SITEMANAGEMENTANDGENERALEXCAVATION

SITECLEARANCE
Beforetheearthworkisstarted,the areacoming undercuttingandfillingshallbeclearedof
shrubs,rankvegetation,grass,brushwoodandtrees.
The rubbish removed up to a distance of 50 metres outside the periphery of the area under
clearance.
Therootsoftreesandsaplingsshallberemovedtoadepthof60cmbelowgroundlevelor30
cmbelowformationlevelwhicheverislower,andtheholesorhollowsfilledupwiththeearth,
rammedandlevelled.
Thetreesofgirthabove30cmmeasuredataheightofonemetreabovegroundshallbecut
onlyafterpermissionoftheEngineerinChargeisobtainedinwriting.
Existingstructuresandservicessuchasoldbuildings,culverts,fencing,watersupplypipelines,
sewers,powercables,communicationcables,drainagepipesetc.withinoradjacenttothearea
if required to be diverted/removed, shall be diverted/dismantled as per directions of the
EngineerinCharge.
In case of archaeological monuments within or adjacent to the area, the contractor shall
providenecessaryfencingallroundsuchmonumentsasperthedirectionsoftheEngineerin
Chargeandprotectthesameproperlyduringexecutionofworks.

CLASSIFICATIONOFSOILS
Theearthworkshallbeclassifiedunderthefollowingcategoriesandmeasuredseparatelyforeach
category:
(a) All kind of soils: Generally any strata, such as sand, gravel, loam, clay, mud, black cotton
moorum,etc.
(b)Ordinaryrock:Generallyanyrockwhichcanbeexcavatedbysplittingwithcrowbarsorpicksand
doesnotrequireblasting,wedgingorsimilarmeansforexcavationsuchaslimestone,sandstone,
hardlaterite,hardconglomerateandunreinforcedcementconcretebelowgroundlevel.
(c)Hardrock:Generallyanyrockorboulderfortheexcavationofwhichblastingisrequiredsuchas
quartzite, granite, basalt, reinforced cement concrete (reinforcement to be cut through but not
separatedfromconcrete)belowgroundlevel.
(d) Hard rock (blasting prohibited): Hard rock requiring blasting as described under (c) but where
theblastingisprohibitedforanyreasonandexcavationhastobecarriedoutbychiseling,wedging,
useofrockhammersandcuttersoranyotheragreedmethod.
PROTECTIONS
ExcavationwheredirectedbytheEngineerinChargeshallbesecurelybarricadedandprovided
withpropercautionsigns,conspicuouslydisplayedduringthedayandproperlyilluminatedwith
red lights and/or written using fluorescent reflective paint as directed by engineer in charge
duringthenighttoavoidaccident.
TheContractorshalltakeadequateprotectivemeasurestoseethattheexcavationoperations
do not damage the adjoining structures or dislocate the services. Water supply pipes, sluice
valve chambers, sewerage pipes, manholes, drainage pipes and chambers, communication
cables, power supply cables etc. met within the course of excavation shall be properly
supportedandadequatelyprotected,sothattheseservicesremainfunctional.However,ifany
serviceisdamagedduringexcavationshallberestoredinreasonabletime.

Excavation shall not be carried out below the foundation level of the adjacent buildings until
underpinning,shoringetc.isdoneasperthedirectionsoftheEngineerinCharge.

BRICKWORK
RecommendedTestforBricks
CompressiveStrength:Thebrickswhentestedinaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddownin
IS3495(Parts1to4)shallhaveaminimumaveragecompressivestrengthof7N/mm2onnetarea.
The compressive strength of any individual brick tested shall not fall below the minimum
compressivestrengthspecifiedforthecorrespondingclassofbricks.Thelotshallthenbechecked
fornextlowerclassofbrick.

WaterAbsorption:ThebrickswhentestedinaccordancewiththeprocedurelaiddowninIS
3495(parts1to4):afterimmersionincoldwaterfor24hourswaterabsorptionshallnotbemore
than20percentbyweight.

