Good construction

1. GOOD CONSTRUCTION
PRACTICES AND
TECHNIQUES TO
PREVENT STRUCTRUAL
DAMAGE

2. SITE CLEANING
 Removal of Bushes, trees prickly pier, Shrubs, Weeds and
grasses thoroughly including roots
 Dismantling of old Structures
 Rubbish Disposal
 Provisions shall be made in Estimate for site cleaning,
dismantling and disposal

3. SITE BARRICATION & FENCING
 Putting temporary fencing around a construction site is
one of the first safety measures that you should take.
 Fencing will fend off trespassers from accessing the
building site and also provide security for the construction
materials.
Types Of Temporary Fences To Use
1. Wire Mesh Fencing
2. Barricades (GI Sheet/Polycarbonate sheets)
3. Chain link Fence
4. Barbed wire fencing
5. Pre-cast panel

4. EXCAVATING FOUNDATIONS
UPTO 3m DEPTH
• MANUAL METHODS
• MECHANICAL METHODS
• DEWATERING
SHALLOW EXCAVATION DEEP EXCAVATION
MORE THAN 3m DEPTH
• BRACED CUTS
• SHEET PILES
• CONTAGIOUS PILES
•SOIL NAILING AND
SHOTCRETING
• DIAPHRAGM WALLS
• DEWATERING

5. EXCAVATING FOUNDATIONS
SHALLOW EXCAVATION
IS 3764:1992 (Re Affirmed :2002)
Indian Standard
EXCAVATION WORK-CODE OF SAFETY
 Depth of Excavation more than 1.5m is risk – Requires proper
safety
 Before Excavation site Engineer has to ensure any Pipelines,
Sewers, Gaslines or Electrical conduits beneath the earth
 Scaffolds and Ladders are to be provided for workers inside the
trench
 No excavation or earthwork below the level of any foundation of
building or structure shall be commenced or continued unless
adequate steps are taken to prevent danger to any person
employed, from collapse of the structure or fall of any part
thereof.

6.  No material or load shall be placed or stacked or removed
near the edge of any excavation, shaft, pit or opening in
the ground as it may endanger the persons employed
below.
 Excavated material is not to be placed nearer than 1 m
from the outer edges of the excavation but shall be placed
anywhere within 50 metres.
 The bottom of foundation pits shall be dressed level in all directions and
before any concrete is put in, shall be well watered and thoroughly rammed.
 The foundation trenches shall be dug out to the exact width of the lowest step of the
footing and the depth shall be in accordance with the plans, or as may be otherwise
ordered by Engineer.

7.  Excavation areas shall be adequately lighted for night work.
 warning lights shall be placed in proper sites to ensure safety of
pedestrians and the vehicular traffic.
 At every part of a trench likely to be frequented by the public
such fences, guards or barricades as will prevent a person or
livestock from falling into the trench shall be provided and
maintained in place at all times.

8. Protection against hazards involving insects, vermins, leeches or snakes shall
include the following controls as are pertinent :
 Instructions regarding potential hazards.
 Boots, hoods, netting, gloves, masks, or other necessary personal protection.
 Repellents(protection against mosquitoes).
 Drainage or spraying of breading areas.
 Burning or destruction of nests.
 Elimination of unsanitary conditions which propagate insects or vermins.
 Extermination measures against rodents (Removing food sources, water, and items
that provide shelter for rodents. Where necessary, control rodents by using an
integrated pest management approach that includes environmental sanitation,
proper food storage, rodent-proofing, trapping, and poisoning).
 Pest-control.
 Vaccination.
 Approved first-aid remedies for the affected.

