BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY

BAHIR DAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF RESEARCH AND POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

STUDY ON PROBLEMS OF ON SITE CONCRETE PRODUCTION

PRACTICE IN BAHIR DAR CITY

BY

AZEB MARKOS TEFERA

Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

July 28, 2020

STUDY ON PROBLEMS OF ON SITE CONCRETE PRODUCTION
PRACTICE IN BAHIR DAR CITY

AZEB MARKOS 2
 STUDY ON PROBLEMS OF ON SITE CONCRETE PRODUCTION PRACTICE
IN BAHIR DAR CITY

BY

AZEB MARKOS TEFERA

An Independent Project submitted to the school of research and graduate studies of

Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, BDU in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
the degree of Master of Engineering in the Program of Construction Technology and
Management in the Faculty of Civil and Water Resource Engineering.

ADVISOR NAME: Mr. TADESSE MERGIYAW

Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

July 28, 2020

i
 DECLARATION

I, the undersigned, declare that the independent project comprises my own work. In
compliance with internationally accepted practices, I have acknowledged and refereed
all materials used in this work. I understand that non-adherence to the principles of
academic honesty and integrity, misrepresentation/ fabrication of any
idea/data/fact/source will constitute sufficient ground for disciplinary action by the
University and can also evoke penal action from the sources which have not been
properly cited or acknowledged.

Name: Azeb Markos

Signature: _____________

Date of submission: May 14, 2012

Place: Bahir Dar Institute of Technology,

Bahir Dar University,

Bahir Dar

This Independent Project has been submitted for examination with my approval as a
university advisor.

Advisor Name: __________________________________

Advisor’s Signature: ______________________________

i
 BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY

BAHIR DAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF RESEARCH AND GRADUATE STUDIES

FACULTY OF CIVIL AND WATER RESOURCE ENGINEERING

INDEPENDENT PROJECT APPROVAL SHEET

Student:
Azeb Markos_____________________________________________________________
Name Signature Date

The following graduate faculty members certify that this student has successfully
presented the necessary written final independent project and oral presentation for partial
fulfillment of the thesis requirements for the Degree of Master of Engineering in
Construction Technology and Management.
Approved By:
Advisor:
________________________________________________________________________
Name Signature Date

Internal Examiner:
________________________________________________________________________
Name Signature Date

Chair Holder:
________________________________________________________________________
Name Signature Date

Faculty Dean:
________________________________________________________________________
Name Signature Date
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to thank the Almighty GOD, who gave me the commitment and
tolerance to pass various obstacles and come up to the accomplishment of this study and
project. Then I would like to express my gratitude and deep appreciation to my advisor,
Candidate of Doctorate Mr. Tadesse Mergiyaw, for his valuable comment, suggestions and
advice during preparing the Project.

Next, I want to acknowledge the Bahir Dar University, School of Research and
Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of Civil and Water Engineering for all technical assistance
that I obtain and also to Ethiopian Roads Authority for giving me the chance to study the
MSc program.
And Great thanks to Pro. Dr. Ing. Abebe Dinku who aspire me to practically see the
conventional way of construction and fill the gaps using technology and try to change the
construction industry. Thank you Pro. Dr. Ing. Abebe Dinku!
I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my family for their encouragement and
assistance without them my success would be unthinkable and a friend who has been very
supportive throughout this study.
Finally, I want to express my heart felt gratitude to my friends, colleagues, and all others
who had encouraged and given me suggestions, comments and the required assistance.
 ABSTRACT
Concrete’s versatility, durability, and economy have made it the world’s most used
construction material. The United States uses about 260 million cubic meters (340 million
cubic yards) of ready mixed concrete each year. It is used in highways, streets, parking
lots, parking garages, bridges, high-rise buildings, dams, homes, floors, sidewalks,
driveways, and numerous other applications(Kosmatka, Kerkhoff, & Panarese, 2002).

The quality of concrete is affected by its constituent materials, the equipment used and the
workmanship in concrete production process. A better or poor concrete may be made of
exactly the same ingredients based on the quality control practice of the production
process.

The quality control of concrete is the most important issue in achieving its desired
strength and durability. The principal aim of the study is to investigate commonly
observed problems and the existing practices of site concrete production on the quality
control in Bahir Dar city. In doing so the key factors involved quality control of concrete
production will be identified. Various questions on the factors that affect quality control of
concrete production will be prepared for the purpose of this study.

This work will survey selected building construction project owned by private and
government as a case study to reach to the targeted objective. The primary and the major
part of the work will be conducted on construction site investigation and during the survey
the necessary information will be collected by observation, questionnaires, asking
question to the site engineer(interview) and from reviewing contract documents,
specification and written documents kept in the site from ongoing concrete production
sites.

The data will be collected from building construction projects and literature will be
reviewed and analyzed to achieve the expected outcomes. Identify observed problems and
gaps of the existing quality control practices on site concrete production, evaluate the
impact on buildings construction project, show the impact to the construction project
community and occupant and Indicate ways to prevent them are the major outcomes of the
projects.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS......................................................................................................... III

ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................. IV

TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................................... V

ABBREVIATIONS.................................................................................................................... VII

LIST OF SYMBOLS................................................................................................................. VIII

LIST OF FIGURES...................................................................................................................... IX

LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................................................... X

1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 1

1.1. Background................................................................................................................................. 1

1.2. Problem Statement..................................................................................................................... 3

1.3. Objective of the study................................................................................................................. 3

1.4. Scope of the study...................................................................................................................... 4

1.5. Significance of the study............................................................................................................. 4

2. LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................................................... 5

2.1. Quality of concrete..................................................................................................................... 5

2.2. Factors Affecting in the Quality of Concrete.................................................................................6

2.2.1 Concrete Materials...........................................................................................................................6
2.2.2 Personnel........................................................................................................................................16
2.2.3 Equipment......................................................................................................................................16
 2.2.4 Production of Concrete /Workmanship /.......................................................................................17
2.2.5 Formwork.......................................................................................................................................24
2.2.6 Inspection & testing........................................................................................................................25

3. METHODOLOGY............................................................................................................... 26

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION.......................................................................................... 28

4.1. Sub heading 1........................................................................................................................... 29

4.2. Sub heading 2........................................................................................................................... 29

4.3. Sub heading n........................................................................................................................... 30

5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS..............................................................32

5.1. Conclusions............................................................................................................................... 32

5.2. Recommendations.................................................................................................................... 32

REFERENCES............................................................................................................................. 33

APPENDIX................................................................................................................................. 33

Appendix 1 Questionnaire..................................................................................................................... 33

Appendix 2 More findings...................................................................................................................... 35

ABBREVIATIONS

ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials

ACI American Concrete Institute
EBCS Ethiopian Building code of Standards
ES Ethiopian Standards
ESA Ethiopian Standards Agency
QMP Quality Management Plan
QMS Quality Management System
QC Quality Control
QA Quality Assurance
CQMP Concrete Quality Management Plan
BS British Standard
OPC Ordinary Portland Cement
PPC Portland Pozzolana Cement

LIST OF SYMBOLS

t Tolerance factor

K Kelvin

eV electron volt

ΔHF Enthalpy of Formation.

 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Effect of moist cure.........................................................................................................24
Figure 3:1 Flow Chart of the Research Methodology.....................................................................27
Figure 4:1 Descriptive name of the figure......................................................................................30
 LIST OF TABLES
Table 1. Grading requirement for Fine Aggregate..........................................................................11
Table 2. Grading requirement for Coarse Aggregate......................................................................12
Table 3. Methods and Equipment for Transporting and Handling Concrete (Kosmatka et al., 2002)
continuous page 185.......................................................................................................................22
Table 4:1 Descriptive name of the table.........................................................................................29
 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background

Concrete’s versatility, durability, and economy have made it the world’s most used
construction material. It is used in highways, streets, parking lots, parking garages,
bridges, high-rise buildings, dams, homes, floors, sidewalks, driveways, and numerous
other applications. Portland cement concrete is a simple material in appearance but has a
very complex internal nature. Despite its internal complexity, the versatility, durability,
and economy of concrete have made it the world’s most used construction material. This
can be seen in the variety of structures for which it is used, from highways and bridges to
buildings and dams(Kosmatka et al., 2002).

