Quality control testing for concrete during construction for a nuclear project

This paper presents the results of an oversight evaluation of qualification and production testing of concrete materials and concrete for a nuclear project in United States. The testing requirements for qualification of concrete materials, including cement, fly ash, fine and coarse aggregates, admixtures, were in accordance with American Concrete Institute (ACI) ACI 349, ASME/ANSI and ASTM standards. Concrete was produced from a ready mixed plant and delivered to the site in truck mixer/agitator trucks. Qualification tests for selecting concrete mix proportions for the 4000 psi design compressive strength concrete were performed, using the proposed concrete materials, in accordance with the specifications. Qualification tests for aggregates included alkali-silica reactivity, Los Angeles abrasion, gradation, minus 200 material, moisture content, and deleterious materials, and were performed in accordance with ASTM C33 requirements. Quality control tests for concrete during production included slump (ASTM C143), air content (ASTM C231), unit weight (ASTM C157), and compressive strength (ASTM C39). Minimum ACI 349/ASME/ANSI N45.2.5 testing frequencies for concrete constituents and concrete are also described. Results of the QC tests including an evaluation of the 7-day and 28-day compressive strength tests are presented