MRTS40 and MRS40 – 2 June 2015 DRAFT – Summary of proposed changes
Table 1: Summary of proposed changes
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
1
Harmonisation status
Partially aligned to the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS)
specification R83, however numerous differences exist
2
5
53 page technical specification with supplementary requirements
included in appendices
Guide Notes
No guide notes
4
Technical requirements very closely aligned to R83. Differences to
R83 mainly due to the need to fit within TMR’s existing contractual
framework and other TMR systems such as registration systems,
test methods etc.
Specification layout/structure
100 page technical specification. User-friendliness has been
questioned.
3
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
Guide notes included
Quality System Requirements
19 hold points
10 hold points
13 witness points
2 witness points
2 milestones
12 milestones
Paving crew capability
No specific requirements
-
Cement and supplementary cementitious materials
6
No requirements for material or supplier registration
Concrete paving crew ‘Grey Card’ minimum requirement
Only TMR and ATIC registered materials, and TMR registered
suppliers (requirements as per MRTS70)
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
7
Material older than 2 months not permitted
Material older than 3 months to be retested for conformance
8
Fly ash: fineness not more than 95%, and contractor to determine
additional loss on ignition and fineness limits for air entrained mixes
Replaced with uniformity requirements for loss on ignition and
fineness
9
Slag (GGBFS): general
New requirement for uniformity of fineness
10
Water
Limits on chloride ion and sulfate ion contents
Testing not required if from reticulated drinking water supply
-
Admixtures
11
Air entraining agent required in all mixes other than SFRC
Air entraining only mandated in slipform mixes
12
Total alkali contribution of 0.20 kg/m3 for all mixes
Limit does not apply if mix contains at least 50 kg/m3 fly ash
13
Set-retarding admixture (Re or WRRe) mandated in warm months
Requirement removed – contractor to determine admixtures
-
Coarse aggregate
14
Wet strength minimum 110 to 130 kN depending on rock type
Minimum 80kN for all rock types
15
Wet/dry variation maximum 30 to 40% depending on rock type
Maximum 35% for all rock types
16
Degradation factor minimum 40 to 50% depending on rock type
Minimum 40% for all rock types
17
Maximum 2.0% passing 0.075 mm sieve
Maximum 1.0%
18
Particle shape maximum 35% (2:1 ratio)
Maximum 25%
19
Flakiness index
Replaced with ratio of average greatest dimension to average least
dimension (AGD/ALD)
20
Maximum 1.0% passing 0.002 mm
Requirement replaced with combined grading limits
-
-
-
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
-
Fine aggregate
21
Minimum 50% natural sand
No minimum, can be 100% manufactured sand
22
Minimum 40% quartz sand
No minimum, replaced with:

methylene blue value (MBV) (only if >1.0% passing 0.002
mm)

sodium sulfate soundness

acid insoluble residue

micro-deval abrasion loss (only if acid insoluble residue
fails)

flow cone time (if 20% or more manufactured sand)
23
Plasticity index
Requirement removed.
24
Maximum water absorption 2.5%
Maximum increased to 5.0%
25
Maximum 5.0 % passing 0.075 mm
Maximum increased to 7.0%
26
Maximum 1.0% passing 0.002 mm
> 1.0% OK if pass MBV, MBV75 and combined grading
27
Alkali-silica reactive aggregates
Aggregates must be non-reactive, otherwise minimum 20% fly ash
If slowly reactive:

minimum 25% fly ash, or

minimum 50% GGBFS, or

minimum combination fly ash / GGBFS, or

limit alkalis in mix to 2.1 kg/m3
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
If reactive:

