Agrment Certificate 2008/350

Copyright Agrment South

Africa, October 2008
The master copy of this
document appears on the
website:
http://www.agrement.co.za
Validity
Users of any Agrment
certificate should check its
status: all currently valid
certificates are listed on the
website. In addition, check
whether the certificate is Active
or Inactive.
The certificate holder is in
possession of a confirmation
certificate attesting to his/her
status.
Code of Practice Foundations
and superstructures for single
storey residential buildings of
masonry construction, Joint
Structural Division of SAICE and
IStructE, as adopted by the
NHBRC
Subject:
CMA Building Foundation Beams
Certificate holder:
Concrete Manufacturers Association
PO Box 168 HALFWAY HOUSE 1685
Telephone: 011 805 6742 Fax: 011 315 4683
Email: main.cma@gmail.com
Use
The certificate covers CMA Building Foundation Beams for
use in all areas of South Africa in non-standard foundation
systems of the type referred to in the certificate and on sites
with founding conditions classified as Class C or H
(classified in accordance with the site classification system
published in Foundation and superstructures for single storey
residential buildings of masonry construction - SAICE &
IStructE, 1995).
The beams are to be used in systems supporting single storey
buildings of maximum plan size of 6,6 x 6,2 m with the
foundation beam length in the 6,2 m direction.

Quick guide
This certificate and Agrment South Africas assessment apply
Contents page 3 only to CMA Building Foundation Beams utilised in foundation
systems that are:
Preamble page 4
Conditions of designed and built under the control of and on
certification page 5 eligible sites classified by competent persons
Assessment page 7 designed and built as described and illustrated in
this certificate
Compliance with
the National and where the terms and conditions of certification are
Building complied with.
Regulations page 8
Technical
description page 9
PO Box 395 Pretoria 0001
Telephone 012 841 3708
Fax 012 841 2539
Email agrement@csir.co.za
www.agrement.co.za/

Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 1 of 13

 General description

CMA Building Foundation Beams are pre-cast, pre-stressed

concrete rectangular beams 200 mm wide and 400 mm deep
used in non-standard foundation systems of the type referred
to in this certificate. All aspects pertaining to the manufacture
and use of these beams are under the control of a professional
engineer or approved competent person who will ensure that
the requirements of this Certificate as set out in Part 1 are met.

Where necessary, superstructure walls are to be designed and

built to accommodate expected movements by way of, for
example, articulated walls and/or the introduction of masonry
reinforcement or ring beams. The suspended floor slab that
supports the walls is also part of the superstructure and must
have appropriate long-term capability.
The design and manufacture of CMA Building Foundation
Beams are controlled by relevant established practice and
associated codes of practice. Aggregate and sand used in
production complies with SANS 1083, cement to SANS ENV
197 and the pre-stressing strands to comply with BS 5896.

TYPICAL SECTION THROUGH THE FOUNDATION

Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 2 of 13

 CONTENTS

PREAMBLE

PART 1: CONDITIONS OF CERTIFICATION

PART 2: ASSESSMENT
Table 1: Performance
Table 2: Quality management system

PART 3: TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION

Description and manufacture

Transportation and site handling

Technical requirements

Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 3 of 13

 PREAMBLE
This certificate is issued by Agrment South Africa in terms of
the powers granted to it by the Minister of Public Works. This
certificate:
has been granted after a technical appraisal of the
performance of CMA Building Foundation Beams for
the uses covered by the certificate
is independent of any patent rights that may or may not
subsist in the subject of the certificate
does not relieve the certificate holder from the
obligation to obtain the prior approval of the building
authority concerned for the use of the subject.
Agrment South Africa is of the opinion that the quality and
performance of the CMA Building Foundation Beams will be
satisfactory provided that the requirements stipulated in this
certificate are adhered to. However, Agrment South Africa
does not on behalf of itself, or the state, or any of its
employees or agents guarantee such quality or performance.
Responsibility for compliance with the requirements of this
certificate and the quality of the finished foundations resides
with the certificate holder.
No action for damages, or any other claim whatsoever, lies
against Agrment South Africa, its members, the state or any
of its employees should the said components and materials fail
to comply with the standard set out in this certificate.
Building authorities or users who are in any doubt about any
details or variation, should contact Agrment South Africa.
The validity of this certificate is reviewed every three years.
The certificate shall remain valid as long as Agrment South
Africa is satisfied that:
the certificate holder complies with the general and
specific conditions of certification and the technical
requirements stipulated in the certificate
the performance-in-use of the subject is acceptable
any changes in building legislation, regulations,
relevant standards or Agrment performance criteria
have not invalidated the technical assessment that
formed the basis of certification.
Agrment South Africa reserves the right to withdraw the
certificate at any time, should reasonable cause exist.
Notices affecting the validity of this certificate will be published
in the Government Gazette.

Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 4 of 13


Licensee - any person or company
appointed by the certificate holder
and registered with Agrment
South Africa to manufacture and
to use CMA Building Foundation
Beams in accordance with this
certificate and authorised by
him/her to claim compliance with
the certificate. It is the certificate
holders responsibility to ensure
that the licensee carries out the
work in compliance with this
certificate and in accordance with
the approved quality system.
Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams
PART 1: CONDITIONS OF CERTIFICATION
This certificate is issued on the premise that the majority of
conventional masonry residential buildings have cracks caused
by a number of contributing factors, regardless of the type of
foundation used. The CMA foundation concept is no different.
The assessment was thus made with a practical performance
in mind that should be acceptable to the same degree that
conventional foundations for buildings are expected to perform.
The CMA Building Foundation Beams described in this
certificate must:
be designed and manufactured by the certificate holder
or a licensee in accordance with the certificate holders
detailed specifications and quality management manual
be used in accordance with the technical description
(see Part 3)
comply with the Conditions of Certification.
Any person required to check on details of manufacture and
use in construction must refer to the documentation listed
above, which is available from the certificate holder.
CMA Building Foundation Beams, when used as described,
are a combination of innovative and conventional aspects. A
change to any one aspect could result in one or more of the
other aspects no longer complying with Agrment South
Africas performance criteria. For these reasons, no change
may be made to the CMA Building Foundation Beams and
their intended use as described and illustrated in this
certificate, unless such change is approved in writing by
Agrment South Africa before it is implemented.
General conditions
This certificate covers the use of CMA Building Foundation
Beams when used as a component in foundation systems as
described in this certificate. All operations pertaining to
manufacture and use of the beams will be carried out under
the control of professional engineers or approved competent
persons who will:
ensure that beams are manufactured consistently to
specification
design and oversee the construction of the foundation
system, specify a floor system and where necessary,
design the superstructure walls
ensure that founding conditions at the location of each
foundation are correctly classified either Class C or H
ensure that matters pertaining to under-scour of beams
due to wind or water erosion are adequately addressed
ensure that matters pertaining to site drainage are
adequately addressed to ensure that the likelihood of
water ponding adjacent to beams is prevented
adhere to the requirements of this certificate.
Page 5 of 13
 Marking
CMA Building Foundation Beams
Where possible and appropriate, marketing brochures and
Tested and approved fit for packaging are to be marked with Agrment South Africas
purpose when constructed as identification logo and certificate number as illustrated in this
specified in certificate.
CERTIFICATE Reappraisal
2008/350 must be requested by the certificate holder prior to
implementing changes to the product
will be required by Agrment South Africa if there are
changes to the National Building Regulations or to
Agrment criteria.
This certificate may be withdrawn if the certificate holder or a
registered licensee fails to comply with these requirements.

Validity
The continued validity of this certificate is subject to a
satisfactory review by Agrment South Africa every three
years.

Quality monitoring
The certificate holder is required to participate in Agrment
South Africas post-certification quality management system,
which requires:
that the certificate holder shall continue to implement
and manage the quality management system approved
by Agrment South Africa in the assessment of CMA
Building Foundation Beams
the cooperation of the certificate holder in facilitating
post-certification quality monitoring by Agrment South
Africa or its authorised agents.

