Page 34 - Forensic Structural Engineering Handbook

DESIGN-CONSTRUCTION PROCESS 1.15

Reinforcing Steel Inspection
• The size, amount, and location of rebars should be checked; and the lengths and end ter-
mination requirements should be spot-checked.
• Tying and supports for the reinforcing steel are the contractor’s responsibility; therefore
the designer is not involved.

Concrete Material Inspection
• Verification of concrete mix and strength requirements from batch plant tickets.
Additives may have been added at the plant or additives may be designated to be added
in the field prior to the pour. Some states require inspection at the batch plant by a qual-
ified testing laboratory.
• Concrete slump, air content, and temperature should be checked prior to the pour in
accordance with ASTM C-172 and C-173. 1
• Method for conveying concrete to the forms should be checked.
• Test cylinders are to be cast in accordance with ASTM C-31 and tested per ASTM C-39. 1
• More often that not “strip cylinders” are cast and cured adjacent to the pour location in
order to schedule a form stripping and reshore cycle for the project. Means and methods
of reshoring are the contractor’s responsibility, therefore the designer is not involved
• Curing methods should be in accordance with the project specifications or at least con-
form to the requirements of the American Concrete Institute Building Code. 3

Posttensioned Concrete
• Size, amount, and locations of strands must be verified prior to the concrete pour. “Dead-
end” anchor conditions must be checked.
• Tensioning equipment must be checked and calibrated.
• Concrete pour inspection is same as under “Reinforced Concrete.”
• Concrete strength must be ascertained by standard test cylinders per project specifica-
tions prior to strand tensioning.
• Tensioning must be observed and recorded by the testing agency.

Precast-Prestressed Concrete

• Plant fabrication is done by a PCI (Precast Concrete Institute) certified manufacturer.
• Field connections should be checked by the testing agency, similar to structural steel
inspection requirements, since generally connections of structural steel either are bolted
or welded.
• Structural components requiring bearing pads should to inspected for location, size, and
positioning.
• Façade elements should be inspected for bearing and tie-back connections.

Structural Steel
1
• High-strength bolts should be checked in accordance with ASTM A325/490. This
applies not only in the shop but also in the field. Note that slip-critical bolted connections
require special consideration.