Concrete is basically a mixture of two components: aggregates and paste. The paste,
comprised of Portland cement and water, binds the aggregates (usually sand and gravel or
crushed stone) into a rocklike mass as the paste hardens because of the chemical reaction
of the cement and water. In addition, Supplementary cementitious materials and chemical
admixture is sometimes used to improve some properties of concretes like workability and
setting times. Aggregates are generally divided into two groups: fine and coarse. Fine
aggregates consist of natural or manufactured sand with particle sizes ranging up to 9.5
mm (3⁄8 in.); coarse aggregates are particles retained on the 1.18 mm (No. 16) sieve and
ranging up to 150 mm (6 in.) in size. The maximum size of coarse aggregate is typically
19 mm or 25 mm (3⁄4 in. or 1 in.). An intermediate-sized aggregate, around 9.5 mm (3⁄8
in.), is sometimes added to improve the overall aggregate gradation (Steven H. Kosmatka,
2003).

It is not enough to have only good quality concrete ingredients; the production processes
also have the most important influences on concrete quality. Concrete production process
includes: batching, mixing, transporting, placing, compacting and curing of concrete
which requires proper and scientific approaches. A good and a bad concrete may be made
of exactly the same ingredients if there is a difference on the quality control of the
production (Eshetu, 2005).

1
Concrete is generally produced in batches at the site with the locally available materials of
variable characteristics. It is, therefore, likely to be variable from one batch to another.
The magnitude of this variation depends upon several factors, such as (a) variation in the
quality of constituent materials; (b) variation in mix proportions due to batching process;
(c) variation in the quality of batching and mixing equipment available; (d) the quality of
overall workmanship and (e) supervision at the site(Alam, Habib, Sheikh, & Hasan).

Hence, quality control mechanisms for concrete should be in use. Quality control in
concrete production is a means of checking concrete ingredients and production processes
are in compliance with the requirements stated in the specification or code of practices. In
order to have a good quality of concrete it should be done as per the specification given by
the designer to address the desired design objectives.

Given that the materials and proportions of ingredients are suitable and properly selected,
the quality of concrete depends on the knowledge of the person(s) responsible for the
concreting operations. If these people have insufficient knowledge and experience, they
are likely to be unaware of the concreting problems which may seriously affect the
quality. Thus, the quality of the concrete produced will be poor and may not meet the
requirements of the specifications.

Currently, Ethiopia is registering high growth rate and construction is go through with a
lot of capital investment. In major cities and towns, buildings and infrastructure
construction projects are highly observed. Most of these projects are reinforced concrete
structures in which concrete takes the major proportion among the consumed construction
materials. Given that concrete is usually non-factory product or cast in situ product,
especially in Ethiopia where it is mostly produced on site manually, it is very important
and proper to study its quality and utilization.

Therefore, the aim of quality control is to reduce the above variations and produce
uniform material providing the characteristics desirable for the job envisioned. Thus,
quality control is a corporate, dynamic program to assure that all aspects of materials,
equipment and workmanship are well looked after. The tasks and goals in these areas are
properly set and defined in the specifications and control requirements. The specifications
have to state clearly and explicitly the steps and requirements, adherence to which would
result in a construction of acceptable quality. Except for compressive strength and
appearance there is no early measure of construction performance. Each step in
construction procedure is therefore to be specified. Quality control is thus conformity to
the specifications, not more not less. The most practical method of effective quality
control is to check what is done in totality to conform to the specifications. The main
objective of the study is to investigate commonly observed problems and to evaluate the
present practices for the quality control of on-site concrete production in Bahir Dar city.

1.2. Problem Statement

The construction sector has increased tremendously for the last few years in Ethiopia in
general and in Bahir Dar city in particular. I have been working in the sector for the last 10
years and I noticed that government bodies and private companies do not exercise
concrete production management practice. Even though the concept concrete production
management practice is important for the construction of building, there is a gap to
construct building project to meet the requirement and satisfy the client with respect to
quality. This gap may be filled with research followed by awareness creation workshop,
panel discussion and to the extent include in the curriculum.

The researcher also participated on the construction of these projects and observed many
problems in concrete production that hinder the quality of concrete. Hence, this research
tries to investigate current concrete production, and quality management practices in
Building projects under construction in Bahir Dar city.

1.3. Objective of the study

General objective:

 Assessing commonly observed problems of site concrete production, the potential

cause and formulate a conclusion, give recommendations on what could be done to
prevent such problems in the future.
  Evaluate the current concrete production practice of the projects and Develop a
practical concrete production management process check-list with respect to the
remedial measures.

Specific objectives:

The specific objectives attempt to: -

• Examine the actual condition of concrete production processes on Building

construction in Bahir Dar city.

• Investigate concrete production management practices on those projects.

• Evaluating the existing management practice for the improvement of concrete

quality.

• Develop a practical concrete production management process check-list.

Finally, the research will set conclusion that it reaches and recommendations regarding to
the site concrete production and management practices in Building Projects.

1.4. Scope of the study

The scope of this PROJECT is limited to Concrete production of building projects, which
are currently under construction in Bahir Dar City. The building may be in different
category of building type such as apartment, office, multipurpose, and hospital buildings.
 1.5. Significance of the study

The Significance of this Study is to investigate commonly observed problems and current
concrete production management practices for the quality control of on-site concrete
production in Bahir Dar city, analyze the malpractices and recommend ways to improve
working methodology and revise the current production management practice so as to fill
the gap based on research in order to meet the requirement and satisfy the client with
respect to quality and create awareness.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter focuses on general review of literature and concepts available on quality of
concrete production process and findings from different researchers who have been
published on different journals and books. The chapter will extensively review the quality
concept of concrete, concrete making materials, the production process and the
workmanship that primarily determine the overall concrete quality. It further deals and
review available literatures and researches which relates with factors affecting quality of
concrete, concepts of quality management principles and its application in concrete
production.

2.1. Quality of concrete

Quality means excellence. It is thus a philosophy rather than a mere feature. The
difference between two objects is judged by their qualities. We set some standards those
can determine the level of acceptability. In most industries especially in manufacturing
and processing, the concept of quality control is old and used extensively. Nowadays,
application of quality control is not only becoming popular but also mandatory in
construction industry. Just knowing some quality control methods or procedures will not
do any good. We must have to adopt and implement the quality control methods and tools
that are available to us. The concept and its practice must be tuned in harmoniously.
Quality control in construction activities guides the implementation of correct structural
design, specifications and proper materials ensuring that the quality of workmanship by
the contractor /sub-contractor is achieved (Md. Ashraful Alam1, 2016).
A quality concrete is that one who fits to its purpose. This means the product must meet
or exceed the customer requirements and this needs improvement of concrete production.
Quality improvement refers to product improvement, process improvement and people-
based improvement. Process improvement relates to a series of action directed towards a
specific aim of quality production of concrete. People based improvement refers to the
employment of personnel with adequate skill, knowledge and experience needed for
accuracy and performance improvement of in-situ concrete (Celik, 1989; Kosmatka et al.,
2002) and (Anosike, 2011).
Concrete is a variable material, and to meet the requirements described or its intended
quality, its production, handling, compaction, finishing, and curing procedures must be
controlled, as well as its ingredients. Quality of concrete can only be obtained by skilled
supervisors and well-trained workers who understand the science of concrete. Hence, the
workmanship of concreting operations is therefore supreme in maintaining the required
concrete quality. The specifications should also contain sufficient information on the
workmanship requirements as well as on materials to maintain satisfactory supervision. A
good level of supervision helps to improve the standard of workmanship on the site
(Celik, 1989).
Hence, it is the aim of this chapter of the research to briefly discuss about the factors
affecting quality of concrete and its production processes in depth by referring different
literatures written on this area around the world. Quality management of concrete will
also be briefly discussed.