BrickMasonryWork

SoakingofBricks
Bricksshallbesoakedinwaterbeforeuseforaperiodforthewatertojustpenetratethewhole
depth of the bricks. Alternatively bricks may be adequately soaked in stacks by profusely
sprayingwithcleanwateratregularintervalsforaperiodnotlessthansixhours.
Thebricksrequiredformasonryworkusingmudmortarshallnotbesoaked.
Whenthebricksaresoakedtheyshallberemovedfromthetanksufficientlyearlysothatatthe
timeoflayingtheyareskindry.
Suchsoaked bricksshallbestackedonacleanplacewheretheyarenotagainspoiledbydirt
earthetc.
LayingofBrick
FullbrickwallsshallbelaidinEnglishBondunlessotherwisespecified.
Incaseofhalfbrickwall,bricksshallbelaidinstretcherbond.
Headerbondshallalsobeusedinfoundation.
Topcoursesofallplinths,parapets,stepsandtopofwallsbelowfloorandroofslabsshallbe
laidwithbrickonedge,unlessspecifiedotherwise.
Bricksshallbelaidwithfrog(whereprovided)up.However,whentopcourseisexposed,bricks
shallbelaidwithfrogdown.Forthebrickstobelaidwithfrogdown,thefrogshallbefilledwith
mortarbeforeplacingthebrickinposition.

AlignmentofWall
Allcoursesshallbelaidtrulyhorizontalandallverticaljointsshallbetrulyvertical.Quoin,Jambsand
other angles shall be properly plumbed as the work proceeds. Care shall be taken to keep the
alignmentwithinfollowingmaximumpermissibletolerances:
(a)Deviationfromverticalwithinastoreyshallnotexceed6mmper3mheight.

(b)Deviationinverticalityintotalheightofanywallofbuildingmorethanonestoreyinheightshall
notexceed12.5mm.
(c)Deviationfrompositionshownonplanofanybrickworkshallnotexceed12.5mm.
(d)Asetoftoolscomprisingofwoodenstraightedge,masonicspiritlevels,square,1metreruleline
andplumbshallbekeptonthesiteofworkforevery3masonsforpropercheckduringtheprogress
ofwork.

JoiningBrickWork
Theoldworkshallbetoothedtothefullwidthofthenewwallandtothedepthofaquarterofbrick
inalternatecourses.Joiningofoldbrickworkwiththenewbrickworkshallbedoneinsuchaway
thatthereshallnotbeanyhumporprojectionatthejoint.

Curing
Thebrickworkshallbeconstantlykeptmoistonallfacesforaminimumperiodofsevendays.Brick
workdoneduringthedayshallbesuitablymarkedindicatingthedateonwhichtheworkisdoneso
astokeepawatchonthecuringperiod.

Reinforcedbrickmasonry
Brick work strengthened by introduction of mild steel flats, hoop iron, expanded mesh or bars is
termed asreinforced brick masonry. Thisreinforced brick masonryis capable of resisting both
compressive as well as tensile and shear stress. On account of its ability to resist lateral
forces,reinforcedbrickmasonryisextensivelyusedinseismicareas.Itisessentialtousefirstclass
bricksandrichanddensecementmortarinthereinforcedbrickwork.Thereinforcementshouldbe
effectivelybeddedandsurroundedwithmortarcoverof15to25cm.Thisisnecessarytoprotectthe
reinforcementagainstcorrosion.
Asamatterofpracticehalfbrickwallsareinvariablyreinforcedbyproviding6to8mmdiabarsor
hoopiron(lessthan8mminthickness)ateverythirdorfourthcourse.Reinforcedbrickmasonryis
frequentlyadoptedfortheconstructionofretainingwallsespeciallyinplaceswhereexposedbrick
workisnecessaryfromarchitecturalconsiderations.Itisseenthatreinforcedbrickretainingwallup
to4mheightworksouttobecheaperascomparedwithR.C.C.retainingwalls.Suchawallismade
byusingspecialbricks(havinggroovesforaccommodatingreinforcingbars)incementmortar1:3
andreinforcedwithverticalMSroundsplacedneareachface.Horizontalreinforcementintheform
ofsteelmeshedstripsarealsoprovidedateverythirdorfourthcourse.
Vertical reinforcement in the form of bars (MS or high strength deformed bars or thermo
mechanically treated bars as per direction of EngineerinCharge), considered necessary at the
cornersandjunctionofwallsandjambopeningdoors,windowsetc.shallbeencasedwithcement
mortar not leaner than 1:4 (1 cement : 4 coarse sand), or cement concrete mix as specified. The
reinforcementshallbesuitablytied,properlyembeddedinthefoundationandatrooflevel.Thedia.
ofbarsshallnotbelessthan8mmandconcretegradeshallbeminimum1:3:6(1cement:3coarse
sand:6gradedstoneaggregate20mmnominalsize).