9. COMMON HAZARDS IN EXCAVATION
 Quick sand
 Water content or degree of saturation
 Effect of freezing and thawing
 Vibration from near by sources
 Adjacent Loose fills
 Surcharge imposed by Adjacent structures

10.  In firm soils. the sides of a trench stall be kept
vertical up to a depth of 2 metres from the
bottom and for a greater depth. the trench shall
be widened by allowing steps of 50 cm on
either side after every 2 metres depth from the
bottom so as to give a vertical side slope of l/d
to 1.
 IS. 3764/1992 shall be followed for safe
excavation works
 If by the contractor’s mistake the excavation is
made deeper or wider than shown on the plans,
the extra width or depth shall be made up with
concrete-and not with earth or other material.. at
the cost of the contractor.

11. DEEP EXCAVATION USING CONTIGEOUS PILES
 In Urban scenario, multiples, malls, auditoriums requires huge parking
space
 Metro stations below ground level required deep excavations upto
20m etc.,
 In such type of excavation retaining soil is very big challenge.
 Contiguous piles are proven solution with some limitations.
 Excavation for insertion of planking and strutting
 Unless otherwise specified, removing slips or falls in excavation
 In Urban scenario, multiples, malls, auditoriums requires huge parking
space
 Shifting or supporting pipes, electric cables, etc. met during
excavation.

12. FILLING IN FOUNDATIONS
 All foundation shall be refilled to the original surface of the ground
with approved materials, well watered and rammed.
 The contractor shall not fill in around any work, until it has. been
approved by the Engineer.
 In cases where the excavated foundation soil is to be used for
refilling, it shall be brought back from the place, where it was
temporarily deposited, and the trenches or other excavations shall
be filled up to the height of the original surface with this earth,
carefully rammed in regular layers of not more than 20 cm in
thickness.
 consolidated by the addition of water to each layer as and if found
necessary according to the directions of the Engineer
.

13. FILLING IN BASEMENT
1. Materials for filling in basement shall be as defined in the general specification The surface to
receive the filling shall be first cleared free firm all roots, vegetation or spoil and wetted.
2. Filling up to plinth level is to proceed in layers with the construction of the building so that the
earth, filling may be thoroughly consolidated by the tramping of the workers.
3. Where sand filling is specified, the sand shall be clean, free from admixture of foreign material
and approved by the Engineer before filling is commenced.
4. Filling in basement shall have optimum moisture content and, well consolidated in layers of
15 cm. by ramming with iron rammers and butt ends of crowbars
5. When tilling reaches finished level the surface shall be flooded with water for at least 24
hours, allowed to dry and then rammed and consolidated in order to avoid any settlement at
a later stage."

14. PCC FOR FOUNDATION
GUIDELINES IN CONSTRUCTION FOR FIELD ENGINEERS FOUNDATION/MAT CONCRETE
 Mark the top level of the mat concrete on the excavated wall surface.
 Ensure the size of 40/20mm metal and its shape. Avoid using flaky materials.
 Control the water/cement ratio of the concrete to avoid dry mix
 Temp the concrete with specified cast Iron rammer and finish the top surface and edges
truly.
 Ensure effective curing
 Transfer the center line mark on the top surface of the mat concrete.

15. GRADE BEAM / PLINTH BEAM
1. Ensure proper alignment centering with planks and avoid
using coconut planks
2. Check the reinforcement as per design and ensure proper
cover to the reinforcement bars by using cement mortar
cover blocks.
3. Place the concrete as per specification with proper
compaction.
4. Provide gauges at proper intervals for centering to prevent
bleeding and weeping of cement slurry from concrete by
proper filling of the gaps.

16. FORMWORKS
1. Cantilever centering should be avoided for sunshades.
2. Surface of the centering sheets should be plain without
undulations.
3. The runner should be used for centering should be required
size and section.
4. No bricks should be used below underneath the props.
5. Cross bracings should be provided adequately
6. In special cases, where the head room is high, Acro span and jacks may be used.
7. Incase of column centering, vertically should be ensured with side support on all sides
8. Round cover blocks should be used for columns.
9. For beams, gauges should be provided at regular intervals and the joints should be made leak proof

