A 'Unit Quantity Quality Inspection Standard' has been established to eradicate the use of inappropriate ready-mixed concrete at construction sites.
On the 30th, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announced that it will promulgate KCS 14 20 00 (Standard Specifications for Concrete Works) on September 1, 2022, focusing on the establishment of 'Unit Quantity Quality Inspection Standards' to strengthen the quality of concrete, the most widely used construction material.
Unit quantity (water content) refers to the amount of water contained in 1㎥ of unset concrete (excluding the amount in aggregates), which directly affects the quality of concrete such as strength and durability.
Until now, some construction sites have manipulated the mix by adding water to concrete for reasons such as workability and cost reduction. Although construction standards set allowable limits for unit quantity to address this issue, they did not specify detailed testing standards, leading to ongoing concerns about the deterioration of concrete quality.
Accordingly, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, together with the National Construction Standards Center (Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology) and the Korean Concrete Institute, has prepared KCS 14 20 00 (Standard Specifications for Concrete Works) centered on the 'Unit Quantity Quality Inspection Standard' to strengthen concrete quality management and prevent defective ready-mixed concrete.
Additionally, this revision includes clarifications on the definition of the daily average temperature and the criteria for the end of initial curing for the application of cold-weather concrete, as well as specific regulations on the timing and methods for reinstallation of scaffolding.
The Unit Quantity Quality Inspection Standard specifies detailed test and inspection methods, inspection timing and frequency, and judgment criteria to enable reliable inspections. In particular, it allows constructors to select one test method from various options according to site conditions, facilitating convenient inspections.
Lee Sang-il, Director of Technical Safety Policy at the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, said, "We expect that the establishment of the Unit Quantity Quality Inspection Standard will induce reasonable quality management for both manufacturers and construction sites," adding, "We will continuously supplement any shortcomings after field application."
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