minimum 25% fly ash, or

minimum 50% GGBFS, or

minimum combination fly ash / GGBFS, or

demonstrate as non-reactive using proposed SCM and
aggregates
-
Combined aggregate particle size distribution
28
4.75 mm sieve: 36 – 48
4.75 mm sieve: 38 – 50 (shifted)
0.600 mm sieve: 16 – 27
0.600 mm sieve: 16 – 30 (widened)
0.300 mm sieve: 5 – 12
0.300 mm sieve: 5 – 15 (widened)
0.150 mm sieve: 0 – 3
0.150 mm sieve: 0 – 7 (widened)
0.075 mm sieve: 0 – 2
0.075 mm sieve: 0 – 4 (widened)
29
No alternatives to combined aggregate particle size distribution
Contractor can propose an alternative distribution for aggregates
retained on 0.300 mm and above sieves
30
Production tolerances +/- 10% for sieves 2.36, 1.18, 0.600 mm
Tightened to +/- 5%
31
Cement and supplementary cementitious materials (SCM)
contents
Cement: minimum depends on fly ash/slag combination
Cement: minimum 60%
Fly ash: 15 – 40% non ASR, 25 – 40% ASR (if no slag)
Flyash: maximum 25%
Slag: 10 – 65% non ASR, 50 – 65% ASR (if no fly ash)
Slag: maximum 35%
Total limits unchanged
3
3
Total: minimum 300 kg/m (350 kg/m for SFRC)
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
-
Concrete strength
32
Trial mix: contractor to determine compressive strength limit based
on parallel testing of compressive strength cylinders and flexural
strength beams to give equivalent 5.5 MPa flexural strength.
Minimum of 10 tests.
Comparison testing not required. Minimum 28 day flexural strength
of 4.8/5.0 MPa (with/without SCM), and minimum 28 day
compressive strength of 40.0/45.0 MPa (with/without SCM).
33
Production: minimum characteristic 28 day compressive: minimum
to achieve the required flexural strength, and minimum 40 MPa
Minimum 35.0/40.0 MPa (with/without SCM). Characteristic value
not used. Result is average of pair of cylinders (per sublot).
34
Production: minimum characteristic 28 day flexural strength: 4.8/5.3
MPa (with/without SCM) (5.5/6.1 MPa for steel fibre mix)
Flexural strength not specified for compliance. Testing only
required for process control, with minimum 4.5/4.8 MPa
(with/without SCM). Characteristic value not used. Process control
uses rolling average and standard deviation.
-
Consistence (slump)
35
Slipfom: 25 – 45 mm (20 – 40 mm for SFRC)
Slipfom: 15 – 50 mm (15 – 40 mm for SFRC)
Fixed form: 55 – 75 mm (45 – 65 for SFRC)
Fixed form: 50 – 70 mm (50 – 60 for SFRC)
Transition zones: 15 – 70 mm
36
Vebe testing of each mix.
Vebe testing only for slipform mixes.
Maximum Vebe limit of 2.5 seconds.
Maximum limit removed, report only.
-
Shrinkage
37
Trial mix: maximum 500 microstrain at 21 days drying
Maximum 450 microstrain at 21 days, but if exceeds can extent to
56 days with maximum 580 microstrain (higher limits apply to
mixes with minimum 40 % GGBFS).
38
Production mix: maximum 600 microstrain at 21 days drying
Testing during production not required.
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
-
Other mix limits
39
Air content testing required for all mixes, except SFRC, with limit of
4.5 +/- 1.5%.
Testing only required on air entrained mixes. Air entrainment only
mandated for slipform mixes. Limit unchanged.
40
Coefficient of thermal expansion testing not required
Report only
-
Concrete mix design
41
Concrete mix hierarchy: preliminary mix, trial mix, proposed job
mix, job mix, nominated job mix
Simplified to: trial mix, nominated mix, authorised mix
42
Mix design submission requirements
List of required submission inclusions amended for clarity of
expectations.
43
Mix design test frequencies
7 day compressive strength: minimum 5
7 day compressive strength: minimum 3
28 day compressive strength: minimum 5 + 10 (for relationship with
flexural strength)
28 day compressive strength: minimum 3
7 day flexural strength: minimum not stated
28 day flexural strength: minimum 10
7 day flexural strength: minimum 3
28 day flexural strength: minimum 3
28 day indirect tensile strength: minimum 3
28 day indirect tensile strength: minimum 3
44
Mix design testing: within 12 months of submission date
-
Concrete production
45
Mixer: must be batch mixer
Extended to 18 months before paving.
Can be mobile batch mixer, central batch mixer, or continuous
mixer.
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
46
Mixer uniformity testing for central batch mixer: interpretation of
results based on maximum permitted range of values (difference
between highest and lowest values).
Interpretation of results for central batch mixers amended to also
include coefficient of variation of compressive strength and mass