17. REINFORCEMENT
1. Chairs should be used wherever necessary and should not rest directly over the centering.
2. Proper cover should be maintained using cover blocks at regular intervals
3. Incase of stirrups for columns and beams, the free ends should be bent towards inside.
4. The free end of the stirrups should be placed staggered to have more stability.
5. The column rod lapping should be done in a staggered manner.
6. Standard Covers:
6.1 For grade/plinth beam : 25mm (1”) 6.6 For RCC Wall : 40mm (1-1/2”
6.2 For footing/pile cap bottom: 50mm (2”) 6.7 For footing/pile side: 75mm (3”)
6.3 For column: 40mm (1-1/2”) 6.8 For cover slab: 25mm (1”)
6.4 For all Roof Beam: 25mm (1”) 6.9 Pile side: 50mm (2”)
6.5 For all Roof Slab: 20m (3/4”)

18. CONCRETING
1. Check the approved design mix report & approved drawings
for execution.
2. All proportion of cement, coarse aggregate, fine aggregate,
water and admixture should be as per design mix report only.
3. Use nominal mix unless otherwise specifically mentioned.
4. The coarse aggregate should be angular in shape and roughly
cubical
5. The coarse aggregate should be stacked in clean platform and
it should be made clean, hard non-porous, free from clay,
organic matter etc.
6. The slump test should be done to check workability of concrete.
7. The water cement ratio should be maintained
8. Before placing the concrete, the surface should be thoroughly cleaned and wetted.
9. Mechanical vibrator and specified diameter should be used for compacting the concrete. Avoid over
vibration.

19. 10. The beam members and heavy concretes should be laid in layers
11. The concrete cubes should be prepared for all RCC works as per the approved FQP.
12. To maintained the consistency of the concrete laid, using hoist/mobile crane/boom placer, plasticizer may
be used.
13. Curing of concrete should be done in adherence with the IS code rules.
14. Do not stack any material over the green concrete.
15. Gunny bags curing may be done for green concrete to avoid dehydration

21. CURING
1. Any concrete hydration process is an important process
(hardening of concrete).
2. It will happen cool atmosphere hence the concrete should be
wetted properly.
3. If a concrete is laid it is like a born child. A just born child is
properly fed, it will die so the child should be fed properly to
gain strength and grow with great stamina.
4. Like that if concrete is not properly cured in the initial stage, it
will lead to lose its strength & lift of the structure will get
affected.
5. Curing of concrete essentially means the provision of a 100%
humid atmosphere around the finished concrete.
6. It is necessary for ensuring proper hydration of concrete.
7. Curing also helps to some extent in the control of early age
cracking that may arise due to thermal and shrinkage effects.

22. CURING
METHODS
Water curing
Membrane
curing
Miscellaneous
1. Immersion
2. Ponding
3. Spraying or
fogging
4. Wet covering

23. BRICK MASONARY
1. Use header & stretcher bond with proper closer to avoid
vertical joints.
2. Brick should be soaked using double drum system before it is
laid
3. Maintain uniform thickness of mortar.
4. Top surface of every layer should be truly levelled.
5. All joints should be racked to receive plastering
6. Unburnt, half burnt and brickbats should be avoided in
construction.
7. Holes in the masonry should be filled with concrete only and
proper care should be taken for curing the filled concrete.

24. PLASTERING
1. Before plastering, ensure that entire room is fit for plastering (i.e.) fixing of joineries concealing
electrical lines etc.
2. All concrete surfaces should be hacked at closed intervals
3. The brick wall should be thoroughly cleaned and wetter before plastering.
4. To maintain good uniform thickness of plastering, buttons at regular intervals may be provided.
5. The inner wall plastering should be finishing smoothly, while the outer surface and ceiling
should be finish with medium roughness.
6. All corners of walls and edges should be finish with rich mortar
7. A bend may be fixed in position at floor level for rainwater. Ensure proper packing of soil and
waste water pipe holes in wall before plastering.
8. Avoid chipping of plastered surface.
9. The top surface of the parapet wall should be finished with inward slope for main water.