On behalf of the Board of Agrment South Africa

Signed

Chairperson

22 October 2008

Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 6 of 13


Republic of South Africa. National
Building Regulations, Government
Notice R. 2378, Government
Gazette No 12780, Pretoria, South
Africa, 12 October 1990
Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams
PART 2: ASSESSMENT
Scope of assessment
This assessment applies to those innovative aspects of CMA
Building Foundation Beams described in Part 3 of the
certificate. The novel aspect is the use of a pair of precast
concrete beams to serve as the foundation for small single
storey buildings, as opposed to the conventional in situ
concrete foundations.
Assessment
In the opinion of Agrment South Africa, CMA Building
Foundation Beams as described in the certificate are suitable
for use as components in foundations of the type described in
this certificate on sites classified as C or H (classified in
accordance with the Code of Practice Foundations and
superstructures for single story residential buildings for
masonry construction published by the Joint Structural Division
of SAICE and IStructE, as adopted by the NHBRC), where the
expected differential displacement does not exceed 4 mm,
provided that:
the properties of the soil have been determined and the
possible performance of the beams checked by a
competent person to meet the essential design
requirements
the pre-cast floor units are adequately stiff in the long
term and the superstructure properly designed to
ensure the desired performance from the building.
The performance in use of buildings erected with CMA Building
Foundation Beams will be such that they will satisfy:
the requirements of the National Building Regulations
as stated in Table 1
Agrment South Africas performance criteria and
requirements for durability and quality management.
Agrment South Africas detailed comments on the
assessment are set out in Tables 1 and 2 below. Each aspect
of performance was assessed by experts in that field.
Compliance with National Building Regulations
The innovative aspects of CMA Building Foundation Beams
relate to the National Building Regulations as set out in Table
1. Any regulation not specifically referred to is considered to be
outside the scope of this certificate and must be applied by the
local authority in the normal manner.
Page 7 of 13
Table 1: Performance

Aspects of Opinion of Agrment National Building Regulations satisfied

performance South Africa
Fitness-for- The materials A13(1)(a) Materials
purpose of described in Part 3
materials used meet the
requirements of the
regulations.

Structural Satisfactory, provided Regulations H1(1) and (2), Foundations, are

performance the requirements of deemed to be satisfied as follows:
this certificate are H1(1)
complied with.
on sites classified as C or H (in
accordance with the Code of Practice
Foundations and superstructures for
single story residential buildings of
masonry construction, Joint Structural
Division of SAICE and IStructE, as
adopted by the NHBRC).

Durability The durability of CMA Agrment South Africas opinion is based on

Building Foundation knowledge of the materials used and on
Beams will be inspection of buildings constructed using the
satisfactory. CMA Foundation Building Beams in their
foundation systems.

Table 2: Quality management system

Quality The certificate holders Agrement South Africas requirements are based
Management quality management on SANS 9001.
System system complies with
Agrement South Africas
requirements. Properly
applied, it will ensure that SANS 9001:Quality
management systems
quality in design and Requirements
manufacture of CMA
Foundation Building
Beams will be consistently
maintained.

Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 8 of 13


SANS 1083: Aggregates from
natural sources Aggregates
for concrete
SANS ENV 197 1- Cement
BS 5896: Specification for
high-tensile steel wire and
strand for the pre-stressing of
concrete
SANS 5863: Concrete test
compressive strength of
hardened concrete
Occupational health and
safety Act (No. 85 of 1993)
Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams
PART 3: TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
Description and manufacture
CMA Building Foundation Beams are pre-cast, pre-stressed
rectangular concrete beam (400 x 200 mm). They are intended
for use as a component in foundation systems similar to those
described below for single storey houses of maximum plan
size 6,6 x 6,2 m with the foundation beam length in the 6,2
direction (figure 2).
The beams are manufactured (cast) in a continuous process
on pre-stressing beds. The pre-stressing reinforcement (2 x 4
No. 7 mm diameter strands) is symmetrical at both the top and
bottom. The raw materials (fine and coarse aggregates)
comply with the requirements of SANS 1083 and cement to
SANS ENV 197, typically CEM IIA 52.5, or to the mix
designers requirements. The pre-stressing strands comply
with the requirements of BS 5896 and each batch (pre-
stressing strands) is delivered with a test certificate from the
supplier indicating a minimum yield stress of between 1 600
and 1 700 MPa.
Prior to casting, the bed is cleaned and lubricated. The pre-
stressing strands are placed as per the standard pattern and
design. Care is taken to ensure that lubricating oil does not
come into contact with the strands. Should this occur the oil is
removed by thoroughly wiping the bars with mutton-type cloth.
Concrete is batched by weight on a calibrated scale. The mix
proportions are designed to achieve a minimum crushing
strength of 50 MPa at 28 days and 35 MPa at 18 hours,
namely at de-stress. Curing of concrete is accelerated by use
of steam-heated moulds. The temperature is controlled to
between 600C and 700C. The poured concrete is also covered
with polythene sheets to assist in curing. For every batch
concrete cubes are made and tested in accordance with SANS
5863 as a quality control measure.
The beams are identified by means of a metal tag indicating
panel mark, project name, project number, number in
production sequence and date of manufacture. Beams
acceptable to the quality controller are marked with green
spray paint, otherwise these are marked with red spray and
rejected.
Transportation and site handling
CMA Building Foundation Beams are transported to site on
trucks that are loaded and offloaded using cranes. Care is
taken to ensure that beams are safely strapped onto trucks.
The building site is checked and prepared to allow access for
the crane and truck. All aspects of the Occupational Health and
Safety Act are adhered to during transportation and site
handling.
Page 9 of 13
 The beams are placed in position in foundation trenches. The
trenches are excavated as per the engineers specification.
Once in place, the line and level of the beams are further
checked to ensure that these are parallel and that the floor
slabs are horizontal, once in position. The foundation trenches
are back filled and hand compacted in layers not exceeding
100 mm thick. The open ends of the beams are closed off with
a stiff 1:3 cement/sand mortar trowelled flush and, once dry,
the ends of all the units are treated with a Cemcrete/Coprox-
type product (waterproof cementitious application) to a
minimum thickness of 23 mm to prevent the ends of the pre-
stressing tendons against corrosion in the long term.

