Project Name:

Client:
Location:
Prepared By:
Date:

Category Property
Cement Type
Cement Specific Gravity
Initial Setting
Cement Time
Fineness
Cement Coarse
(Blaine)
Aggregates Aggregate -
Maximum Size
Aggregate -
Aggregates Fine Aggregate
Water
Aggregates - Fineness
Modulus
Water pH Value
Chloride
Water Cement
Content
Cement Content
Water-Cement
(Moderate
Concrete Ratio
(Moderate
Slump
Concrete
(Foundations)
Compressive
Concrete Strength (Class
C30/37)
Trial Mixes
Mix Design
Required
Mix Design Maximum Fly
Maximum
Ash Content
Environmental Conditions Ambient
Temperature
Curing Period
Environmental Conditions for Concreting
(Normal
Minimum
Conditions)
Additional Requirements Cover (Slabs
Maximum
and Walls)
Crack Width
Additional Requirements
(Normal
Structures)
Helwan Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion
Cairo Water Authority
Helwan, Cairo, Egypt
Khaled Ahmed
May 24, 2025

Standard
ECP 203/2020
ASTM C188
ASTM C191
ASTM C204
ECP 203/2020
ASTM C127
ASTM C136
ASTM D1293
BS EN 1008
ECP 203/2020
ECP 203/2020
ASTM C143
ECP 203/2020
ECP 203/2020
ASTM C618
ACI 305R
ECP 203/2020
ECP 203/2020
ECP 203/2020
 Requirement
Portland Cement Type I, II, or V
3.15 ± 0.10
≥ 45
≥ 280
20-40
≤ 2.5
2.3-3.1
6.0-8.5
≤ 500
300
0.50
75-125
≥ 37
≥3
25
35
≥7
25
0.3
 TEC

Unit Project Value

- Portland Cement Type
II
- 3.14
minutes 60
m²/kg 310
mm 25
% 1.8
- 2.7
- 7.2
mg/L 320
kg/m³ 320
- 0.48
mm 100
MPa 38
mixes 4
% 20
°C 32
days 10
mm 30
mm 0.25
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS - CONCRETE WORKS