per unit volume (and also apply to continuous mixers).
47
Mobile batch mixers
New requirement: must belong to a fleet which is operating under a
mixer uniformity and compliance program.
48
Minimum mixing time
Amended requirements for minimum mixing time depending on
mixer type.
49
Retempering: maximum time between batching and retempering
for given concrete temperature:
Time limit extended to 40 minutes for all concrete temperatures.
≤ 15oC: 40 minutes
15 to 25oC: 30 minutes
> 25oC: 20 minutes
50
Retempering: minimum 90 seconds re-mixing time.
51
Maximum forming time
52
Remixing time amended to minimum 30 revolutions
90 minutes for agitator-delivered concrete
90 minutes for air temperature < 30oC
60 minutes for tipper-delivered concrete
60 minutes for air temperature ≥ 30oC
Consistence: time limit for testing based on concrete temperature:
Time limit extended to 40 minutes for all concrete temperatures.
≤ 15oC: 40 minutes
15 to 25oC: 30 minutes
> 25oC: 20 minutes
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
53
Process control charts:
7 and 28 day compressive strength, flexural strength, standard
deviation of 28 day compressive strength, concrete reference
density, relative compaction, percent passing 0.075 mm sieve
54
Lots with 5 or more cores: minimum characteristic value of 98.0%
56
Charting requirements updated for clarity. Charting required for 7
day compressive strength, 28 day flexural strength, cylinder unit
mass and % passing 0.075 mm sieve.
Relative compaction
Lots with less than 5 cores: minimum 98.0% every core
55
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
Minimum 98.0% applies. Conformance based on sublots, with
minimum one core per sublot (slipformed) and two cores per sublot
(fixed form). Frequency reduced to every third sublot for
conforming slipformed concrete. Requirements for location of
coring added. Testing for within core variability added.
Reinforcement
Location of mesh 75 mm from top with +/- 15 mm tolerance.
Location amended to 80 mm from top, and tolerance relaxed to +/20 mm.
Curing compound
Terminology updated to align with AS 3799.
Styrene butadiene resin (SBR) added as alternative
57
Temperature limit for placing concrete
No placement if concrete temperature outside the range 10 – 30oC
58
59
Upper limit extended to 32oC if diurnal air temperature changes are
less than 20oC
Vertical design level
Tolerance +/- 10 mm
Tolerance +20 mm/ - 5 mm
Roughness/surface evenness
Roughness categories updated. Diamond grinding requirements
and limits included.
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
60
Texturing of surface (tining)
Tining must be transverse.
61
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
Tining can be either transverse or longitudinal.
Sand patch texture depth (with hessian drag plus tining)
Transitions between straights and curves: 0.7 to 1.0 mm
Limits widened as follows:
Other areas: 0.5 to 0.8 mm
Transverse tining: 0.6 mm to 1.1 mm
Longitudinal tining: 0.6 mm to 1.0 mm
62
Silicone joint sealant
-
Steel fibre reinforced concrete
63
Fibre dose rate of 75 to 100 kg/m3
Dose rate based on fibre size and shape/anchorage performance
(can be as low as 55 kg/m3)
64
No maximum fibre length
Maximum fibre length of 50 mm
-
MRS40
65
Work items
Descriptions updated and simplified
66
Utilisation of a non-conforming lot at a reduced level of service
Introduced for non-conforming compressive strength, thickness,
roughness and flexural strength (SFRC).
67
Improved standard of surface evenness (roughness)
Additional payment (incentive) introduced for achievement of lower
roughness count.
68
Test Methods
Test methods from RMS R83 have been amended based generally
on the following priority order:
Requirements and test methods updated.
1. Australian standards where suitable
2. Qld (Q) test methods where available
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
3. RMS method
4. Other method (for example, ASTM etc)
-
Test frequencies
69
Cement:
Each property: 1 test per 1500 tonnes,
As per ATIC-SPEC-SP43, based on facility. For example, for
cement:
<5,000 t/week: 1 test/week
5,000-50,000 t/week: < 2 tests/week
>50,000 t/week: daily
70
Flyash
As per ATIC-SPEC-SP43.
Loss on ignition and fineness: 1 per tanker reduced to 1 per 10
tankers
Loss on ignition and fineness: 1 per 500 tonne, OR hourly
Other tests: monthly
Other tests: 1 test per 1500 tonnes
71
Slag
As per ATIC-SPEC-SP43.
1 test per 1500 tonnes
Fineness and total alkali content: 1 per 1000 tonnes, OR daily
Other tests: 3,000/20,000 tonne, OR monthly
72
Water