2.2. Factors Affecting in the Quality of Concrete

2.2.1 Concrete Materials

Portland cement concrete is a simple material in appearance but has a very complex
internal nature. Despite its internal complexity, the versatility, durability, and economy of
concrete have made it the world’s most used construction material. This can be seen in
the variety of structures for which it is used, from highways and bridges to buildings and
dams. Concrete is a mixture of Portland cement, water, and aggregates, with or without
admixtures. Portland cement and water form a paste that hardens due to chemical
reactions between the cement and water. The paste acts as a glue, binding the aggregates,
composed of sand and gravel or crushed stone, into a solid rock-like mass. The quality of
the paste and aggregates dictates the engineering properties of concrete construction.
Paste qualities are directly related to the amount of water used in relation to the amount of
cement. The less water used, the better the quality of the concrete. Reduced water content
results in improved strength and durability and reduced permeability and shrinkage
(Nawy, 2008).
The paste is composed of cementitious materials, water, and entrapped air or purposely
entrained air. It constitutes about 25% to 40% of the total volume of concrete. Different
literatures show that, the absolute volume of cement is usually between 7% -15% and the
water between 14% - 21%. Air content in air-entrained concrete ranges from about 4% to
8% of the total volume. The quality of the concrete depends upon the quality of the paste
and aggregate, and the bond between the two. In properly made concrete, each and every
particle of aggregate is completely coated with paste and all of the spaces between
aggregate particles are completely filled with paste (Steven H. Kosmatka, 2003).
Concrete is often discussed as being of “normal strength” or “high strength.” Normal-
strength concrete typically has a compressive strength of between 3000 and 6000 psi (20
to 40 MPa) (Nawy, 2008).
Since normal strength concrete is very commonly and frequently produced in Ethiopia,
this project is limited to the description of ingredients that produce this concrete.

2.2.1.1 Portland Cement

2.2.1.1.1 Type and Property of Portland cement

Portland cements are hydraulic cements composed primarily of hydraulic calcium

silicates. Hydraulic cements set and harden by reacting chemically with water. During
this reaction, called hydration, cement combines with water to form a stone like mass,
called paste. When the paste (cement and water) is added to aggregates (sand and gravel,
crushed stone, or other granular material) it acts as an adhesive and binds the aggregates
together to form concrete, the world’s most versatile and most widely used construction
material (Steven H. Kosmatka, 2003).
There are many types of Portland cements that are produced around the world. The
purpose of cement is to bind the concrete. The American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM) classifies Portland cement into five types.
o Type I cement: this is the standard general-purpose Portland cement, and the most
common type of cement. It is used when sulphate exposure is minimal.
o Type II cements: used for concrete that may be exposed to a low sulphate content such
as soils that contain a low concentration of sulfate.
o Type III cements: used for applications that require strength at an early age.
o Type IV cements: used for applications that require a fast setting time, such as in dams
and places that require large amounts of concrete.
o Type V cements: these are the high sulphate resistant Portland cements, there are used
in applications where concrete is exposed to a high concentration of sulphate, such as
sewer water (Tantawi, March 2015).
These cements are used for their specific intended purposes. Among these types of
cements, Ordinary and Pozzolanic Portland cements, OPC and PPC, respectively, are
common cement types which are mostly produced by the cement factories and commonly
used in the construction industry for concrete production in Ethiopia.

According to the British \Standard BS 12 (1971) the samples of OPC shall be tested for
the following physical properties: fineness, soundness, compressive strength, and setting
time. Each one of these properties has an influence on the performance of cement in
concrete. The fineness of the cement affects the rate of hydration. It also affects its
placeability, workability and water content of a concrete mix much like the amount of
cement used in concrete.

2.2.1.1.2 Handling of Cement

Cement being very finely ground is highly hydroscopic i.e. they absorb moisture readily
from air. Therefore, it is essential to protect them from dampness before they are used, so
that they may fulfill their intended functions. Even when stored under good conditions
bagged cement may lose 20 percent of its strength after 2 months of storage, and 40
percent after 6 months of storage (A.M, 2011). Cement can be stored in air tight bins
indefinitely without deteriorating in any way, but this is impractical for site concrete
production. Different literatures shows that, cement which is 4 months old and above
should be classified as "aged" and vital cement tests should be rechecked for concrete
production (A.M, 2011) (Anosike, 2011) (Celik, 1989).
According to Gupta & Gupta (2004), modern PC and other cement being very finely
ground are highly hydroscopic i.e. they absorb moisture readily from air. Therefore, it is
essential to protect them from dampness before they are used, so that they may fulfill
their intended functions. The recommended precautions are that:
i. The floor level of the warehouse should be at least 1.2m higher than the general
ground level, so that any water collected nearby may not seep by capillary action.
ii. The walls of the warehouse should be made of water proof concrete masonry or
brick/blockwork plastered with cement mortar on both faces.
iii. The roof should be made of reinforced cement concrete and should be provided
with water proof treatment, so that no leakage or seepage of water may take place.
iv. The floor thickness should not be less than 15cm (150mm), and preferably made
of cement concrete laid on a dry course of brick/block soling.
v. The plinth level of the warehouse should be such that a truck can back
conveniently to the door for loading and unloading the cement.
vi. A newly built warehouse used for storing cement, must be thoroughly dry from
interior.
vii. Cement bags should not be piled touching the walls, but a 30cm (300mm) space
between the walls and the cement bag piles should be left, all round.
viii. Cement bags should not be directly placed on the floor, but on wooden planks.
However, if the floor is made of concrete and it is fully dry then, cement bags may
be directly placed on it.
ix. To reduce the air circulation in the store, space between cement bags stacks
should not be left.
x. Not more than 15 bags should be piled in a stack. The maximum width of a stack
should not be more than 3m.
xi. If more than 7 stacks are to be put in a stack, then they should be arranged
alternately as header and stretcher.
xii. During monsoon, the cement bag‘s pile should be enclosed completely in 700
gauge polythene sheet.
xiii. Due to the weight on the lower layer of bags, the cement becomes somewhat hard
which is known as ‘warehouse pack‘. This can be removed by rolling the bags
when cement is taken out. If the cement does not become in powder form as used,
then it should be rejected. Due to warehouse pack restacking is not required.
xiv. When removing cement bags from the store, bags should be removed from two or
three stacks rather than all from one tier or stack.
xv. At the time of taking out cement, ‘first in ‘= ‘first out ‘rule should be adopted, i.e.
oldest stored cement should be taken out first. For this purpose, each consignment
as it comes should be stacked separately and a placard bearing the date of arrival
should be placed on the pile. The storage of cement affects its strength
considerably.
xvi. The cement store should have minimum number of doors and windows so that air
circulation should be at minimum. A 1.2m wide passage should be provided so
that a laborer can take out a cement bag putting on his back easily.

Requirements for temporary storage of cement at site of work in preparation for use:
i. The number of bags should be kept to a minimum, preferably just sufficient
enough for the day’s consumption.
ii. Cement bags should be stored on a dry platform made of wooden planks resting
on a brick/ block masonry/concrete/dry sand or/aggregate platform about 15cm
above the ground.
iii. The cement bags should be fully covered by tarpaulin or polythene sheet and
protected against the moisture in the air. The tarpaulin should overlap each other
properly. However, temporary method of storage in wet weather should not be
adopted.

