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Best practice

Hand lay PQ concrete

Change Issue When Reason


Major Update Dec 06 Major Review
Spec clause at issue :09 Originator:kevin.robinson@amec.com

Associated best practice sheets


1. Instructions for the operation of LLI rotary percussion drill mount.
2. Daily PQC Checklist – P&IT Form 089

History
Road forms with a rounded edge had been used originally these have now been
superseded and only square edged forms should be used. More recently a new
design of road form has been introduced and will eventually replace all the old style
forms.
Development of a higher strength concrete has reduced the workability of the
concrete in hand lay work.

Safety, health and environment

1. Drilling operations for road pins for the old style forms should be carried out using
the drill mount or alternative remote controlled drills to help prevent hand arm
vibration.
2. The new road forms use ???? bolts for fixing
3. Only approved Triscreeds should be used. These have all moving parts protected
. See notes below about Triscreeds.

Planning the work

Hold advance-planning meeting at the outline design stage for development of the
Target cost. The Planner, Paver Foreman, Senior Engineer/Agent, Material Engineer
and Designer should attend. If possible the Estimator should attend, otherwise
feedback outcome to him.
The purpose of this is to: -
1. Decide the concrete supply strategy taking into account the travel
time, transport and required / achievable outputs & batcher capacity.
2. Plan for regular daily out puts.
3. Review and agree the best lane layout and pour sequence,
Pit/manhole, joints and AGL positions. Note the design requirement for
AGL positions to be a minimum of 500mm from any joint.

Pit locations within pavement

1. Pits/MH’s should be positioned with one edge on a transverse joint. Their position
should be such as to allow for the concrete lorries to reverse between them and
the forms. If this is not possible, this lane will need to be side tipped from a
previous pour.

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2. One pit edge should also ideally be placed on the longitudinal joint, off-set
sufficiently for an "E" joint to be formed; otherwise the pit off-set should be sized
such as to provide a suitable infill slab.

Programming

1. Plan to set up your first bay towards the centre of the bay layout, this will
maximise the use of the forms as you can stitch on to each side of the first
bay (having allowed it to cure for 2 days).
2. Design a laying sequence, which minimises the transport of road forms.
Road forms erection should reflect this and should proceed at least one day
in advance of concreting.
3. In the winter, with a PFA mix, it may be necessary to allow 3 days curing. In
this instance, use the “stitch on” method at two locations (i.e. two sets of
forms) and alternate pours between them.
4. Failure to allow sufficient curing time will result in surface damage caused by
the Tri-screed running on the not fully cured surface of a previously
completed pour
5. If bays need to be trafficked for access then the required strength should be
confirmed with the designer and the work programmed to accommodate.
Note strength requirement will vary according to slab thickness.
6. Consider access routes for lorries/dump trucks, including reversing and
turning. This may be dictated by the need to have access to back concrete
lorries down the bays to be concreted. End tipping is slow and difficult over
side forms.
7. For small pours with difficult access it may be better to deliver concrete in
agitator to simplify placing.
8. Irregular bay shapes should be sized and sequenced such as to provide the
most practical bay shape / saw cutting profile. Rules exist regarding aspect
ratios and permitted included angles – refer to the Designers for acceptable
parameters. Poorly designed bay shapes have a reduced life span and
ultimately break up to form a F.O.D. hazard. Small / irregular bays take a
disproportionate amount of construction time. Leaving too many of them until
the end may unnecessarily prolong the construction programme.
9. Plan for regular daily out puts.
10. Consider the effect of the time of year and daylight hours on the daily out
puts.
11. Check availability of road forms
• Height of forms should be 25mm less than the PQ slab thickness to allow
for slight variations in the surface of the WL/DL.
• If new forms are to be purchased, allow 10–12 weeks for procurement
• If forms are from internal stock, check their condition and grit blast clean
as required.
• Pins for road forms should be 22mm diameter. Pointed (not guillotined),
cut to a length equal to PQ depth plus 100mm and driven to 25mm below
the top of the road form. Purchase ALL pins – DO NOT HIRE

Existing PQ

Stitch method

pans

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Existing PQ concrete

Bay1

…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

bay5
Possible stitch method after the initial pilot bay laid
…………………………………………………………………………………………………..

bay3

Pilot bay

Bay4

………………………………………………………………………………………………

bay2

Existing PQ concrete

3. It is important that the lane vertical edges are smooth and bitumen coated to
allow each lane to move independently of adjacent lanes with minimal restraint.

