Quality assurance in construction activity relates to proper design, use of adequate
quality materials and components supplied by various vendors, proper execution of work by the contractor during construction and finally proper care during
the use of structure including timely and periodic maintenance and repair by
the user of owner. Hence, for quality structure every one starting from the planner, architect, designer, contractor, supplier of materials and the owner
become responsible. Only then the final
structure will have satisfactory strength, serviceability and long durability
ensuring advantageous lower life cycle cost. Most apartment buildings are made of R.C.C. framers. The properties of the completed structures should be consistent with the user requirement and assumptions mad e during the planning and design. This could be
achieved only by proper quality assurance measurers.
Quality assurance involves both
technical and organizational aspects. The apartment project should have an explicit quality assurance
Plan. This plan should identify key
elements necessary to provide fitness of structure and the methods by which it
is provided and quantitatively measured. This will give all the stake holders, the confidence that the realized
project will work as per norms in service, thus fulfilling the user needs. This will involve quality checks (audit) of
both inputs and outputs. Inputs are in
the form of materials machinery and manpower. Workmanship in all stages of
batching mixing transportation, placing compaction and curing should be
explicitly checked and recorded. The quality of the final product will be
satisfactory only if approved plants and machinery and equipments for the
process are used. All these should form
part of the quality assurance plan. To
ensure that the inputs comply with design an inspection procedure should be set
up covering materials, records, workmanship and construction. Tests should be made on reinforcements andconstituent material of concrete in accordance with Bureau of Indian
Standards. There should be clear
instructions on inspection standards. The elements should be checked against the design detail with due
allowance for dimensional tolerance. The
output is in the form of concrete and elements of the structure in place. To ensure proper performance each step in
construction should be inspected before the next step is taken. This should be followed as the work progress. Care should be taken to see that elements critical to workmanship, structural performance, durability and appearance are identified for special inspection. The
system to verify the quality should include the individual parts of the
structure especially the identified critical ones. Immediately after striping the form work, all
concrete shall be carefully inspected and any blemishes or defects rectified
before proceeding with further work.
Supervision at each step is a
part of the plan. It is not possible to
alter concrete dimension once placed. Hence constant and strict supervision is a must during the progress of
work. This should include all aspects of
concreting such as proportioning, mixing, placing and curing. Supervision is of extreme importance to check
the reinforcements and its relative disposition before being covered by
concrete. Each and every contributor to
the project should make and implement a quality assurance plan with respect to
the project. Supplier, contractor and
subcontractor’s participation should be covered by the overall plan. The individual agency’s quality assurance plan should fit as a part of overall
plan. The plan should define the tasks and responsibilities of all agencies
involved. It should state adequate
checking procedures and the organizational set-up for documentation. The owner should have a periodic maintenance
plan to ensure long and trouble-free service from the quality structure. Maintenance is also required to keep the structure in a fit condition to resist unexpected overloading due to disasters
such as earthquakes and cyclones. Such
maintenance scheme will also reduce the life cycle cost of the structure.
The documents should necessarily
include the following:
- Approved site layout plan,
- Architectural plan,
- Soil report and bore log data.
- Structural design details with structural plan,
- Test report and manufacturers certificate for materials concrete mix design details.
- Pore cards for site organization and clearance for concrete placement.
- Records for site inspection of workmanship.
- Periodic filed test results,
- Non-conformance reports and correction action taken,
- Quality control charts.
11)Completion report with a suggested maintenance
scheme.
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