GENERAL STRUCTURAL NOTES

PART I: DESIGN CRITERIA

1. CODES & STANDARDS
1.1 GOVERNING CODES:
ACI 318-14 BUILDING CODE REQUIREMENT FOR REINFORCED
CONCRETE, AMERICAN INSTITUTE
AISC 9TH EDITION MANUAL OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION, ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN,
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF STEEL CONSTRUCTION
NSCP 7TH EDITION NATIONAL STRUCTURAL CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES 2015 VOLUME I
UBC 1997 EDITION UNIFORM BUILDING CODE
1.2 GOVERNING STANDARDS:
ASTM A36 STRUCTURAL STEEL
ASTM 615/PN 49 SPECIFICATION FO STEEL BARS FOR CONCRETE REINFORCEMENT
ASTM C33/PNS 18 STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS FOR CONCRETE AGGREGATES
ASTM C39 STANDARD TEST METHOD FOR COMPRESSIVE STRENGHT OF
CYLINDRICAL CONCRETE SPECIMENS
ASTM C150/PNS 07 STANDARD SPECIFICATION FOR PORTLAND CEMENT
PNS 16 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD FOR CONCRETE HOLLOW BLOCKS
PART II: CONSTRUCTION NOTES
GENERAL
1. THE STRUCTURAL DRAWINGS SHALL BE USED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE SPECIFICATIONS,
THE ARCHITECTURAL, MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL AND CIVIL DRAWINGS.
2. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL VERIFY ALL DIMENSIONS AND CONDITIONS AT THE SITE, AND SHALL
NOTIFY THE ENGINEER OF DISCREPANCIES BETWWEN ACTUAL CONDITIONS AND
INFORMATION SHOWN ON THE DRAWINGS BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THE WORK. ALL
FIGURED DIMENSIONS SHALL TAKE PRECEDENCE OVER SCALE SHOWN ON PLANS, DRAWINGS.
3. SECTIONS OR DETAILS, SPECIFIC NOTES AND DETAILS ON DRAWINGS SHALL TAKE PRECEDENCE
OVER GENERAL NOTES AND TYPICAL DETAILS.
4. THE CONTRACT STRUCTURAL DRAWINGS AND SPECIFICATIONS REPRESENT THE FINISHED
STRUCTURES. THEY DO NOT INDICATE THE METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION UNLESS SO STATED.
THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE ALL NECESSARRY MEASURES TO PROTECT THE STRUCTURES,
ADJACENT PROPERTIES, WORKMEN AND OTHER PERSONS DURING ALL PHASES OF
CONSTRUCTION.
 5. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THE OWNER AND/OR THE ENGINEER OF ANY
CONDITION WHICH IN HIS OPINION MIGHT ENDANGER THE STABILITY OF THE STRUCTURE OR
CAUSE DISTRESS IN THE STRUCTURE.
6. CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS SHALL NOT BE STORED ON POURED FLOORS. IT IS THE GENERAL
CONTRACTORS RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE SUB-CONTRACTORS RESPONSIBILITY TO
ENSURE THAHT THE SUB-CONTRACTORS ARE INFORMED AND DO NOT VIOLATE THIS
REQUIREMENT.
7. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE TEMPORARY ERECTION BRACING AND SHORING FOR ALL
STRUCTURAL MEMBERS AS REQUIRED FOR THE STRUCTURE STABILITY DURING ALL PHASES OF
CONSTRUCTION.
8. THE CONTRACTOR SHALL TAKE ALL STEPS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE ALIGNEMENT OF THE
STRUCTURES DURING AND AFTER THE INSTALLATION OF ALL STRUCTURAL AND FINISH
MATERIAL.
9. GENERAL NOTES AND TYPICAL DETAILS APPLY TO ALL DRAWINGS UNLESS OTHERWIS SHOWN
OR NOTED.
10. ALL DIMENSIONS ARE IN MILLIMETERS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
11. ALL BAR DIAMETERS AND SPACING ARE IN MILLIMETERS UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.
12. ALL FOUNDATIONS SHALL REST ON 50 THL GRAVEL BEDDINGS AND OR 50 THK LEAN CONCRETE
UNLESS OTHERWISE SHOWN OR NOTED.

