Concrete quality management: a research study of the general contractor in South Africa

Abstract

This paper reports on a research project which was carried out in the Western Cape region of South Africa, on concrete quality management, with an emphasis on improving site quality management. The paper starts by defining terms associated with concrete quality management. It further discusses the most common concrete failures and defects. It reports on the questionnaire survey of randomly selected contract managers, site managers, and site supervisors. Based on the hypothesis that poor quality concrete is partly caused by poor workmanship which results from inadequate supervision, the paper analyses the findings of the questionnaires. The following aspects are covered in the analysis: soundness of construction management team, the need to have adequate planning and the understanding of project requirements, the use of contract documentation, the need for effective communication, and effective quality management procedures. Finally, the paper proposes that contractors should implement an appropriate quality management system to ensure that all the specified requirements of a project are met.