CONCRETE TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

 Notes
Type depends on exposure conditions
For mix design calculations
Not less than 45 minutes
Specific surface area
Depends on structural element
Maximum absorption by weight
Acceptable range
Acceptable range
For reinforced concrete
For moderate exposure conditions
For moderate exposure conditions
For foundations and substructures
Characteristic cylinder strength at 28 days
Minimum number of trial mixes
Of total cementitious materials
Without special precautions
Minimum curing period
For moderate exposure conditions
For normal structures
Category Property Standard
Cement Type ECP 203/2020
Cement Specific Gravity ASTM C188
Cement Initial Setting Time ASTM C191
Cement Final Setting Time ASTM C191
Cement Fineness (Blaine) ASTM C204
Cement Soundness (Le Chatelier) ASTM C151
Cement Compressive Strength (3 days) ASTM C109
Cement Compressive Strength (7 days) ASTM C109
Cement Compressive Strength (28 days) ASTM C109
Cement C3A Content (Type V) ASTM C150
Cement Alkali Content (Na2O equivalent) ASTM C114
Aggregates Coarse Aggregate - Maximum Size ECP 203/2020
Aggregates Coarse Aggregate - Specific Gravity ASTM C127
Aggregates Coarse Aggregate - Water Absorption ASTM C127
Aggregates Coarse Aggregate - Los Angeles Abrasion ASTM C131
Aggregates Coarse Aggregate - Flakiness Index BS 812
Aggregates Coarse Aggregate - Elongation Index BS 812
Aggregates Fine Aggregate - Fineness Modulus ASTM C136
Aggregates Fine Aggregate - Specific Gravity ASTM C128
Aggregates Fine Aggregate - Water Absorption ASTM C128
Aggregates Fine Aggregate - Clay and Fine Silt ASTM C117
Aggregates Aggregate - Chloride Content BS 812
Aggregates Aggregate - Sulfate Content BS 812
Aggregates Aggregate - Alkali-Silica Reactivity ASTM C1260
Water pH Value ASTM D1293
Water Chloride Content BS EN 1008
Water Sulfate Content BS EN 1008
Water Total Dissolved Solids ASTM D5907
Water Organic Matter ASTM D4129
Concrete Minimum Cement Content (Moderate Exposure) ECP 203/2020
Concrete Minimum Cement Content (Severe Exposure) ECP 203/2020
Concrete Maximum Cement Content ECP 203/2020
Concrete Maximum Water-Cement Ratio (Moderate Exposure) ECP 203/2020
Concrete Maximum Water-Cement Ratio (Severe Exposure) ECP 203/2020
Concrete Maximum Water-Cement Ratio (Very Severe Exposure) ECP 203/2020
Concrete Slump (Foundations) ASTM C143
Concrete Slump (Beams and Slabs) ASTM C143
Concrete Slump (Columns) ASTM C143
Concrete Slump (Walls) ASTM C143
Concrete Air Content (Non-Air-Entrained) ASTM C231
Concrete Compressive Strength (Class C25/30) ECP 203/2020
Concrete Compressive Strength (Class C30/37) ECP 203/2020
Concrete Compressive Strength (Class C35/45) ECP 203/2020
Concrete Compressive Strength (Class C40/50) ECP 203/2020
Concrete Flexural Strength ASTM C78
Concrete Splitting Tensile Strength ASTM C496
Concrete Static Modulus of Elasticity ASTM C469
Concrete Drying Shrinkage ASTM C157
Concrete Rapid Chloride Permeability ASTM C1202
Concrete Water Penetration Depth EN 12390-8
Mix Design Trial Mixes Required ECP 203/2020
Mix Design Age of Test for Acceptance ECP 203/2020
Mix Design Minimum Number of Test Cylinders ECP 203/2020
Mix Design Required Average Strength (fcr) ACI 318
Mix Design Maximum Aggregate Size Limitation ECP 203/2020
Mix Design Maximum Aggregate Size Limitation (Slabs) ECP 203/2020
Mix Design Minimum Cementitious Materials (Moderate Exposure) ECP 203/2020
Mix Design Minimum Cementitious Materials (Severe Exposure) ECP 203/2020
 Mix Design Maximum Fly Ash Content ASTM C618
Mix Design Maximum GGBS Content EN 15167
Mix Design Maximum Silica Fume Content ASTM C1240
Environmental Conditions Maximum Ambient Temperature for Concreting ACI 305R
Environmental Conditions Minimum Ambient Temperature for Concreting ACI 306R
Environmental Conditions Maximum Concrete Temperature at Delivery ASTM C1064
Environmental Conditions Minimum Concrete Temperature at Delivery ASTM C1064
Environmental Conditions Maximum Wind Speed for Concreting ACI 305R
Environmental Conditions Minimum Relative Humidity ACI 305R
Environmental Conditions Curing Period (Normal Conditions) ECP 203/2020
Environmental Conditions Curing Period (Hot Weather) ACI 305R
Environmental Conditions Maximum Temperature Differential ACI 301
Additional Requirements Minimum Cover (Slabs and Walls) ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Minimum Cover (Beams and Columns) ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Minimum Cover (Foundations) ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Maximum Crack Width (Water-Retaining Structures) ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Maximum Crack Width (Normal Structures) ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Minimum Lap Splice Length ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Maximum Aggregate Size for Pumped Concrete ACI 304.2R
Additional Requirements Minimum Reinforcement Ratio (Beams) ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Minimum Reinforcement Ratio (Slabs) ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Minimum Reinforcement Ratio (Columns) ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Maximum Reinforcement Ratio (Columns) ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Minimum Stirrup Spacing ECP 203/2020
Additional Requirements Maximum Stirrup Spacing ECP 203/2020
 Requirement Unit Notes
Portland Cement Type I, II, or V - Type depends on exposure conditions
3.15 ± 0.10 - For mix design calculations
≥ 45 minutes Not less than 45 minutes
≤ 375 minutes Not more than 6 hours and 15 minutes
≥ 280 m²/kg Specific surface area
≤ 10 mm Maximum expansion
≥ 12 MPa Minimum strength at 3 days
≥ 19 MPa Minimum strength at 7 days
≥ 28 MPa Minimum strength at 28 days
≤5 % For sulfate resistance
≤ 0.6 % For ASR mitigation
20-40 mm Depends on structural element
2.5-2.8 - For mix design calculations
≤ 2.5 % Maximum absorption by weight
≤ 40 % Maximum loss percentage
≤ 35 % Maximum percentage
≤ 35 % Maximum percentage
2.3-3.1 - Acceptable range
2.5-2.8 - For mix design calculations
≤ 3.0 % Maximum absorption by weight
≤ 3.0 % Maximum percentage by weight
≤ 0.03 % For reinforced concrete
≤ 0.4 % Maximum percentage by weight
< 0.1 % Maximum expansion at 14 days
6.0-8.5 - Acceptable range
≤ 500 mg/L For reinforced concrete
≤ 2000 mg/L Maximum concentration
≤ 2000 mg/L Maximum concentration
≤ 200 mg/L Maximum concentration
 300 kg/m³ For moderate exposure conditions