Consult: - Airside civil engineering reference Specification section 11


And
Reference drawings: -

Drawing Nos.: -

BAAPITREF-C-016-2 to 027-2 inc. BAAPITREF-C-030-2 to 042-2 inc.

The drawings above represent laying of pavement in all possible situations. Check
for a relevant drawing.

Method of work

Preparation

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• Ensure all deep services have been placed ahead of concrete operations.
• During this process double check that all ducts beneath the PQ have been
installed and correctly positioned for AGLs and that the ducts are clear.
• Monitor the weather closely before committing to the day’s production. Obtain a
suitable weather forecast. PQ can be laid within 4 hours of the probability of rain
without covering. In winter, with PFA, this can be extended up to 8 hours (This is
based on the provision that two coats of curing compound are applied 10 minutes
after finishing). Plan on this basis rather than on the basis of covering the PQ to
protect it. The ability to place PQ is also affected by low temperature, the
presence of frost or very high temperatures. Wind can also have a significant
early drying impact.
• Set out pins and lines to the inside face of road forms.
• Check dips off the lines to ensure that the Wet Lean level is within the TARGET
range of +0 to -20. Aim for the higher end of the range for the Lean Mix level and
the lower end for the PQ level. However, it must be remembered that the PQ slab
thickness MUST NOT be less than that specified (-0 to +20)
• Make good the lean mix if necessary to remove imperfections which would
interfere with the movement of the pavement to be laid. Note: wet lean provides a
more durable / better surface than dry lean but check areas where AGL ducts
have been installed and areas that have been trafficked.
• Fix road form to line and shim up to level using steel or plastic shims to suit the
situation.
• Pack gap beneath the forms both front and back with a sand/cement mixture that
is strong enough to contain the concrete but weak enough to break out easily.
• 5 to1 for >20mm gap
• 12 to 1 for <20mm gap
• Forms should be packed 12 hours before use to allow packing to
harden
• Set stop end at start of lane.
• Bitumen spray the Lean Mix (rolling the drum well, to mix the bitumen, before
use).
• Check the Tri-screed before use and at regular intervals, to ensure it is straight
(”level”) when supported at the same centres as the Road Forms.

Note re new triscreeds

Placing and finishing the concrete

• The PQ daily check list (P&IT Form 089) should be completed prior to the start to
the pour. This forms checks that all the right batching procedures are in place
and checks carried out to deliver consistent compliant concrete. This form covers
the target compaction factor, air entrainment and takes account of method of
transport, delivery time etc.
• Laboratory technicians may be required at both the batcher and site to correlate
the C.F and air entrainment requirement at the batcher to ensure the specification
is met at the point of deposition.
• The banksman controls the tipping of concrete at the point of deposition.
Remember to erect barriers and signs to keep out unauthorised personnel and
direct deliveries.
• Concrete delivered to site in a tipper wagon must be laid within 1 hour of
batching; any load, which will fall outside if this window, should be rejected. This
is a planning issue and should have been taken into consideration at planning
meeting.

