SiC BLAST – Concrete Special Inspections

Have you ever heard someone say “special inspections for concrete is one of the more SIMPLE special inspection processes to teach and learn?” I have, many times, and the only thing simple about it is that it is simply not true. Within Table 1705.3 and those 13 different line items of types of special inspections, there are more than 50 ACI and ASTM inspections and tests stipulated that range within the jurisdiction of the concrete special inspector. In order to study these tests and inspections, review the ACI and ASTM standards listed under the referenced standard column of Table 1705.3.

THIS IS WHERE THE FUN BEGINS and WHERE YOU WILL START TO REALLY VALUE THAT SENIOR CONCRETE SPECIAL INSPECTOR.

Most of these ACI and ASTM designations are listed in IBC, Chapter 35 which makes them enforceable as part of the CONCRETE CODE; standards like ASTM C 29, C31, C33, C39, C94, C140, C172, C173, C231, C1064, etc. Any experienced concrete special inspections project engineer or engineering technician will recognize the name of these standards without the ASTM companion “title” (which is not listed) because they implement these code mandated test methods and inspections almost every day. If that last statement did not IMPRESS those of you who do not provide concrete special inspections regularly, then consider the fact that each of those 10 ASTM designations listed (above) in this paragraph sets forth an additional 4 to 6 tests or inspections per ASTM standard for the special inspector to do. Applying simple multiplication yields over 50 code required inspections and tests by the 10 aforementioned standards?

The 10 code required ASTM standards mentioned, herein, tend to result in the lion’s share of project discrepancies including the BIG ONE listed below in the “featured” picture block.