2.1.1.2 Aggregates

Aggregate is the inert filler materials, such as sand or stone, used in making concrete.
2.1.1.2.1 Type and property of Aggregates

The fine and coarse aggregates generally occupy 60% to 75% of the concrete volume
(70% to 85% by mass) and strongly influence the concrete’s freshly mixed and hardened
properties, mixture proportions, and economy. Fine aggregates generally consist of
natural sand or crushed stone with most particles smaller than 5 mm (0.2 in.). Coarse
aggregates consist of one or a combination of gravels or crushed stone with particles
predominantly larger than 5 mm (0.2 in.) and generally between 9.5 mm and 37.5 mm
(3⁄8 in. and 11⁄2 in.) (Kosmatka et al., 2002).
The aggregates have to be graded so the whole mass of concrete acts as a relatively solid,
homogeneous, dense combination with the smallest particles acting as inert filler for the
voids that exist between the larger particles. This therefore suggests that the selection and
proportioning of aggregates shall be given due attention as it not only affects the strength,
but the durability and structural performance of the concrete also. Further, the aggregate
is cheaper than cement and thus it is cheaper to use as much quantity of aggregate and as
little of cement as possible. Aggregates provide better strength, stability and durability to
the structure made out of cement concrete than cement paste alone. Aggregate is not truly
inert because its physical, thermal and chemical properties influence the performance of
concrete. While selecting aggregate for a particular concrete, the economy of the mixture,
the strength of the hardened mass and durability of the structure must first be considered.
Grading, maximum size, shape, and moisture content of the aggregate are the major
source of variability. Aggregate shall be separately stock piled in single sizes. The graded
aggregate should not be allowed to segregate (Md. Ashraful Alam1, 2016).
According to ASTM C33 and ES the grading of fine and coarse aggregate shall fulfill the
given below Grading requirement

Sieve Size ASTM

(mm) C33/ESC.D3.201 (%age
Pass)
9.5 100
4.75 95-100
2.36 80-100
1.18 50-85
0.6 25-60
 0.3 10-30
0.18 2-10

Table 1. Grading requirement for Fine Aggregate

Sieve Size ASTM C33

(mm) (%age Pass)
37.5 100
25 95-100
19 40-85
12.5 10-40
9.5 0-15
4.75 0-5

Table 2. Grading requirement for Coarse Aggregate

2.2.1.2.2 Handling of Aggregates

Aggregates shall be handled and stored so as to minimize segregation and contamination

with undesirable constituents. Separate storage facilities with adequate provision for
drainage shall be provided for each different nominal size of aggregate used (EBCS-2
1995).
Handling and stockpiling of coarse aggregate can easily lead to segregation, more
especially when the aggregate has to roll down a slope. While stockpiling aggregate at
site proper handling mechanisms should be used. The following precautions for handling
of aggregates:
1. Coarse as well as the fine aggregates should be stored on a hard and dry ground. It
should never be dumped on loam or grass. If aggregate is dumped on loam or grass, dirt
and rubbish will be carried into the concrete. If hard surface is not available, a platform of
planks, or old corrugated iron sheets, or floor of brick or a thin layer of weak concrete or
so should be prepared.
2. Piles of sand and coarse aggregate, as well as piles of different sized coarse aggregate
should be kept separate by means of compartment walls. These fractions should be
remixed in the desired proportion at the time of feeding them into the mixer.
3. Care should be taken to avoid breakage of the aggregate.
4. The bide ends, tea leaves or sugar etc. should not be allowed to be thrown into the
aggregate piles. The tobacco of bidi or nicotine of tea leaves or sugar will slow down the
setting of the concrete. Tree leaves or grass roots etc. will also damage the binding
properties of concrete. Hence, aggregate should be kept clean.
5. While stockpiling, successive consignments should not be dropped at the same place.
This will lead to segregation of aggregate.
Sampling and Testing of Aggregates: Before concreting begins, it is usually necessary to
obtain samples of aggregates for the approval of the construction professional or his
appointed agent on site. Test for the presence of silt carried out on the fine aggregates
requires the use of a 250ml glass measuring cylinder. The sample of sand is placed into
the cylinder up to the 100ml mark and salt water is added until it is level with the 150ml
mark. The salt water may be prepared by adding a teaspoonful of salt to a pint of water.
The cylinder is then shaken thoroughly and allowed to stand for three hours. The silt
settles in a layer on top of the sand and the depth of this layer gives an indication of the
cleanliness of the sand. The layer should not be more than 6% of the depth of the sand
(Anosike, 2011).

2.2.1.3 Water for Concrete

Almost any natural water that is drinkable and has no pronounced taste or odor can be
used as mixing water for making concrete. However, some waters that are not fit for
drinking may be suitable for use in concrete(Kosmatka et al., 2002).
Although the water itself is often not considered when dealing with materials that go into
the production of concrete, it is an important ingredient. Typically, 150 to 200 kg/m3 of
water is used. The old rule of thumb for water quality is “If you can drink it, you can use
it in concrete,” although good-quality concrete can be made with water that is not really
potable. Indeed, more bad concrete is made by using too much drinkable water than by
using the right amount of undrinkable water(Nawy, 2008).
For any particular set of materials and conditions of curing, the quality of hardened
concrete is strongly influenced by the amount of water used in relation to the amount of
cement. Unnecessarily high-water contents dilute the cement paste (the glue of concrete).
Following are some advantages of reducing water content:
• Increased compressive and flexural strength
• Lower permeability, thus lower absorption and increased water tightness
• Increased resistance to weathering
• Better bond between concrete and reinforcement
• Reduced drying shrinkage and cracking
• Less volume change from wetting and drying
The less water used, the better the quality of the concrete—provided the mixture can be
consolidated properly. Smaller amounts of mixing water result in stiffer mixtures; but
with vibration, stiffer mixtures can be easily placed. Thus, consolidation by vibration
permits improvement in the quality of concrete(Kosmatka et al., 2002).
The higher the content of water in concrete, the higher the concrete workability, as water
makes the concrete thinner. When water is added to concrete, it results in concrete
hydration reaction, and hardening subsequently. Water should have a pH value in the
range 6-8. Water should not contain salt in it if used for reinforced concrete, because it
can cause the reinforcement steel material to corrode (Tantawi, March 2015).
The properties of water have been found to influence the properties of concrete to a great
extent. For concrete production water is used for preparing concrete i.e. for mixing
concrete ingredient, curing concrete and for washing aggregates. In most cases the effect
of impure water on concrete manifests gradually over time and devastating eventually
whereas, in some adverse cases, the manifestation occurs immediately. To prevent such
irreversible negative effects of water on building fabrics it is better to properly manage it
at the early stages and early detection or confirmation of its purity to ensure quick action
before its full usage (Omuvwie and Mosaku, 2010).
Quality of Water for Preparing Concrete (Mixing Water): The common criteria or
yardstick to the suitability of water for preparing concrete is that water fit for human
consumption is also fit for concrete making. But this yardstick is not true for all
conditions. Water containing 0.05% sugar by weight of cement is quite fit for drinking,
but it retards cements initial setting time by 4 hours. Thus water to be used for concrete
production should not contain substances which may have appreciable harmful effect on
the initial setting time, strength and durability of concrete. Substances like oil, acids,
carbonates, and bi-carbonates, alkalis, sugar, silt and organic materials have been found to
have harmful effect on the properties of the fresh and hardened concrete. Hence concrete
mixing water should be free from these impurities. The PH value of concrete mixing
water should be between 6 and 8. A dark color or a smell does not necessarily mean that
the water contains deleterious materials. Streams carrying large concentration of
suspended solids, industrial and domestic waste, streams and wells in mining and arid
alkaline areas should be viewed with suspension and the effect of such waters should be
determined before the use in actual construction. The effluents from paint, textile,
fertilizer and sugar factories and sewage works and gas works have been found to have
harmful effect on concrete (Anosike, 2011).
The water used for mixing concrete shall be free from silt, organic matter, alkali, and
suspended impurities. Sulphates and chlorides in water should not exceed the permissible
limits. Generally, water fit for drinking may be used for mixing concrete (Md. Ashraful
Alam1, 2016).
Water suitable for mixing concrete is also suitable for curing of concrete. Curing water
should not produce any objectionable stain or unsightly deposition the surface. Iron and
organic matter in the water are chiefly responsible for staining or discoloration and
especially when concrete is subjected to prolonged wetting, even a very low concentration
of these can cause staining (Sisay, 2017).

2.2.1.4 Admixtures

As per ACI admixture is material, other than water, aggregates, hydraulic cement, and
fiber reinforcement used as an ingredient of cementitious mixture to modify its freshly
mixed and hardened properties and that is added to the batch immediately before or
during mixing.
Admixtures can be classified by function as follows:
1. Air-entraining admixtures
2. Water-reducing admixtures
3. Plasticizers
4. Accelerating admixtures
5. Retarding admixtures
6. Hydration-control admixtures
 7. Corrosion inhibitors
8. Shrinkage reducers
9. Alkali-silica reactivity inhibitors
10. Coloring admixtures
11. Miscellaneous admixtures such as workability, bonding, damp proofing,
permeability reducing, grouting, gas-forming, antiwashout, foaming, and
pumping admixtures.

