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Series-II: Analysis of Construction Practices

Purpose of the article: Poor construction methods and neglecting basic construction practices - will lead to reduction in strength and life span of a building. The advantage for builders (or) contractors is that - such aspects of building (like strength and lifespan) can not be assessed or noticed immediately. Any such problems will start after 15-20 years. So, it is giving an opportunity to use low-grade materials and neglect basic practices.

Customers are also assessing a building - based on amenities, elevation and paints. They should put extra effort to identify quality of materials used and construction practices followed. Purchasing of house/flat is one-time activity and involves big financial investment. Please note that certain aspects of building can be repaired or remodeled, but not all (like foundation, slab, columns).

II. CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES

Practice Correct & Standard Incorrect & Unfair
(what is happening on ground nowadays)
CURING (WATERING) - Curing plays an important role on strength development and durability of concrete
- Curing should be done at regular intervals
- Adequate number of watchmen and monitoring their work
- Most important, yet most ignored and abused construction practice
- No record or proper monitoring is done
- Inadequte number of watchmen, no monitoring
- SLAB: Curing should be done for minimum 14-days
- No work should be allowed on slab for first 4 days after slab
- Store water on slab by creating small ponds using cement mortar bunds(kattalu)
- Make sure cement mortar bunds are repaired at the end of work everyday
- SLAB: Curing is stopped and next slab work is started as early as on 11th day
- Extension of column rods and column work is done on 3rd day
- Cement mortar bunds are not setup, if they are broken during other works.
- COLUMNS: Curing should be done for minimum 7 days
- Curing should be done regularly(once in 3 hours) during first 3 days
- Tying of gunny bags around columns improve moisture around columns
- COLUMNS: Curing is done 3-4 days and then centring work will start
- Curing is done 3 times a day (morning-afternoon-evening)
- No gunny bags are tied around columns
- BRICKWORK and PLASTERING: Curing should be done for 7 days
- Curing schedule should be noted, to make sure all walls are cured
- Hardly any watering after first 3 days work
- Next step of construction works are started immediately
FOUNDATION - MARKING OF COLUMNS: Proper and technical methodologies should be used at every stage of marking
- Only one tape(that too, steel tape) should be used throught out foundation measurement marking
- Do the marking of columns at every stage, even though it is cumbersome process.
- Make sure that deviation of columns marking should not be more than 1/2-inch.
- MARKING OF COLUMNS: Only initial and final stage markings are done technically.
- At other stages, marking of columns are done relative/referencing to adjacent column.
- Usage of plastic tapes and different tapes, give deviations in measurements.
- Ultimately, column rods are bent 1"-2"inches as per marking and effecting strength of design.
- PILES/FOOTINGS: Piles/footings should be done as per drawing.
- Any earth material should be removed and basement for concrete should be setup as required.
- Columns from piles/footings should be 90-degrees vertical to the ground. They should not be inclined.
- PILES/FOOTINGS: Concrete and steel rods are followed as per drawing.
- However, any earth material is not removed properly during the stages.
BACKFILLING, BASEMENT & COMPACTING - BACKFILLING: This is mainly applicable in Open Foundation structures.
- After backfilling with soil, compacting should be done thoroughly in multiple stages to set the soil.
- Only sand/dust/flyash should be used, with proper compacting methods, for raising basement height.
- COMPACTING - should be done in iterations for setting of the soil.
- BACKFILLING: Earth soil (or) stone & dust is used for filling as it is cheaper.
- A layer of dust/flyash is poured above this and bed concrete will be done.
- Compacting techniques doesn't work on these backfilling materials.
- This will lead to shrink/basement going down after sometime.
CONCRETE MIX (for slabs & columns) - CONCRETE MIX: 3 aspects to be taken care.
- Material proportion: If M20, generally 1:5:7 (1 cement bag, 5 sand gamelas, 7 metal gamelas).
- Material quality: Refer to other article on materials to be used.
- Mix method: Adequate water should be used, final mix should not be juicy/liquid.
- For columns, mix is 1:4:6 (1 cement bag, 4 sand gamelas, 6 metal gamelas)
- Separate supervisor to exclusively monitor concrete mix quality and proportions.
- CONCRETE MIX:
- Material proportion: 1:6:8 (1 cement bag, 6 sand gamelas, 8 metal gamelas).
- Material quality: Refer to other article on materials to be used.
- Mix method: More water is mixed, so that final output is juicy and work can be completed quickly.
- Due to more sand and metal in each load, work will be over in quick time with less number of cement bags.
BRICKWORK - Before starting brickwork, surface should be cleaned till slab surface. Any extra cement-mortar portions should be removed.
- Before using bricks, make them wet by pouring water.
- Apply cement-water mix on columns, so that brickwork attachs to column.
- Only 3-feet height of wall should be raised per day.
- Steel lintel should be setup after 5-feet in 4-inches wall.
- Two walls should be jointed using "stepped expansion".
- Continuous brickwork without any procedures
- Gives cracks easily and inferior strength
SUPERVISION - SUPERVISORS: Sufficient number of supervisors should be there to monitor work practices.
- Civil background experienced supervisors are mandatory during super structure of building.
- The fear of supervision itself makes workers to follow proper practices.
- SITE ENGINEERS: Site engineer should visit site on regular basis.
- His vast experience assists in planning sanitary, water supply & electrical setups.
- They suggest solutions to problems, which are already faced in other buildings.
- SUPERVISORS:
- Supervision is handled by two people: One Experienced Supervisor and Tapi Mestri.
- Entire super structure construction is handled by them, no site engineer visits.
Afterword: In this world of CONTRACT basis work, basic construction practices are being ignored to reduce the cost and speed up work. It is effecting strength and lifespan of a construction, which can not be realized immediately. Customers should be extra cautious before taking a decision.
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