NORMAL WEIGHT OF CONCRETE

1. CONCRETE USED IN STRUCTURAL WORK SHALL HAVE A MINIMUM COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH
AT 28 DAYS OF 24.13 MPa (3500 PSI) EXCEPT FOR CHB FILLERS WHICH ARE 13.79 MPa (2000
PSI).
2. ALL CONCRETE SHALL BE DEPOSITED, VIBRATED AND CURED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACI
STANDARD 318-1989.
3. MINIMUM CLEAR CONCRETE COVER FOR ALL REINFORCINF BARS SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS.

FOOTING AND BOTTOM FOOTING OF A BEAM 75 mm

(CAST AGAINTS EARTH)
SIDES OF FOOTING TIE BEAMS 40 mm
(CAST AGAINTS FORMS)
BEAMS AND COLUMNS 40 mm
SLABS AND WALLS 20 mm
BOTTOM SLABS AND WALLS 40 mm
(INSIDE SURFACE OF WATER RETAINING STRUCTURES)

4. BEFORE CONCRETE IS POURED, CHECK WITH ALL TRADES TO ENSURE PROPER PLACEMENT
OF ALL OPENINGS, SLEEVES, CURBS, CONDUITS, ETC. RELATIVE TO WORK.
5. WHEN CONCRETE WILL BE EXPOSED TO EXTERNAL SOURCES OF CHLORIDES IN SERVICES,
SUCH AS DEICING SALTS, BLACKISH WATER, SEAWATER OR SPRAY FROM THESE SOURCES,
CONCRETE MUST BE PROPORTIONED TO SATISFY THE SPECIAL REQUIREMENT OF ACI 318-
99.
6. ALL CONCRETE SHALL BE KEPT MOIST FOR MINIMUM OF 7 CONSECUTIVE DAYS
IMMEDIATELY AFTER POURING BY THE USE BURPLAP, FOG SPRAYING OR OTHER APPROVED
METHODS.
 7. STRIPPING FORMS AND SHORES SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS:
7.1 FOUNDATION 1 DAY
7.2 COLUMNS & WALLS 3 DAYS
7.3 BEAMS & GIRDERS 28 DAYS
7.4 SLABS 28 DAYS
REINFORCING BARS
1. UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED ON PLANS, ALL REINFORCING BARS SHALL BE DEFORMED WITH A
MINIMUM YIELD STRENTH, fy = 230 MPa (30,000 PSI) GRADE 33 FOR 10mm Ø AND BELOW; fy =
275 MPa (40,000 PSI) GRADE 40 FOR 12mm Ø, 16mm Ø AND 20mm Ø; AND fy = 414 MPa
(60,000 PSI) GRADE 60 FOR 25mm Ø ABOVE.
2. REINFORCING BARS SHALL BE FREE OF RUST, GREASE OR OTHER MATERIALS LIKELY TO IMPAIR
BOND.
3. ALL REINFORCING BARS SHALL BE ACCURATELY AND SECURELY PLACED BEFORED POURING
CONCRETE OR APPLYING MORTAR OR GROUT.
4. LAP SLICES SHALL BE STAGGERED.
5. UNLESS OTHERWISE SHOWN IN PLANS, SPLICES SHALL BE AS FOLLOWS:
A. BEAMS AND FOOTING BEAMS:
TOP & BOTTOM SHALL NOT BE SPLICED WITHIN THE COLUMNS OR WITH A DISTANCE PF TWICE
THE MEMBER DEPTH FROM THE FACE OF THE COLUMN; ATLEAST 2 STIRRUPS TIES SHALL BE
PROVIDED AT AL SPLICES.
B. COLUMNS:
SPLICES WHEN PERMITTED SHALL BE MADE WITHIN THE CENTER HALF OF COLUMN HEIGHT,
AND LAP SLICES SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN 40 BAR DIAMETER. THE USED OF APPROVED