25. WEATHERING COURSE/WATERPROOFING ON TERRACE
1. The name itself defines the protection of weathering action to
the structure. Hence, the hair in the human body can be
compared to this. If the weathering courses is not properly
laid, the water penetrate into the concrete which consequently
will weaken the roof. Hence, the building without proper
weathering course will affect the roof of the structure.
2. The slab should be cleaned from curing pond mortar, dust and
loose materials and thoroughly wetted before placing the
weathering course.
3. The brick jetty to be used should be of specified size and free
from dust. The effect of lime should be tested before using.

26. TILING /MOSAIC WORK OVER WEATHERING COURSE
1. The tiles laid over weathering course can be matched with the hat on the head. To avoid direct impact
the hat is put on the head. Likewise, the tiles are laid over the weathering course.
2. Uniform flat surfaces of the pressed tiles should be ensured.
3. Tiles should be soaked in water for 24 hours before laying,
4. The thickness of the joint should be uniform and kept to a maximum of ½” (inch).
5. The joint of the tiles should be packed individually instead of spreading the mortar all over the surface.
6. Water should be stacked over the pressed tiles after wetting to ensure the water tightness.
7. The mortar used for packing the joint of the tiles should be mixed with the waterproofing admixture or
crude oil. Undulations shall be checked and aligned during execution.
8. All the edge tiles near parapet wall should butt into parapet wall.
9. Flashing tiles should be provided with curved borders at the top.
10.Proper bell mouth should be provided for rainwater pipes and free flow of water.
11.The rainwater pipes should be provided to full width of the parapet wall for free flow of water.
12.After laying of pressed tiles, do not mix mortar/concrete over the tiles.

27. FLOORING & FLOOR FINISHING
1. Zero level should be maintained for flooring concrete.
2. The top surface should be let rough to receive floor finish.
3. Uniform thickness of flooring concrete to be maintained by
using gauge at regular intervals.
4. The ceramic/vitrified/granite flooring should be specified
thickness and the mortar should be mixed properly with
water.
5. Dry mortar should be avoided.
6. Floor should be made free from dust, loose particulars, and
dead mortars, before laying the floor finish.
7. Required level of the floor finish should be ensured by
providing buttons.
8. In bathrooms and toilets, the floor tiles should be butt into
the wall and the wall dado tiles should be rest over floor tiles.

28. PLUMBINGS
1. The diameter of the suction, delivery and number of branch pipes from main
lines should be designed well in advance before starting the work. A layout of
plumbing line should also be prepared and got approved.
2. All the horizontal lines should be taken along the parapet should be vertical.
In any case if horizontal lines could not be avoided, it should be canceled.
Adequate clamps should be provided at closer intervals.
3. Before fixing of vertical and horizontal pipe lines, the vertically straightness of
the pipes should be ensured by making vertical and horizontal marking lines
on the plastered surface.
4. Making holes in the walls for taking pipe lines inside should be done from
outside and an approximate circular mark may be made at the inner walls
using chisels to avoid excessive damage in plastered wall and spreading of
plastering cracks.
5. For bathroom, horizontal line should be tankan at 45cm above FFL and the
tap should be fixed at 75cm from FFL. The shower point should be fixed at
2.10m above floor level. The pipe line at the toilet should be taken at 45 cm
above floor level and tap fixed at the same level.
6. Inner connection pipes along with PVC tanks should be provided at the top of
the Tank. The top surface of the OHT slab should be smoothly finished with
required outward slope so that the overflow water will freely flow without
stagnating on the slab. The overflow pipes for all the PVC tanks may be
interconnected and disposed in rainwater pipes.

29. DO’S & DON’TS

31. 31

35. WRONG is WRONG
even if everyone is doing it
RIGHT is RIGHT
even if no one is doing it
Thank you
“Civil Engineering” is not an intellectual practice even it
has intellectual content but it is……. Action oriented”