Concrete Construction Special Inspector

Introduction

Concrete is used throughout the world for a wide range of applications. In order to improve the properties of concrete, recent advances in material science introduce new materials or admixtures to be added to or replace conventional concrete materials. Such materials could be used in new concrete construction and/or in repairing new or existing structures. These materials could cause more harm than the benefit or at least be ineffective if not properly used.

This five-day course will introduce traditional and newly developed concrete materials as well as the repair materials utilized in most repair works in concrete structures either for those needed during construction or for the rehabilitation of existing structures.

The course will also cover test methods and technical specifications for such materials as well as troubleshooting for their most common problems.

This course is planned to answer technical questions frequently asked by experienced engineers and executives. It includes information about the significance of applicable codes and standards, critical characteristics of a given structure, types, and causes of common deficiencies of structures.

At the end of this course, participants will know the necessary information about the different advanced concrete materials, what tests should be performed and how to interpret their results, what to look for in specifications, and the troubleshooting of material related problems.

Objectives

The goal of this course is to provide participants with an advanced understanding of the properties of traditional and emerging materials used in civil engineering construction, newly developed construction materials, and test methods for different conventional and advanced materials used in concrete and steel construction. The course covers modern field measurements such as concrete strength, concrete uniformity, and others.

Upon the completion of this course, the participant will be able to select the appropriate material to achieve particular design goals and recognize the governing standards, performance criteria, and laboratory and field tests for characterizing such materials.

Quality control and quality assurance approach are handled through the course. Focus on the approach of workable preventive measures for the decay and deterioration of structures, and the use of innovative technology and new materials is also introduced.

Training Methodology

This is an interactive course. There will be open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises and activities, videos, case studies, and presentations on best practice. Participants will have the opportunity to share with the facilitator and other participants on what works well and not so well for them, as well as work on issues from their own organizations. The online course is conducted online using MS-Teams/ClickMeeting.

Who Should Attend?

This course is designed for senior engineers, projects Engineer, design engineers, and Supervisors with professional knowledge.

Course Outline

Day 1:

• Basics of concrete as a composite material
• Main components of concrete
• Advances in the construction industry
• Categories of construction materials
• Cement as a concrete binder
• Concrete aggregates
• Mixing water
• Admixtures
• Steel reinforcement
• Metals
• Ceramics
• Polymers
• Composites

Day 2:

• Cement as a concrete binder
• Chemical analysis
• Compound composition
• Chemical limits
• Fineness
• Soundness
• Consistency
• Setting time
• False set and flash set
• Compressive strength
• Heat of hydration
• Loss on ignition
• Density
• Bulk density
• Sulfate expansion

 Day 3:

• Concrete aggregates
• Density and apparent specific gravity
• Voids percentage
• Absorption and surface moisture
• Gradation (sieve analysis)
• Fineness modulus (FM)
• Maximum nominal size (MNS)
• Organic Matters
• Material finer than no. 200 Sieve
• Test for clay lumps and friable particles
• Alkali-Aggregate reactions
• Bulking of sand
• Flat or elongated aggregate
• Crushing strength and elastic modulus
• Abrasion
• Soundness

Day 4:

• Mixing water
• Chemical Analysis
• Admixtures
• Uniformity test
• Performance test
• Steel reinforcement
• Chemical analysis test
• Mechanical tests include two main tests, tension test, and cold bend test
• Curing materials
• Properties of fresh concrete
• Workability
• Slump loss
• Setting time
• Air content
• Unit weight and yield
• Early age volume change
• Properties of hardened concrete
• Compressive strength
• Tensile strength
• Shear strength
• Bond strength
• Modulus of elasticity
• Permeability
• Sulfates attack
• Corrosion of reinforcement
• Acids attack
• Alkali-aggregate reactions
• Frost action
• Abrasion
• Carbonation of concrete
• Fatigue

Day 5:

• Destructive and non-destructive testing of concrete
• Purpose of in-situ evaluation
• Preliminary investigation
• Visual inspection
• Rebound number (ASTM C 805)
• Penetration resistance (ASTM C 803)
• Pullout test (ASTM C 900)
• Break-off test (ASTM C 1150)
• Ultrasonic pulse velocity (ASTM C 597)
• Tests on concrete cores
• Rebar Locator
• Corrosion detection
• Mix design approach
• Methods of mix design
• Case studies