MECHANICAL DEVICES MAY BE PERMITTED PROVIDED THAT NOT MORE THAN 50% OF
ALTERNATE BARS ARE SPLICED AT ANY LEVEL AND THE MINIMUM VERTICAL DISTANCE
BETWEEN TWO ADJACENT BAR SPLICES SHALL BE 600mm.
C. CHB WALLS
VERTICAL BARS SHALL BE SPLICED AT THE TOP WALL FOOTING OR TIE BEAM AND THE BOTTOM
OF RC LINTEL BEAM OR BEAMS. SPLICED LENTGH SHALL BE 600mm MINIMUM.
6. UNLESS INDICATED OTHERWISE, ALL BEAMS TERMINATING AT THE COLUMN SHALL HAVE TOP
AND BOTTOM BARS EXTENDING TO THE FAR FACE OF THE COLUMNS, TERMINATING IN A 90°
HOOK LENGTH OF ANCHORAGE NOT LESS THAN 600.
7. SPECIAL TIES/TRANSVERSE HOOP REINFORCEMENT SHALL BE PROVIDED WITHIN THE BEAM-
COLUMN JOINT.
8. DOWEL BARS SHALL NEVER BE BENT DURING CONCRETE POURING OPERATION AND
STRAIHTENED UP DURING REMOVAL OF FORM IN PREPARATION FOR CHB WORKS.
MASONRY: CONCRETE HOLLOW BLOCKS (CHB)
1. CHB USED IN THESE WORKS SHALL HABE A MINIMUM ULTIMATE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH AT
28 DAYS AS FOLLOWS:
100mm THK LOAD BEARING CHB, f’m = 6.90 MPa (1000 PSI)
150mm THK LOAD BEARING CHB, f’m = 6.90 MPa (1000 PSI)
2. ALL CELLS SHALL BE SOLIDLY FILLED WITH CONCRETE GROUT.
 3. ALL CONCRETE HOLLOW BLOCKS MASONRY WALLS SHALL BE LAID IN RUNNING BOND
(INTERLOCKING COURSE) WITH FULL MORTAR BEDDING, STACK BOND SHALL BE USED ONLY
WHEN SPECIFIED.
4. UNLESS INDICATED OTHERWISE, CHB REINFORCEMENT SHALL BE 10mm Ø HORIZONTAL BARS @
EVERY 3 LAYERS OF CHB AND 10mm Ø VERTICAL BARS @ 600mm O.C.
5. GROUT MASONRY IN 2400mm MAXIMUM LIFTS, REINFORCEMENT BARS SHALL BE SECURED
AGAINTS DISCPLACEMENT PRIOR TO GROUTING BY WIRE POSITIONERS AT INTERVALS NOT
EXCEEDING 200 BAR DIAMETER NOR 300mm.
6. IF WORKED WILL BE STOPPED FOR (1) HOUR OR LONGER, PROVIDE HORIZONTAL
CONSTRUCTION JOINTS BY STOPPING THE GROUT 50mm BELOW THE TOP OF THE BLOCK.
CONSTRUCTION JOINTS
1. CONSTRUCTION JOINTS NOT INDICATED ON PLANS SHALL BE MADE SO AS TO LEAST IMPAIR THE
STRENGTH OF THE STRUCTURE AND SHALL BE SUBJECT TO APPROVAL OF THE ENGINEER.
2. UNLESS SHOWN OTHERWISE, SLAB ON GRADE SHALL HAVE CONTROL JOINTS AT 600mm
MAXIMUM CENTER TO CENTER.
NOTES ON BEAMS AND GIRDERS
1. UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED IN PLANS OR SPECIFICATIONS, CAMBER ALL BEAMS AND GIRDERS
ATLEAST 10mm FOR EVERY 4000mm OF SPAN; EXCEPT CANTILEVERS FOR WHICH THE CAMBERS
SHALL BE AS NOTED IN THE PLANS AS ORDERED BY THE DESIGNERS, BUT IN NI CASE SHALL IT BE