Test for impurities: 1 per 30,000 m3
73
Testing not required if from drinking water supply. Otherwise 1 test
at trial mix, then every 5000 m3 of concrete
Admixtures
1 test per batch
As per AS 1478.1
Item
Existing MRTS40/MRS40
74
Aggregates
Refer to Table 2
75
Proposed DRAFT MRTS40/MRS40
Refer to Table 2
Other tests
Refer to Table 3
Refer to Table 3
Table 2: Aggregate test frequencies
Normal frequency
Reduced Frequency
Existing MRTS40
Proposed MRTS40
Existing MRTS40
Proposed MRTS40
Bulk density
3 per 2000 t
in the trial mix
3 per 5000 t
N/A
% passing 0.075 mm
3 per 2000 t
1 per 5000 t
3 per 5000 t
1 per 10,000 t
% passing 0.002 mm
3 per 2000 t
N/A
3 per 5000 t
N/A
Particle shape
3 per 2000 t
1 per 10,000 t
3 per 5000 t
1 per 10,000 t
Flakiness index
3 per 2000 t
N/A
3 per 5000 t
N/A
Ratio AGD/ALD
N/A
1 per 10,000 t
N/A
1 per 10,000 t
Light particles
1 per 2000 t
1 per 20,000 t
1 per 5000 t
1 per 20,000 t
Weak particles
1 per 2000 t
1 per 20,000 t
1 per 5000 t
1 per 20,000 t
Fractured faces
1 per 2000 t
1 per 10,000 t (if required)
1 per 5000 t
1 per 10,000 t (if required)
Iron unsoundness
1 per 2000 t
N/A
1 per 5000 t
N/A
Falling or dusting
unsoundess
1 per 2000 t
N/A
1 per 5000 t
N/A
Foreign materials content
N/A
1 per 4,000 t (if required)
N/A
1 per 4,000 t (if required)
Water absorption and dry
particle density
As per Quarry Registration
System
in the trial mix/ trial mix
submission
As per Quarry Registration
System
N/A
Wet strength, wet/dry
strength variation,
degradation factor,
As per Quarry Registration
System
unchanged
As per Quarry Registration
System
unchanged
Coarse Aggregate
Normal frequency
Reduced Frequency
Existing MRTS40
Proposed MRTS40
Existing MRTS40
Proposed MRTS40
Water absorption and dry
particle density
As per Quarry Registration
System
in the trial mix/ trial mix
submission
As per Quarry Registration
System
N/A
Bulk density
3 per 2000 t
in the trial mix
3 per 5000 t
N/A
% passing 0.075 mm
3 per 2000 t
1 per 5000 t
3 per 5000 t
1 per 10,000 t
% passing 0.002 mm
3 per 2000 t
1 per 5000 t
3 per 5000 t
1 per 10,000 t
Organic impurities
3 per 2000 t
1 per 2000 t
3 per 5000 t
1 per 10,000 t
Sugar content
3 per 2000 t
1 per 5000 t
3 per 5000 t
1 per 5000 t
Iron unsoundness
1 per 2000 t
N/A
1 per 5000 t
N/A
Falling or dusting
unsoundess
1 per 2000 t
N/A
1 per 5000 t
N/A
Sodium sulfate soundness
N/A
Quarry registration system
N/A
Quarry registration system
Moisture content
3 per day per stockpile
Methyl Blue (MBV)
N/A
Quarry registration system
N/A
Quarry registration system
Acid insoluble residue
N/A
Trial mix submission
N/A
N/A
Micro-Deval abrasion loss
N/A
Trial mix (if required)
N/A
N/A
Flow cone time
N/A
1 per 10,000 t
N/A
1 per 10,000 t
petrographic analysis,
alkali-aggregate reactivity
Fine Aggregate
3 per day per stockpile
Normal frequency
Reduced Frequency
Existing MRTS40
Proposed MRTS40
Existing MRTS40
Proposed MRTS40
Alkali aggregate reactivity
N/A
Quarry registration system
N/A
Quarry registration system
Petrograpgic analysis
N/A
Quarry registration system
N/A
Quarry registration system
3 per 2000 tonnes
1 per 500 m3 (by
calculation)
3 per 5,000 t
1 per 2500 m3 (by
calculation)
Combined Aggregates
Particle size distribution
1 per 1500 m3 (wet-sieving)
1 per 1500 m3 (wet-sieving)
Table 3: Concrete production test frequencies
Normal frequency
Existing MRTS40
Reduced Frequency
Proposed MRTS40
Existing MRTS40
Proposed MRTS40
7 day compressive strength 10 per 800 m3
1 pair per sublot*
10 per work shift
1 pair per sublot*
28 day compressive
strength
10 per 800 m3
1 pair per sublot*
10 per work shift
1 pair per sublot*
7 day flexural strength
6 samples for 2 lots
N/A
N/A
N/A
28 day flexural strength
6 samples for 2 lots
1 set of 3 per sublot (first 3
sublots)*
6 samples every 10th lot
1 set of 3 per day/ per 400
m3
Shrinkage
1 per first 2 lots
N/A
1 per 10 lots
N/A
Air content
1 per load
1 per load
1 per 200 m3
1 per 200 m3
Chemical content
1 per 5000 m3
1 per 30,000 m3
1 per 10,000 m3
1 per 30,000 m3
Consistency (slump)
1 per first 8 loads
1 per first 8 loads (tipper)
1 per first 4 loads (mobile
mixer)
1 every 4th load
1 every 4th load (tipper)
1 per sublot* (slipformed)
1 per 100 m3 (min 2 and
max 20)
Relative compaction
1 per 100 m3 (min 2 and
max 20)
2 per sublot (fixed formed)
Every second batch
(mobile mixer)
1 every 2nd sublot/ or 1
every 3rd sublot*
(slipformed)
2 per sublot (fixed formed)
Other tests
refer to specification
refer to specification
* a sublot is up to 50 m3 (slipformed) and 30 m3 (fixed-formed)
refer to specification
refer to specification