Concrete should be workable, finishable, strong, durable, watertight, and wear resistant.
These qualities can often be obtained easily and economically by the selection of suitable
materials rather than by resorting to admixtures (except air-entraining admixtures when
needed). The major reasons for using admixtures are:

1. To reduce the cost of concrete construction

2. To achieve certain properties in concrete more effectively than by other means
3. To maintain the quality of concrete during the stages of mixing, transporting,
placing, and curing in adverse weather conditions
4. To overcome certain emergencies during concreting operations

Despite these considerations, it should be borne in mind that no admixture of any type or
amount can be considered a substitute for good concreting practice. The effectiveness of
an admixture depends upon factors such as type, brand, and amount of cementing
materials; water content; aggregate shape, gradation, and proportions; mixing time; slump;
and temperature of the concrete(Kosmatka et al., 2002).

2.2.2 Personnel

The basic requirement for the success of any quality control plan is the availability of
experienced, knowledgeable and trained personnel at all levels. The designer and the
specification-writer should have the knowledge of construction operations as well. The
site engineer shall be able to comprehend the specification stipulation. Everything in
quality control cannot be codified or specified and much depends upon the attitude and
orientation of people involved. In fact, quality must be a discipline imbibed in the mind
and there shall be strong motivation to do everything right the first time(Alam et al.).

2.2.3 Equipment

The equipment used for batching, mixing and vibration shall be of the right capacity.
Weigh-batchers shall be frequently checked for their accuracy.

2.2.4 Production of Concrete /Workmanship /

Concrete Production Process

Production of quality concrete requires thorough care exercised at every stage of
manufacture of concrete. It is interesting to note that the ingredients of good concrete and
bad concrete are the same. If proper care is not exercised and good rules to produce
concrete are not observed, the resultant concrete is going to be of bad quality. With the
same material if intense care is taken to exercise control at every stage, it will result in
good concrete. Hence, it is essential to know each stage of manufacture of concrete and
preventive measures to be taken for producing good quality concrete. The various stages
of manufacture of concrete are: Batching, Mixing, Transporting, Placing, Compacting,
Curing and Finishing (Sisay, 2017).
The activities involved in the workmanship in all stages of concreting, i.e. batching of
materials, mixing, transportation, placing, compaction, curing and finally testing and
inspection.

2.2.4.1 Batching of concrete

The correct measurement of the various materials used in the concrete mix is called
batching. Errors in batching are partly responsible for the variation in the quality of
concrete. Concrete can be batched in two ways: -

I. By Volume batching and

II. By Mass (weight) batching.
Weigh-batching of materials is always preferred than volume batching. When weigh-
batching is not possible and the aggregates are batched by volume, such volume measures
to be regularly checked for the weight-volume ratio(Alam et al.).

To produce concrete of uniform quality, the ingredients must be measured accurately for
each batch. Most specifications require that batching be done by mass rather than by
volume (ASTMC 94 or AASHTOM157). Water and liquid admixtures can be measured
accurately by either volume or mass. Volumetric batching (ASTMC 685 or
AASHTOM241) is used for concrete mixed in continuous mixers(Kosmatka et al., 2002).

Specifications generally require that materials be measured for individual batches within
the following percentages of accuracy: cementitious material ±1%, aggregates ±2%, water
±1%, and admixtures ±3%. Equipment should be capable of measuring quantities within
these tolerances for the smallest batch regularly used as well as for larger batches. The
accuracy of scales and batching equipment should be checked periodically and adjusted
when necessary(Kosmatka et al., 2002).

II.2.4.2 Mixing of concrete

This is the practical means of producing fresh concrete and placing it in the form so that
it can harden into the structural or building material referred to as concrete. The sequence
of operation is that the correct quantities of cement, aggregates and water, possibly also
admixture are batched and mixed in a concrete mixer which produces fresh concrete. The
objective of mixing of concrete is to coat the surface of all aggregate particles with
cement paste and to blend all ingredients of concrete into a uniform mass. Mixing of
concrete is done either by hand or by machine. Mixers performances shall be checked for
conformity to the requirements of the relevant standards. Concrete shall be mixed for the
required time; both under-mixing and over-mixing shall be avoided(Alam et al.).

All concrete should be mixed thoroughly until it is uniform in appearance, with all
ingredients evenly distributed. Mixers should not be loaded above their rated capacities
and should be operated at the mixing speed recommended by the manufacturer. Increased
output should be obtained by using a larger mixer or additional mixers, rather than by
speeding up or overloading the equipment on hand. If the blades of a mixer become worn
or coated with hardened concrete, mixing action will be less efficient. These conditions
should be corrected. If concrete has been adequately mixed, samples taken from different
portions of a batch will have essentially the same density, air content, slump, and coarse-
aggregate content. Maximum allowable differences to evaluate mixing uniformity within
a batch of ready mixed concrete are given in ASTM C 94 (AASHTOM157) (Kosmatka et
al., 2002).
Careful attention should be paid to the required mixing time. Many specifications require
a minimum mixing time of one minute plus 15 seconds for every cubic meter (yard),
unless mixer performance tests demonstrate that shorter periods are acceptable and will
provide a uniform concrete mixture. Short mixing times can result in nonhomogeneous
mixtures, poor distribution of air voids (resulting in poor frost resistance), poor strength
gain, and early stiffening problems. The mixing period should be measured from the time
all cement and aggregates are in the mixer drum, provided all the water is added before
one-fourth of the mixing time has elapsed (ACI 304R-00)(Kosmatka et al., 2002).
Under usual conditions, up to about 10% of the mixing water should be placed in the
drum before the solid materials are added. Water then should be added uniformly with the
solid materials, leaving about 10% to be added after all other materials are in the drum.
When heated water is used in cold weather, this order of charging may require some
modification to prevent possible rapid stiffening when hot water contacts the cement. In
this case, addition of the cementitious materials should be delayed until most of the
aggregate and water have intermingled in the drum. Where the mixer is charged directly
from a batch plant, the materials should be added simultaneously at such rates that the
charging time is about the same for all materials. If supplementary cementing materials
are used, they should be added after the cement(Kosmatka et al., 2002).

II.2.4.3 Transportation

After mixing, concrete shall be transported and placed at site as quickly as possible
without segregation, drying, etc. as soon as concrete is discharged from the mixer,
internal as well as external forces starts acting to separate the dissimilar constituents. If
over-weight concrete is confined in restricting forms, the coarser and heavier particles
tend to settle and finer and lighter materials tend to rise. If concrete is to be transported
for some distance over rough ground the runs shall be kept as short as possible since
vibrations of this nature can cause segregation of the materials in the mix. For the same
reason concrete should not be dropped from a height of more than 1m. If this is
unavoidable a chute shall be used. The green concrete shall be handled, transported and
placed in such a manner that it does not get segregated. The time interval between mixing
and placing the concrete shall be reduced to the minimum possible.
Segregation is the tendency for coarse aggregate to separate from the sand-cement mortar.
This results in part of the batch having too little coarse aggregate and the remainder
having too much. The former is likely to shrink more and crack and have poor resistance
to abrasion. The latter may be too harsh for full consolidation and finishing and is a
frequent cause of honeycombing. The method and equipment used to transport and handle
the concrete must not result in segregation of the concrete materials(Kosmatka et al.,
2002).