LESS THAN 50mm FOR EVERY 3000mm OF FREE SPAN.
2. IF THERE ARE TWO OR MORE LATERS OF REINFORCING BARS, USE SEPERATORS OF SIZE NOT
LESS THAN 25mm BARS SPACED ABOUT 1000mm ON CENTERS AND PLACED DIAGONALLY. IN NO
CASE SHALL BE THERE BE LESS THAN (2) TWO SEPERATORS BETWEEN LAYERS OF BARS.
3. WHEN AN INTERMEDIATE BEAM CROSSES A GIRDER, REST INTERMEDIATE BARS ON TOP OF THE
GIRDER BARS. REINFORCING SHALL BE SYMMETRICAL ABOUT THE CENTER LINE WHENEVER
POSSIBLE. UPPER LAYER SHALL BE PLACED DIRECTLY ABOVE THOSE IN THE BOTTOM LAYER.
SPACING OF BARS IN LAYER SHALL NOT BE LESS THAN 25mm NOR ONE BAR DIAMETER.
FOUNDATION:
1. FOUNDATION IS DESIGNED ON ALLOWABLE SOIL BEARING CAPACITY OF 137 KPa AS PER SOIL
TEST REPORT BY KIP STEADFAST GROUND INC. CONFIRMATION OF ACTUAL SOIL BEARING
CAPACITY SHALL BE DONE BY THE SOIL ENGINEER WHO CONDUCTED THE SOIL TEST PRIOR TO
THE CONSTRUCTION OF FOUNDATION. INCREASE IN FOUNDATION SIZE SHALL BE DONE WHEN
ACTUAL SOIL BEARING CAPACITY, CONFIRMED DURING EXCAVATION, WARRANTS REVISION OF
FOUNDATION SIZES.
2. THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER-OF-RECORD, UPON NOTIFICATION, SHALL CONDUCT A THOROUGH
INSPECTION OF THE FOUNDATION WORKS AFTER COMPLETION OF EXCAVATION FOR FOOTINGS
AND WHEN REQUIRED REINFORCING STEEL IS IN PLACE. FORM WORKS SHALL BE IN PLACE
PRIOR TO INSPECTION. CONCRETE POURING OF THE FOUNDATION SYSTEM SHALL NOR BE
ALLOWED WITHOUT FIRST OBTAINING WRITTEN APPROVAL FROM THE STRUCTURAL ENGINEER-
OF-RECORD.
3. ALL FOOTING SHALL REST ON 50mm THK GRAVEL BEDDING OR 50mm THK LEAN CONCRETE.
4. ALL FILL AND BACKFILL MATERIALS SHALL BE COMPACTED IN LIFTS NOT EXCEEDING 200mm
THK. FILL AND BACKFILLINF MATERIALS SHALL BE COMPOSED OF GRANULAR MATERIALS (LESS
 THAN 7% FINES) COMPACTED TO MINIMUM 95% MDD BASED ON ASTM D-698 WITH THE
QUALITY OF COMPACTION STRICTLY MONITORED BY FIELD DENSITY TESTS (ASTM D-1556).
MATERIAL SPECIFICATIONS:
CONCRETE:
f’c = 20.68 MPa (3000 PSI) COLUMNS BEAMS, SLABS,
FOUNDATION/FOOTING, PEDESTAL
COLUMNS, GRADE BEAMS,
RETAINING WALL, STAIRS, SLAB ON
FILL & OTHERS.
f’c = 20.68 MPa (3000 PSI) SLAB ON FILL OUTSIDE BUILDING
f’c = 13.79 MPa (2000 PSI) CHB INFILL
f’c = 6.895 MPa (1000 PSI) LEAN CONCRETE
STEEL REBAR:
fy = 414 MPa (60,000 PSI) GRADE 60 FOR 25mm Ø AND LARGER
fy = 276 MPa (40,000 PSI) GRADE 40 FOR 12mm Ø, 16mm Ø AND 20mm Ø
fy = 230 MPa (33,000 PSI) GRADE 33 FOR 10mm Ø AND SMALLER
STRUCTURAL STEEL SECTION/FLAT PLATES:
fy = 248 MPa (36,000 PSI) A36
ELECTRODES: E70XX