Drawings convey the dimensional aspect of the structure and some essential information about the member such as materials, finishes etc. But the actual construction requires more information. Some of the information will be:
- What kind of materials to use ?
- What is the basis for acceptance or rejection of works ?
- What are the procedures to be followed in achieving good workmanship ?
Reference to Indian Standard Code of Practice
Indian Standard Specifications, Codes of Practice are published by the Bureau of Indian Standards. These cover various aspects of construction. Most of the specifications which form part of documents concerning construction of structure make reference to the Indian Standards. This helps avoiding rewriting what is available in these standards. Besides, Indian Standards cover a wide variety of situations, many of which may be redundant for a particular construction site. It is a good practice to have at the site office a set of all the Indian Standards which have been referred to in the specifications. This requirement is essential in the Contract work.
Organization of 'Specification' in the Tender
The specifications are grouped into a number of sections according to the type of work e.g. Earthwork, Concrete work, Formwork, Reinforcement etc. Without unnecessarily repeating everything that is contained in Indian Standard Codes of Practice following information is provided in a concise manner.
Materials
The Indian Standards to which the materials are expected to comply.
Storage and Handling Materials at Site
Methods of storage, handling and issue of materials at site so that no materials gets outdated having regard to its shelf-life etc.
Fabrication, Production and Assembly
Methods to he used for fabrication, production and assembly; precautions to be taken.
Testing
Tests to be performed on materials and finished products.
Measurement
For all unit-rate contracts works have to be measured and paid for. The Mode of,Measurement is specified in this section.
Deviation from Indian Standards
There are situations where some specifications which do not confirm Indian Standards have to be introduced. In such situations, the stipulations contained in Tender Specifications take precedence over Indian Standards.
Proprietary Specifications
There may be work with factory-made products, work not covered by the Indian Standards. Sometimes, though these products are covered by an Indian Standards some specific manufacturer may be given preference. This usually happens for instance, in the case of door fittings, sanitary fittings, electrical fittings, etc. In all such cases the Brand name "or equivalent" is specified in the bill of quantities. It must be noted that these are exceptions. In general, specifications should avoid reference to any particular manufacturer. Specifications have to be of general value and should not promote one particular brand name but should specify the details-size, colour, weight, strength, etc.
Implementation of Specifications
It is very important that work be executed in conformity with specifications. You as a supervisor should make sure that the concerned manufacturers are certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS). Necessary tests should be performed at regular intervals so as to ensure compliance. All cases of non-compliance should be promptly reported to the Engineer. For all Architectural items and also wherever possible it is a good practice to display samples at site and seek the approval of the Consulting Engineers Architect. These samples become points of reference throughout the construction period.
Similarly, it is a good practice to make a sample of works or 'mock up' pertaining to formwork or finishing work, to get the approval regarding method of construction or the quality of finished work that is to be achieved.
No comments:
Post a Comment