Equipment Type and range of work for which Advantages Points to watch
equipment is best suited for
Belt conveyors For conveying concrete Belt Can place large long reaches of
conveyors have adjustable End- volumes of concrete In belt need cover.
discharge arrangements horizontally adverse weather (hot,
or to a higher or reach, traveling windy) and secondary
diverter, and variable needed to discharge point. quickly
prevent segregation lower level. when access is limited.
Usually positioned speed both
forward and reverse. and leave no
mortar on return belt. between main
discharge point
Belt conveyors For conveying concrete to a lower, Conveying equipment End-discharge
mounted on truck horizontal, or higher level. arrives with the arrangements
mixers concrete. Adjustable needed to
reach and variable prevent
speed. segregation and
leave no mortar
on return belt.
Buckets Used with cranes, cableways, and Enables full versatility Select bucket
helicopters for construction of of cranes, cable-ways, capacity to
buildings and dams. Convey and helicopters to be conform to size
concrete directly from central exploited. Clean of the concrete
discharge point to formwork or to discharge. Wide range batch and
secondary discharge point. of capacities. capacity of
placing
equipment.
Discharge should
be controllable.
Chutes on truck For conveying concrete to a lower Low cost and easy to No Slopes
mixers level, usually below ground level, maneuver. power should range
on all types of concrete required; gravity does between 1 to 2
construction. most of the work. and 1 to 3 and
chutes must be
adequately
supported in all
positions. End-
discharge
arrangements
(downpipe)
needed to
prevent
segregation.
Cranes and The right equipment for work Can Can handle concrete, Has only one
buckets handle concrete, reinforcing steel, reinforcing steel, hook. Careful
above ground level. formwork, and sundry scheduling
items in bridges and between trades
concrete-framed and operations is
buildings. needed to keep
crane busy.
Drop chutes Used for placing concrete in vertical Drop chutes direct Drop chutes
forms of all kinds. Some chutes are concrete into form- should have
one-piece tubes made of flexible work and carry it to sufficiently
rubberized canvas or plastic, others bottom of forms large, splayed-
are assembled from articulated without segregation. top openings into
metal cylinders (elephant trunks). Their use avoids which concrete
spillage of grout and can be
 concrete on rein- discharged
forcing steel and form without spillage.
sides, which is harmful The cross section
when off-the-form of drop chute
surfaces are specified. should be chosen
They also will prevent to permit
segregation of coarse inserting into the
particles. formwork
without
interfering with
reinforcing steel.
Mobile batcher Used for intermittent production of A combined materials Trouble-free
mixers concrete at jobsite, or where only transporter and mobile operation
small quantities are required. batching and mixing requires good
system for quick, preventive
precise proportioning of maintenance
specified concrete. program on
One-man operation. equipment.
Materials must
be identical to
those in original
mix design.

Table 3. Methods and Equipment for Transporting and Handling Concrete (Kosmatka et
al., 2002) continuous page 185

II.2.4.4 Placing

The formwork and position of reinforcement shall be checked before placing concrete to
make sure that they are clean and free of any detritus, such as ends of tying wire. The
fresh concrete shall be deposited as close as possible to its ultimate position. Care need to
be taken when discharging concrete from skips to avoid dislodging the reinforcement or
over filling the formwork. When filling columns and walls, care shall be taken that the
concrete does not strike the face of the formwork, which might affect the surface finish of
the hardened concrete. For deep sections the concrete shall be placed in uniform layers,
typically not more than about 500 mm thick, each layer being fully compacted.

II.2.4.5 Compaction

Compaction of concrete is the process adopted for expelling the entrapped air form the
concrete. In the process of placing and mixing of concrete, air is likely to get entrapped in
the concrete. If this air is not detrained out fully, the concrete losses strength
considerably. Anticipated targets of strength, impermeability and durability of concrete
can be achieved only by thorough and adequate compaction. One per cent of the air voids
left in concrete due to incomplete compaction can lower the compressive strength by
nearly five percent (Gambhir, 2004).

II.2.4.6 Finishing of Concrete

Finishing is one of the most important factors that affects the quality and serviceability of
a floor or slab. Without special precautions, the top surface of a concrete floor or slab can
suffer from reduced quality. To avoid reduced quality for finishing floors and slabs,
screening, floating and finally troweling process helps significantly. Screeding refers to a
leveling operation which removes bumps and hollows and gives a true and uniform
concrete surface. Floating is the operation of removing the irregularities from the surface
of the concrete left after screeding. Trowelling is the final operation of finishing done
where smooth surface is desired. Trowelling should be done after the evaporation of
water from the concrete surface.

II.2.4.7 Curing

Curing of concrete is the process of maintaining satisfactory moisture content and a

favorable temperature in concrete during the period immediately after the placement of
concrete so that hydration of cement may continue till the desired properties are
developed sufficiently to meet the requirements of service. The reasons for curing
concrete are to keep the concrete saturated or as nearly saturated as possible, until the
originally water filled space in the fresh cement paste has been filled to the desired extent
by the product of hydration of cement, to prevent the loss of water by evaporation and to
maintain the process of hydration, to reduce the shrinkage of concrete and to preserve the
properties of concrete. Adequate curing is essential for the handling and development of
strength of concrete. The curing period depends upon the shape and size of member,
ambient temperature and humidity conditions, type of cement, and the mix proportions.
Nevertheless, the first week or ten days are the most critical, as any drying out during this
young age can cause irreparable loss in the quality of concrete. Generally, the long-term
compressive strength of concrete moist cured for only 3 days or 7 days will be about 60
per cent and 80 per cent, respectively, of the one moist cured for 28 days or more
(Gambhir, 2004).
Figure 1. Effect of moist cure

II.2.5 Formwork

Formwork is a structure, usually temporary, used to contain poured concrete and to mould
it to the required dimensions and support until it is able to support itself. It consists
primarily of the face contact material and the bearers that directly support the face contact
material. Proper removal of formwork is an important factor to achieve good quality of
concrete during the service life.
Forms should be accurately set, clean, tight, adequately braced, and constructed of or
lined with materials that will impart the desired off-the-form finish to the hardened
concrete. Wood forms, unless oiled or otherwise treated with a form-release agent, should
be moistened before placing concrete, otherwise they will absorb water from the concrete
and swell. Forms should be made for removal with minimum damage to the concrete.
With wood forms, use of too large or too many nails should be avoided to facilitate
removal and reduce damage. For architectural concrete, the form-release agent should be
a non-staining material(Kosmatka et al., 2002).

II.2.6 Inspection & testing

Inspection and testing play a vital role in the overall quality control process. Inspection
could be of two types, quality control inspection and acceptance inspection. For repeated
operations early inspection is vital, and once the plant has stabilized, occasional checks
may be sufficient to ensure continued satisfactory results. The operations which are not of
repetitive type would require, on the other hand, more constant inspection. Apart from the
tests on concrete materials, concrete can be tested both in the fresh and hardened states.
The tests on fresh concrete offer some opportunity for necessary corrective actions to be
taken before it is finally placed. These include tests on workability, unit weight or air
content (if air-entrained concrete is used), etc.
 3. METHODOLOGY

Is a way to systematically solve the research problems. It may be understood as a science

of studying how research is done scientifically. It is necessary for researcher to know not
only the research method/techniques but also the methodology. The experimental analysis
consists of theories and practical consideration of the concepts. Therefore, the present
work will investigate the areas below to reach to the targeted objective.

The methods adopted in conducting the research are: -

1. Designing questionnaire and distribute it to resident Engineers and Supervisors

working on investigated projects. There are about eight pre-informative and fifty
detail questions included in the questionnaire. The questions are both open and closed
ended having contents which mainly focus on the quality of material and methods of
concrete productions. In addition to collecting information with questionnaire,
observation on site activities related with concrete construction is made on active
building projects.
2. Analyzing information gathered through questionnaire and observations. Then make a
subjective assessment on the current concrete production practices with respect to the
recommended scientific approaches of literatures and also to make a quantitative
evaluation of the level of concrete quality control on building construction sites of the
investigated projects
3. Draw out conclusion and recommendations

Investigation is undertaken on randomly selected forty-three projects located in Bahir Dar.

The city in which the research is conducted is a place where currently extensive building
construction projects has been executed. The projects investigated are owned by different
Federal and Regional government bodies and institutions such as the Ministry of
Education, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Defence, the Ethiopian
Telecommunication Corporation and the Oromyia Regional State. The types of
constructions are; malls expansion works in existing universities and new constructions of
technical colleges, office buildings, research centers, hospitals etc. The majority of the
firms involved in the construction work are among the leading building construction
companies in Ethiopia.

The designed questionnaire that is used for data collection is attached at appendix 1.

Field Survey

The study aims to notice the existing practices which are used to quality control of
concrete production in Bahir Dar city on project sites. A questionnaire is developed and
accordingly data is collected from different project sites in the city. A total number of
forty five (45) on- going construction project sites producing concrete were surveyed and
relevant data were collected according to questionnaire. The building projects were 6 to 10
storied in addition basement.