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• Concrete can be delivered in spinners; this would be a decision made at the
original planning meeting. When delivered by this method the time between
batching and deposition will be 2 hours.
• Batcher should be told required rate of supply (m3/hr) – site to keep batcher
updated on the actual transport times being experienced (these can vary
throughout the day). This can help prevent lorries queuing on site and hence
concrete being held too long before placing.
• The excavator spreads and compacts using the backactor mounted pokers
leaving a small surcharge above the road-form. see notes below about use of
backactor mounted pokers.
• The winch men winch the Tri-Screed (This must be fixed firmly to pins or a Kelly
block) over the concrete ensuring that all vibrators are working and that it is not
pulled over low concrete, otherwise it will have to be taken back to repeat the
process.
• Time is lost in hot weather if the above is not controlled and this is particularly
important, as the concrete ahead will become too hard to finish.
• The shovel men skim forward any light surcharge in front of the Tri-screed and
bank the backactor mounted pokers. They also use handpokers to complete
compaction along the edges.
• The excavator pulls forward any excess build up.
• 1 pole man uses 900mm easy float across transverse width to fill any open
texture and surface unevenness.
• 2 edge finishers float the outer 0.5m width each side.
• The edge finishers must only work the concrete the minimum required as over
work will result in the edge spalling. If excessive work is required look at the mix
design or batching practice.
• The brush man floats any central open texture and then applies two transverse
brush strokes using a 900mm wide ????? brush. Note wider brushes make it
difficult for the brushman to reach.
• The brushman works off a Youngman platform sitting on the forms (see
photographs) and is assisted in moving this forward by the edge men.
• Spray with one coat of Aluminised curing compound (This should be carried out
within 10 minutes of finishing or immediately the Tri screed and brushing
operations allow access and the men are safely clear). In hot or windy weather
the early application of compound becomes even more important as loss of
moisture will result in surface cracking.
• Apply a second coat of Aluminised curing agent within one hour of first coat to
ensure full coverage. There should be a visual inspection that coverage is being
achieved and corrective action taken if areas are a being missed. A further check
on coverage can be made by measuring the volume of compound used. The
coating applied must be evenly distributed, check at intervals that the coating is
not pooling in areas.
• Set out the joints and strike the forms as soon as concrete set allows.
• Saw cutting must be carried out after the very initial set of the concrete, but in
advance of the main curing shrinkage. Timing of crack cutting is critical in warm,
dry, windy weather - less so in winter conditions. Monitor the concrete closely in
warm weather and be prepared to saw from 6 to24 hours after placing. Timing
must be judged by an experienced person.
• If required you should consider an overnight 2-man team for sawing.

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Use of backactor mounted poker sets

The backactor mounted pokers are a key item of equipment and must be correctly
used to achieve adequate compaction of the concrete. Note: the excavator drivers
are often inexperienced in placing concrete and have obscured vision from their cab
of the pokers.

• Brief driver on use of pokers


• A member(s) of the concrete gang, generally the shovel men will be appointed to
direct operations and ensure the concrete is all fully compacted.
• Prior to start of concreting
o Check pokers are operating and correctly / securely fixed. They
should be spaced 300 to 450mm apart.
o Pokers must be fitted to correct machine with sufficient power. ?????
o Establish reference point on bucket so driver can tell that pokers are
being inserted to the correct depth.
o Spray poker bucket with release agent to ease maintenance / cleaning
o Check spare pokers are available
o Note: Pokers can be easily damaged by overcrowding the bucket
leading to snapping of the rubber mounting.
• Concreting
o The banksman will direct operations
o Pokers generally should be inserted at a slight angle down from
horizontal
o Pokers must be moved slowly through the concrete
o The pokers must be moved in a systematic pattern to ensure all areas
of concrete are adequately compacted.
o They must be left in the concrete long enough to remove all entrapped
air
o The pokers must not touch the base or sides (forms)
o Hand held pokers should be used to finish the edges

Triscreeds

Only approved triscreeds shall be used. These must be thoroughly cleaned


immediately after use to avoid build up of concrete which will impair performance and
properly maintained.
The specification for the approved triscreeds has been developed from experience
and incorporates our required safety features.

Multiquip ?????? with enclosed shaft. Petrol powered (arrangements need to be


made for supply and storage of petrol).

Finishing PQ puts a lot of strain on the Triscreed. Externally hired triscreeds


generally do not comply with our safety requirements, are not robust or reliable
enough for working on PQ and have insufficient power to finish the concrete – in the
past this has led to two triscreeds being used. Not only is this inefficient and non cost
effective but it also extends the finishing process which can cause difficulty in
achieving the required finish.

A backup Triscreed should be immediately available in case of breakdown.

