If you are looking for information on surface tolerances for in-situ concrete there are a number of sources.
HB 31-2002 Handbook of building construction tolerances – Extracts from building products and structural standards is the latest publication but it does not provide all the answers. The next stop is AS 3600-2001 Concrete structures. Under 19.5.2.4 a maximum deviation of 1/250 or 10 mm is given, but not much else. The future looks brighter, however, with plans to expand this subject as part of the current revision of AS 3600.
NATSPEC, since time immemorial, has provided three tolerance classes: A, B and C. Their source is a little unclear. BS 8204.2:1987 In-situ floor finishes – Code of practice for concrete wearing surfaces at 5.4 defines three classes of surface regularity: SR1, SR 2 and SR 3, though the deviations differ from NATSPEC’s.
In America, ASTM E1155-1996 Standard test method for determining F floor flatness and FL floor levelness numbers, and ACI (American Concrete Institute) 117-1990 Standard tolerances for concrete construction and materials and commentary, and ACI 302.1R-1996 Guide for concrete floor and slab construction cover the subject in great depth.
The Cement & Concrete Association of Australia document CCA T48-1999 Industrial floors and pavements refers to both NATSPEC and ACI 302 and provides information on floors for warehouse construction including requirements for fork lift truck use. Manufacturers’ and contractors’ own literature, especially from the US, is another avenue worth pursuing.
Source: SPECnews #30 Winter 2002, www.natspec.info