3.1 Survey techniques

The study was carried out by either physical observation or questioning the site engineer
of the processes involved in the production of concrete from project sites along with some
written documents. Site operations is observed by including the methods employed by
site concrete workers at project sites in batching and mixing of concrete, handling of the
concrete, placing, compaction, finishing and curing. Other investigations have been
conducted on project sites were the inspection of cement stores and their storage system, a
check on sections where concrete raw materials are deposited before utilization i.e. where
aggregates are stockpiled, the nature and sources of water being used for the works as
well as the level of supervision and workmanship.

4. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The findings of the research work should be presented in this chapter. Tables and figures
should be given and important points should be explained textually. Statistical analyses
should be presented in both tables and figures with appropriate significance levels. Do not
interpret the results, just describe them. Multiple comparisons might reveal more
information, but don’t mess-up all results. Key results may be highlighted in bold. This
section may be broken into several sub-sections. The headings/sub-headings should be
short, informative and represent the actual message.

The research is carried out by analyzing the data and information gathered through
questionnaires and observations on building construction sites. Twenty-six questionnaires
are collected from active projects which are among the total forty-three projects
investigated. Nine questionnaires are distributed and collected from building projects in
Bahir Dar. The projects included in the research are listed on table 4.10 with the analysis
of compressive strength test results.

The information gathered through questionnaire, and site observations are briefly
discussed here. The practices of concrete production in the building construction industry
are evaluated against the recommended scientific practices. As the concrete quality is
affected both by the quality of concrete making materials and the production processes,
each concrete ingredient and every production process are thoroughly seen.

Quality of concrete depends on the constituent materials, their proportions, mixing,

transporting, placing, compaction and curing of concrete. The concrete with proper mix
proportion has the needed workability and develops the targeted compressive strength.
Efficient concrete mixers are needed to mix the ingredients and to produce a cohesive and
workable concrete. Once the concrete is placed and consolidated by compaction in the
formwork, protected and cured properly, it shall be a good quality concrete and is
expected to perform satisfactorily in the service life. Forty five (45) sites are visited to
collect relevant information in this study. The findings of the field investigation works on
the quality control of concrete production in Bahir Dar city are presented in the coming
sections.

4.1. Result and analysis

The survey results have been presented in table and discussed under different parameters.
The parameters are materials, personnel, equipment, workmanship and formwork.
 4.1.1 Materials

The main ingredients of concrete are cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water.
The results were obtained from the sites for all the ingredients.

4.1.1.1 Cement

The results obtained from the sites for cement are given below: Survey result is given in
Table 1.
Type of Source of Perform cement test for Storing of cement
once Each Lot Longtime
Cement cement at site
of cement storing
OPC PPC Factory Agent Yes No Yes No Yes No properly Not
properly

Table 4: Survey result of cement

From the above table it is evident that no construction company or building owner has
been tested their cement, even some cases it is found that they did not store properly.
Storing of cement at field is presented in Fig. 1.
Insert Picture of cement storing

4.1.1.2 Fine Aggregate

There are mainly two types of sand available in Bahir Dar city to produce concrete. It is
found that 64% of the total has been using Sylhet sand, 7% using local sand and the rest
percent using a mix of local and Sylhet sand. However, none has been found conducting
any laboratory test for fine aggregate. It is seen that in 82% cases screening has not been
conducting and 97% cases washing before use in concreting is ignored. Survey result of
fine aggregate is presented in Table 2. Fig. 2 represents the on field storing of fine
aggregate.

Selection Type of fine Test for fine aggregate Screening Washing

criteria aggregate before before
At first For each lot use use
Well rando Natural Crushed Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
defined m sand Aggregat
e

Table 5: Survey result of fine aggregate

Insert picture of on-site sand storing

4.1.1.3 Coarse Aggregate

It has been found that all company used crushed stone aggregate as coarse aggregate.
However, similar practice has been noticed than the earlier materials, i.e. no laboratory
test is being conducted. Moreover, the practice for storage is improper. Typical on field
storing of coarse aggregate is shown in Fig. 3. Survey result of coarse aggregate is
presented in Table 3.

Selection Type of fine Test for fine Screening Washing

criteria aggregate aggregate before before
use use
At first For each
lot
Well random Natura Crushed Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
define l sand Aggregate
d

Table 6: Survey result of coarse aggregate

Insert picture of on-site C.A storing

4.1.1.4 Water

WASA supply water is being used in all construction projects in the survey area. But there
is no test has been done for water. It is to mention that a few construction project sites
used rain water which fell during construction work illustrated in the figure 4. Survey
result of water is presented in Table 4.

Source of water Test of Water

Tap Water Others
Yes (%) No (%)
(%) (%)

100 0 0 100

Table 7: Survey result for water

 4.1.1.5 Admixtures
Admixtures haven’t been commonly used in projects under investigation. Only 13.33 percent of
the projects use admixtures. These projects are among those which complete the mixing
operation out of the construction sites.

4.1.2 Personnel

From the survey it is found that no supervisor from land owner, no technician and even
most cases the labor has been non-skilled for concreting works. During the survey
period the skill of labor was observed by the sincerity of works, the techniques adopted
by themselves for concrete work and their works. Survey result of personnel is presented
in Table 5.

Table 5: Survey result of personnel

4.1.3 Equipment

For quality control of concrete production, the equipment is being used for batching;
mixing and compaction shall be of the right capacity. Survey results were conducted on
equipment is given in Table 6.

Table 6: Survey results of equipment’s used in concreting

4.1.4 Workmanship
A mixed concrete of ready mix and on site produced concrete has been used in 60% of the
study sites, where on site concrete production is studied in 40% cases. They were mainly
used ready mixed for slab and beam, in situ concrete for column. The batching procedure
was found commonly volume batching. But an important factor w/c ratio was maintained
by the experience of mixer. Curing process of the cast concrete has also been studied
where about 80% is found improper. Survey result of workmanship is given in Table 7.

Table 7: Survey result of workmanship

It is seen that ready mix concrete has been extensively used to cast slab and beam.
However, the way of placing and handling of fresh concrete is completely erroneous as
shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 5: Slab casting by ready mixed concrete

The quality of in situ concrete was studied during the survey period and the workmanship
included in casting column, beam and even slab were observed. The workmanship of in
situ concrete is given in Fig. 6.

Figure 6: Slab casting by in situ concrete

The provisions of final testing differ from company to company which is given in Table 7.
The specimen was kept for testing mainly cylinder is given in Fig. 7.
 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1. Conclusions

In conclusions part, you should make comprehensive statements of your own research
findings.

This study gives understanding of the existing practices for quality control of concrete
production in Dhaka city. From the limited scope of present study the following
conclusion can be drawn.

i. No test report for any of the construction materials has been found at any of the project
sites visited. Even the construction materials were not stored properly at the project site.
ii. Few structural design-drawings have been found as designed by Diploma Engineer.
Even some of the projects have no site engineer. In most of the projects there is no
supervisor from land owner and no concrete technician. Few of the projects were found
to have unskilled labor for concreting.
iii. Almost all of the construction sites maintain their concrete mix ratio by volume
batching. The water-cement ratio is maintained from the practical experience of the
person concerned. Besides, in most of the projects proper curing of concrete is not
followed.
iv. In most of the project no care is taken for water proofing the formworks for concreting.
And early removal of formwork especially those of columns have been found in most of
the projects.

5.2. Recommendations

In future perspectives, you should provide information as to how your research results will be
beneficial for future research

The study therefore recommended that:

(i) Concrete Designers/Engineers should specify the concrete materials i.e. water quality,
aggregates (grading, shape, maximum size and absorption capacity). In addition
important test of cement that is necessary for concrete works.
(ii) The utilization of qualified and experienced personnel right at the top management level
to the site manager, supervisors, machine operator, skilled and semi-skilled workers.
(iii) Construction companies should follow relevant standard rules and regulations for
concrete works.
(iv) Government at all levels including private sector operators should urgently enforce the
implementation of the provisions of the National Building Code (BNBC).

