the depth of
the joint.
16.1.2 Defects that indicate mixing and
molding not in compliance with Section
11.1, or surface defects indicating
honeycombed or open texture that would
SPECIFICATIONS FOR MATERIALS
adversely affect the function of the 17. PRODUCT MARKING
manhole.
16.1.3 The planes of the ends of the 17.1 The following information shall
manhole sections are not perpendicular to be legibly marked on each manhole
their longitudinal axis, within the limits section:
of the variations given in Sections 12.3
and 12.4. 17.1.1 MH and specification
designation,
16.1.4 Damaged or cracked ends, where
such damage would prevent making a 17.1.2 Date of manufacture, and
satisfactory joint. 17.1.3 Name or trademark of the
16.1.5 Any continuous crack having a manufacturer.
surface width of 0.01 in. or more and 17.2 Marking shall be indented into
extending for a length of 12 in. or more, the manhole bases, risers, and top
regardless of position in the section wall. sections or shall be painted thereon with
waterproof paint.
239