CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

The word ‘concrete’ comes from the Latin word concretus (meaning compact or condensed), the
perfect passive participle of concrescere, from con (together) and crescere (to grow). According
to (Resan, 2020). Steel reinforcement is predominantly used in concrete works and most modern
structures (e.g. building, bridges etc.)

Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement in the form of steel bars, or fibers have
been incorporated to strengthen the naturally brittle concrete (Hunay & Gibson, 2016). In turn,
concrete is a composite building material made from a combination of aggregate and cement
binder. Depending on the requirements of the building, these components are mixed in specific
ratios to achieve the desired quality and design specifications. A specification for concrete
construction is a set of instructions from the owner, typically written by a design professional as
his representative, to the concrete contractor (Hay, 2020).

Many project specifications include controls on the composition of the concrete mixture such as
a minimum cement content, type of cement, limits on the quantity of supplementary cementitious
materials, maximum water cementitious materials (w/cm) ratio, limits on the grading of
aggregates or type used, brand of admixture and required dosage, etc. Working out the exact
'recipe', or proportions of each ingredient is a science in itself. It is called concrete mix design. A
good mix designer will start with the properties that are desired in the mix, then take many
factors into account, and work out a detailed mix design (Zijian & Jianing, 2020). A site engineer
will often order a different type of mix for a different purpose. For example, if he is casting a
thin concrete wall in a hard-to-reach area, he will ask for a mix that is more flow able than stiff.
This will allow the liquid concrete to flow by gravity into every corner of the formwork. For
most construction applications, however, a standard mix is used. Common examples of standard
mixes are M20, M30, M40 concrete, where the number refers to the strength of the concrete in
n/mm2 or newton’s per square millimeter. Therefore, M30 concrete will have a compressive
strength of 30N/mm2.

After mixing and placement of concrete, cement hydrates gluing the other components together
and eventually creating a stone-like material. During hydration and hardening, concrete needs to
develop certain physical and chemical properties, among others, mechanical strength, low
permeability to ingress of moisture, and chemical and volume stability (Pala, 2007). Concrete
has relatively high compressive strength, but significantly lower tensile strength of about one-
tenth of the compressive strength. As a result, concrete may fail from tensile stresses even when
loaded in compression (Jalel & Nassir, 2019). The practical implication of these facts is that
concrete elements that are subjected to tensile stresses must be reinforced.

Concrete structures are very common or perhaps the most common type of modern building
internationally (Barry, R. 2004). Components of reinforced concrete are; cement, sand, aggregate
and reinforcement – high yield and mild steel.
Reinforced concrete is concrete that contains steel bars, called reinforcement bars, or rebars
(Faizah, 2020). This combination works very well, as concrete is very strong in compression,
easy to produce at site, and inexpensive and steel is very strong in tension. To make reinforced
concrete, one first makes a mould, called formwork that will contain the liquid concrete and give
it the form and shape he need (Mohd.Abdul & Dhoke, 2018).
The tied steel is called a reinforcement cage, because it is shaped like one. Once the steel is in
place, one can start to prepare the concrete, by mixing cement, sand, stone chips in a range of
sizes, and water in a cement mixer, and pouring in the liquid concrete into the formwork till
exactly the right level is reached. The concrete will become hard in a matter of hours, but takes a
month to reach its full strength. (Beulah, 2018).
The principal purpose of this research is to study reinforced concrete specifications in use on
selected construction sites in Anambra state.

1.2 Statement of Problems

Many project specifications include controls on the composition of the concrete mixture such as
a minimum cement content, type of cement, limits on the quantity of supplementary cementitious
materials, maximum water cementitious materials (w/cm) ratio, limits on the grading of
aggregates or type used, brand of admixture and required dosage, etc. In addition, there may be
requirements on compressive strength or other properties that are implied but not clearly stated in
the specification.
Very often, these requirements cannot be achieved based on the restrictions placed on the
mixture composition. For each set of materials there is a unique relationship between the mixture
proportions such as cement content and w/cm ratio and resulting strength and durability
properties. Placing unjustified limitations on one or more of these parameters of the concrete
mixture in a specification often contradicts the intended or implied performance.
In summary, prescriptive provisions of specification are fundamental factors that influence
concrete performance. They are factors that should be attended to by the person developing the
mixture in other to achieve a very good purpose. This research tends to study reinforced concrete
specifications in use on selected construction sites in Anambra state.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The sole aim of this research is to study reinforced concrete specifications in use on selected
construction sites in Anambra state. To achieve this general aim, the study will focus on the
following objectives:

1. To identify the factors affecting reinforced concrete specifications in construction projects

2. To determine the impact of reinforced concrete specifications in construction projects.
3. To examine influence of reinforced concrete specifications on concrete performance.
4. To establish measures in mitigating poor specifications on construction projects.

1.4 Research Questions

1. What are the factors affecting reinforced concrete specifications in construction projects?

2. What are the impacts of reinforced concrete specifications in construction projects?

3. What are the influences of reinforced concrete specifications on concrete performance?

4. What are the measures in mitigating poor specifications on construction projects?

1.5 Significance of the Study

This research will be of great help to the following:

To the contractors: the use of concrete specification will help the contractors have an idea of
the standard specifications for reinforced concrete which will improve convenience of design
practice and enhance durability of reinforced concrete structures.
To Construction Professionals: The results of the study would be useful for design
professionals. This can help the professionals to achieve performance requirements of concrete
designs in regards to the specifications.

Academic Field

The study will make contribution to the existing knowledge in the field of concrete
specifications. Academicians can use this research as a basis for further research; educate
stakeholders and general public on the benefits good concrete specifications.

1.6 Scope of the Study

This study will focus on the reinforced concrete such as frames and suspended floor. Knowledge
concerning the characteristics and behavior of the structural materials, reliable and durability of
the structures.

1.7 Overview of the Study

The chapter one of this study shows the background of study which comprises; statement of
problems, the research questions to be answered in this research, aim and objectives of the study,
significance of the study, the scope of the study and limitations of the study.
Chapter two contains existing literature review relevant to the study.
Chapter three shows research design and methodology
Chapter four shows data presentation and analysis
Chapter five contains the conclusion, recommendation and area for future studies