6. REFERENCE

1. Alam, Md Ashraful, Habib, Md Zakaria, Sheikh, Md Raihan, & Hasan, Abu. A Study on the
Quality Control of Concrete Production in Dhaka City.
2. Anosike, Nwabueze Michael. (2011). Parameters for Good Site Concrete Production
Management Practice in Nigeria. Covenant University.
3. Celik, Tahir. (1989). Improving concrete quality by using an expert system. © Tahir Celik.
4. Eshetu, Abebe. (2005). Concrete Production and Quality Control in Building Construction
Industry of Ethiopia. Addis Ababa University.
5. Kosmatka, Steven H, Kerkhoff, Beatrix, & Panarese, William C. (2002). Design and control
of concrete mixtures (Vol. 5420): Portland Cement Association Skokie, IL.
6. Nawy, Edward G. (2008). Concrete construction engineering handbook: CRC press.

APPENDIX

Appendix 1: Questionnaire

BAHIR DAR UNIVERSITY

BAHIR DAR INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
 SCHOOL OF RESEARCH AND POSTGRADUATE STUDIES
FACULTY OF CIVIL AND WATER ENGINEERING
QUESTIONNAIRE QUESTIONS ON
STUDY ON PROBLEMS OF ON SITE CONCRETE PRODUCTION
PRACTICE IN BAHIR DAR CITY

Program: Construction Technology and Management

Researcher: Azeb Markos

Main Advisor: Tadesse Mergiyaw

May, 2020

Bahir Dar, Ethiopia

Dear Sir/Madam

This questionnaire is prepared to study the actual problems of on-site concrete production practice
in Bahir Dar city. Please read each question and try to answer all questions honestly and to your
best knowledge. Your answers will be treated confidentially and only for the research. I greatly
appreciate your help!

Part One: Bio data

1.1 Name of the Company: ..............................................................................

1.2 Organizations Category: Client Contractor Consultant
1.3 Respondent Educational status
Diploma Degree Master’s Degree Other
1.4 Respondent Educational background:
Civil Eng. Water & Hydraulic Eng. Other
1.5 Your position (e.g: Project Manager, Site Engineer, office Engineer, etc): ……………………
1.6 Work Experience: 0-3 yrs 3-5 yrs 5-10 yrs
1.7 Purpose and Size: .....................................................................
1.8 Grade of structural concrete (cubic strength in MPa): …………………………………………

Please give response to the following questions either by putting an `x` mark at your choice
on the rectangles shown for questions having choices or by writing your answers in the space
provided.
 Part Two: Constituent material and quality

2.1Cement
2.1.1 What type of cement do you use for the concrete production?
OPC PPC

2.1.2 What is the reason behind the selection of type of cement?

Specified on the Agreement Engineers order Specified on mix design

2.1.3 What is the source of cement used in concrete production for your project?
Factory Agent Other, specify

2.1.4 How frequent do you take tests for cement?

Only once for one type

Once when it came from the source and then after depending on conditions

(when the cement seems defective, test may be ordered.)

2.1.5 Which type of tests are performed for cement on your project?

Test Type None Once Often Very often Mandatory

Setting time
Consistency
Fineness
Soundness
Density
Loss of mass on ignition
2.1.6 Do you believe that your on-site storage of cement is proper?
Yes No

2.1.7 Do you perform cement test for long time storing?

Yes No
2.2Aggregate
2.2.1 Source(s) of aggregate for your project are
A. Coarse aggregate: ___________________________________________________
B. Fine aggregate: ____________________________________________________

2.2.2 Are selection criteria of aggregate critical for concrete property?

 Aggregate Strongly Agree Moderately Disagree
Selection Criteria
type Agree (4) (3) Agree (2) (1)
Typically, well- Coarse
Fine
defined before cast
Randomly selected Coarse
Fine

2.2.3 What kind of fine aggregate do you use for concrete production?
Natural sand Crushed aggregate Both Mixed

2.2.4 Do you perform screening of fine aggregate before use?

Yes No

2.2.5 Do you perform washing of fine aggregate before use?

Yes No

2.2.6 When did you perform the tests of the fine and coarse aggregates?

Before the selection the source After delivering them on site

2.2.7 How frequent do you take samples for aggregate test?

Only once for one source

Once when it came from the source and then after depending on conditions

(when the aggregate seems defective, test may be ordered.)

2.2.8 Which types of tests are performed for the coarse and fine aggregates of your
project?
Test type Agg. None Once Often Very Mandatory
type often
Coarse
Gradation Fine
Coarse
Soundness Fine
L.A Abrasion Coarse
Flakiness Index Coarse
 Physical Property tests:
Crushing value Coarse
Coarse
Unit weight Fine
Coarse
Specific gravity Fine
Coarse
Moisture content Fine
Fineness modulus Fine
Organic impurity Fine
content
Silt and clay content Fine
Chemical Property tests:

Clay lumps & friable Coarse

Fine
particles
Dust content Coarse
Coal & Lignite Coarse
content
Chlorine & sulfate Coarse
Fine
content
Resistance to Acid &
other corrosive
substances Coarse
2.2.9 Do you believe that your on-site handling/storage of aggregate is proper?
Yes No
2.2.10 Are you satisfied with the quality of aggregate?
Yes No

2.2.11 Do you perform screening of coarse aggregate before use?

Yes No

2.2.12 Do you perform washing of coarse aggregate before use?

Yes No
2.2.13 What do you propose to maintain the quality of aggregate?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
2.3 Water
2.3.1 Do you believe that the quality of water will critically affect the quality of Concrete?
Yes No
 2.3.2 What quality of water do you use for concrete mixing?
Tap water (Drinkable)

If not; From river/lake Ground water from drilled well

2.3.3 Which type of tests are performed on water for mixing concrete?
Very
Test Type None Once Often often Mandatory
PH level
Turbidity
Chemical composition
2.4 Admixture
2.4.1 Do you use admixture in concrete production?
Yes No
If yes, please specify the type and purpose the admixture.

___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Part Three: Concrete production/workmanship/ and quality

3.1 Personnel
3.1.1 Credential for the supervisor of client
Diploma Degree Master’s Degree Not engineer
3.1.2 Credential for the project manager
Diploma Degree Master’s Degree Not engineer

3.1.3 What is Credential for the site engineer

Diploma Degree Master’s Degree Not engineer

3.1.4 Are equipment operators on site well trained?

Yes No
3.1.5 Are labors for the concrete production well trained?
Yes No

3.2 Equipment
3.2.1 Which type of batching equipment is used for batching?
 Steel pan Wooden ferra other
3.2.2 How do you mix your concrete?
Manually Using mechanical mixer

Both of them (both manually and mechanically)

3.2.3 How do you transport concrete from the mixing place to the point of placing?
Machine (Crane) Using bucket Using wheel barrow

3.2.4 How do you compact concrete?

Hand compaction (rodding) Mechanical vibration

3.3 Workmanship
3.3.1 Did you perform mix design test for concrete before casting?
Yes No
3.3.2 What kind of concrete mixing procedures do you follow?
Designed mixes Prescribed mixes Standard (or nominal) mixes

3.3.3 Which batching techniques do you use?

By weight By volume

3.3.4 How do you manage the amount of water/water cement ratio/ added to the mix?

From experience by observation Using accurate measurement

3.3.5 Do you believe that the amount of water added to the mix will affect the quality and
property of the concrete? Yes No

3.3.6 Is there a specified minimum and maximum time for concrete mixing?
Yes No
3.3.7 Is there a specified minimum and maximum time for concrete compaction?
Yes No
3.3.8 After casting, do you perform proper curing of concrete as per the standard?
Yes No
3.3.9 Does the curing duration of concrete depend on the type of cement?
Yes No
3.3.10 Do you agree that the duration of curing have effect on the property of concrete?
 Yes No
3.3.11 What do you propose to produce good quality concrete?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Part Four: Inspection and management practice

4.1 Who does the inspection for the quality of concrete produced on site?
A. Client supervisor
B. Project manager
C. Site engineer
D. Forman

4.2 Do you have any on site concrete production guideline/checklist?

Yes No
If any, who’s responsible for
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4.3 Who is responsible for the production of concrete on site?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4.4 Specify site concrete production and supervisor crew?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

4.5 Do you perform mix design test for every ingredient change?
 Yes No
4.6 Do you perform concrete test on site for final testing?
Test Type None Once Often Very Mandatory
often
Slump
Compressive strength
Splitting tensile/flexural strength

Thank you for your cooperation!

Appendix 2 More findings