Technical requirements

General

An acceptable degree of expected damage has been

quantified in the Code of Practice Foundations and
Superstructures for Single Storey Residential Buildings of
Masonry Construction by the SAICE and IStructE, 1995. The
same criteria would apply to buildings founded on the CMA
beams. Section 3 of the above Code of Practice refers,
Superstructures including suspended floor and walls must be
appropriate so that expected damage is limited to minor
damage category 2.

In keeping with the above criteria, on building sites classed as

C or H, CMA Building Foundation Beams can be used as a
component in foundation systems similar to those shown in this
certificate, for small single storey domestic buildings (6,6 x 6,2
m in plan), without the need for estimation of the soil stiffness.
Control of the accuracy of excavations for the beams is very
important and must be given special attention during training of
workers and erection. The tops of the pair of beams that form
the foundation for a building must be in one plane, with a small
tolerance (15 mm). This implies that the beam may not have
an excessive tilt along its length but also that its Y-axis may not
be rotated out of vertical especially if the tilts of individual
beams are in opposite directions.
In evaluations of building systems it is a requirement that the
foundations (that do not form part of the certificated system) be
designed to provide proper support for the building. In this
case, where the building does not form part of the certificate, it
is required that the superstructure be properly designed to
ensure the desired performance from the foundation.

Essential design requirements

All aspects pertaining to the use of CMA Building Foundation
Beams in foundation systems similar to those shown in this
certificate must be under the control of a professional engineer

Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 10 of 13

 or approved competent person. The competent person must
ensure the following:

that founding conditions at the location of each site are

SANS 10161: The design of
foundations for buildings
either Class C or H and have been classified by a
qualified geotechnical person who should also assess
the uniformity of conditions over the site
that predicted differential foundation movements are
not expected to exceed 4 mm
that soil bearing pressures do not exceed the
recommended limits as set out in SANS 10161, Code
of Practice for The design of foundations for buildings
that the possible effects of inundation by a high water
table and possible loss of support at the ends of beams
due to under scour of sandy soils or differential
settlements of collapsible soils must be taken into
account
that matters pertaining to site drainage are adequately
addressed in order to ensure that ponding of water
adjacent to beams does not occur.

Construction
The base of the excavations for each pair of foundation beams
shall be in one horizontal plane with out of plane tolerance of
15 mm so that the maximum difference between the highest
and lowest points of the top surfaces of the beams will not
exceed 30 mm. Compaction of the trench bottom may also be
required where material has been disturbed by excavation.
Where necessary, in order to comply with the tolerances given,
concrete blinding or a weak sand/cement bedding mix may be
required to bed the beam on.
A means must be specified that will allow the pre-cast floor
slabs to be supported in a stable manner and achieve an
acceptable horizontal plane for construction of the walls. Also,
pre-cast floor units must be adequately stiff in the long term to
avoid deflections that could cause cracks in the walls.
Where necessary superstructure walls must be of a type
sufficiently flexible to accommodate expected differential
movements or should be designed to accommodate such
movements. The drainage of water away from the buildings
and details for articulated pipe connections to buildings must
be in accordance with section 6.3 of the Code of Practice
Foundations and Superstructures for Single Storey Residential
Buildings of Masonry Construction by the SAICE and
IStructE, 1995.

Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 11 of 13

Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 12 of 13
Agrment Certificate 2008/350: CMA Building Foundation Beams Page 13 of 13