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Protection of the Finished Concrete

• No tenting is required for curing (this is done by the curing compound)


• Covers are for protection of the green concrete from rain damage. There
should be risk and cost assessment to decide on whether covers are to be
used.
• In the event that paving will be undertaken during periods of cold weather,
frost protection mats should be available to protect the freshly placed
concrete from frost damage.
• When the ambient temperature is predicted to fall below 4 degrees
centigrade, the freshly placed concrete shall be covered with frost protection
mats as soon as possible after it has hardened.
• The mats shall remain in place until such time that the concrete is no longer
at risk or site cured cubes have reached 20mpa compressive strength.

Transport of concrete

It is important to determine the correct number of wagons to deliver concrete at the


required rate.
• Batcher should be told required rate of supply (m3/hr) – site to keep batcher
updated on the actual transport times being experienced (these can vary
throughout the day). This can help prevent lorries queuing on site and hence
concrete being held too long before placing.
• Monitor for gaps or standing wagons at both the paver and batcher.
• Review the cycle times for wagons as an ongoing exercise to ensure flow is
at the optimum and enable correct number of wagons to be ordered.
• Plan a rota for wagon driver refreshment breaks so that lorry availability is
constant.
• When calculating number of lorries allow for breaks and tachometer
restrictions.
• Transport lorries should be arranged to start work at the time concreting starts
not when the paver starts setting up. This avoids them standing during the
mobilisation period.

Shopping list

Plant Placing Fixing


PQC Roadforms

17T wheeled excavator with poker bucket 1


3” HF pokers for edges and inaccessible areas 2
Tri-screed 1
Curing agent sprayer 1
Youngman boards 1
Easy Float 1
Concrete saw c/w water bowser & blades for cutting 1
“Green Concrete” (inc. spare).
3KVA Generator and Skill Saw (for stopends) 1

Hiab or other means of transporting forms as required 1


Bitumen Sprayer 1
Rock drill (Mounted) or Impact Wrenches 1
depending on type of forms used
Road Pin Extractor 1

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Pin holder

Points to consider: -
• Regular maintenance must be carried out on the tri-screed to ensure no
deformation has occurred and all moving parts are functioning correctly.
•Paving foreman should ensure standard equipment is available such as
gloves, masks’ goggles, floats, brushes, shovels and easy float
•Check you have sufficient pans to meet programme requirements
•Ensure the required amount of R90AL spray compound is on hand and shelf
life has not expired.
•If the policy for the project is to use covers then a rubber duck plus labour will
be required to move the covers.
•Check the correct size covers and the c/w lifting beam are available, if covers
are a requirement.
•Availability of Frost blankets if appropriate time of year.
• Order pins for forms and setting out if none available. Or bolts for new PQ
pans.

Materials
Steel shims, plastic shims, sand & cement for packing forms

Labour requirements (concreting)

PQ Supervisor 1
Tri-screed operators 2
Shovel operators (also bank poker buckets) 2
Edge finishers 2
Easy float operative 1
Brush finish/curing spray operative 1
Banksman 1

For large continuous pours then an additional skilled operative is required to cover
breaks. It is also useful to have someone in the team qualified to drive the excavator.

Labour Requirements (forms)


General operative 1
Carpenter 1
Plus labour and plant for moving forms

Engineer 1
Chainman 1

Outputs

5 to 6 m. wide bays For F6 mixes 400m2 / day @24m3/hr


output + plus daily mob./demob. and
movement.
Note: This figure needs to be justified through recorded data.

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A figure for F7 mixes needs to be determined.
Actual figures for the fixing and striking of forms, inc. resources
employed, need to be determined

Batcher should be advised on required rate of supply

Items that can affect outputs

1. Bay sizes/lengths (and the consequent number of moves)


2. Bay shapes
3. Bay locations
4. Variable weather
5. Wet weather
6. Concrete supply/batcher capacity
7. Workability of concrete i.e. F6 or F7

In the worst cases these can reduce output by a factor of 5

The main limiting factor affecting output is the area to be finished in relation to the
gang size. The Batcher / concrete transportation should be sized such as not to
restrict the gang’s output however it is important not to overstretch the gang as this
can lead to lack of compaction (insufficient time) and finishing problems.

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