350 kg/m³ For severe exposure conditions
450 kg/m³ To control shrinkage
0.50 - For moderate exposure conditions
0.45 - For severe exposure conditions
0.40 - For very severe exposure conditions
75-125 mm For foundations and substructures
75-100 mm For beams and slabs
50-100 mm For columns
50-125 mm For walls
≤ 3.0 % Maximum for non-air-entrained concrete
≥ 30 MPa Characteristic cylinder strength at 28 days
≥ 37 MPa Characteristic cylinder strength at 28 days
≥ 45 MPa Characteristic cylinder strength at 28 days
≥ 50 MPa Characteristic cylinder strength at 28 days
≥ 3.5 MPa Minimum for pavements and slabs on ground
≥ 2.5 MPa Minimum at 28 days
22000-36000 MPa Depends on concrete strength
≤ 0.05 % Maximum at 28 days
≤ 2500 Coulombs For moderate exposure conditions
≤ 30 mm Maximum penetration depth
≥3 mixes Minimum number of trial mixes
28 days Standard curing period
3 cylinders Per test age
fc' + 8.3 MPa When data is not available
≤ 0.25 ratio Of narrowest dimension between forms
≤ 0.33 ratio Of slab thickness
300 kg/m³ For moderate exposure conditions
350 kg/m³ For severe exposure conditions
 25 % Of total cementitious materials
50 % Of total cementitious materials
10 % Of total cementitious materials
35 °C Without special precautions
5 °C Without special precautions
32 °C For normal conditions
10 °C For normal conditions
25 km/h Without special precautions
≥ 40 % To prevent rapid drying
≥7 days Minimum curing period
≥ 10 days Minimum curing period in hot weather
≤ 20 °C To prevent thermal cracking
25 mm For moderate exposure conditions
40 mm For moderate exposure conditions
75 mm For concrete cast against earth
0.2 mm For water-retaining structures
0.3 mm For normal structures
40 bar diameters For tension reinforcement
≤ 0.33 ratio Of smallest pump line diameter
≥ 0.0013 ratio Minimum flexural reinforcement
≥ 0.0018 ratio For temperature and shrinkage
≥ 0.01 ratio Of gross section area
≤ 0.08 ratio Of gross section area
≥ 100 mm For beams and columns
≤ 300 mm For beams and columns
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THIS TECHNICAL SPECIFI
1.
2.
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 INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THIS TECHNICAL SPECIFICAT
This Excel file is designed to help you track and verify concrete technical specifications for your project.
The main 'Technical Notes' sheet contains a table where you can select specifications and enter project values.
To use the sheet:
a. Select a Category from the dropdown list in column A.
b. Select a Property from the dropdown list in column B (this will be filtered based on your Category selection).
c. The Standard, Requirement, Unit, and Notes will be automatically populated using VLOOKUP.
d. Enter your Project Value in column F.
e. The Status column will automatically indicate whether your value is Compliant or Non-Compliant.
The 'Database' sheet contains all the technical specifications from various standards including:
• Egyptian Code of Practice (ECP 203/2020)
• American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
• American Concrete Institute (ACI)
• British Standards (BS)
• European Standards (EN)
You can add more specifications to the Database sheet if needed, and they will be available in the main sheet.
The Status column uses conditional formatting to show:
• Green for Compliant values
• Red for Non-Compliant values
For numerical ranges and inequalities (e.g., ≤ 0.50, ≥ 300, 75-125), the system will automatically check if your value falls within the acceptable range.
The 'References' sheet contains links to the standards referenced in this document.
This file was prepared by Khaled Ahmed for the Helwan Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion project.
 Standard
ECP 203/2020
ASTM C31
ASTM C33
ASTM C39
ASTM C94
ASTM C143
ASTM C150
ASTM C171
ASTM C231
ASTM C494
ASTM C618
ACI 301
ACI 304R
ACI 305R
ACI 306R
ACI 308R
ACI 318
BS 8500
BS EN 206
EN 1992-1-1
 Title
Egyptian Code of Practice for Design and Construction of Reinforced Concrete Structures
Standard Practice for Making and Curing Concrete Test Specimens in the Field
Standard Specification for Concrete Aggregates
Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical Concrete Specimens
Standard Specification for Ready-Mixed Concrete
Standard Test Method for Slump of Hydraulic-Cement Concrete
Standard Specification for Portland Cement
Standard Specification for Sheet Materials for Curing Concrete
Standard Test Method for Air Content of Freshly Mixed Concrete by the Pressure Method
Standard Specification for Chemical Admixtures for Concrete
Standard Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined Natural Pozzolan for Use in Concrete
Specifications for Structural Concrete
Guide for Measuring, Mixing, Transporting, and Placing Concrete
Guide to Hot Weather Concreting
Guide to Cold Weather Concreting
Guide to Curing Concrete
Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete
Concrete - Complementary British Standard to BS EN 206
Concrete - Specification, performance, production and conformity
Eurocode 2: Design of concrete structures - Part 1-1: General rules and rules for buildings
 REFERENCES AND STANDARDS
Organization
Housing and Building National Research Center, Egypt
ASTM International
ASTM International
ASTM International
ASTM International
ASTM International
ASTM International
ASTM International
ASTM International
ASTM International
ASTM International
American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Institute
American Concrete Institute
British Standards Institution
British Standards Institution
European Committee for Standardization
RDS
Description
The primary code governing concrete design and construction in Egypt.
Covers procedures for making and curing test specimens of concrete in the field.
Defines requirements for grading and quality of fine and coarse aggregate for use in concrete.
Covers determination of compressive strength of cylindrical concrete specimens.
Covers ready-mixed concrete manufactured and delivered to a purchaser in a freshly mixed state.
Covers determination of slump of hydraulic-cement concrete.
Covers eight types of portland cement.
Covers materials in sheet form used for covering concrete surfaces to retain water for curing.
Covers determination of the air content of freshly mixed concrete.
Covers materials for use as chemical admixtures to be added to concrete mixtures.
Covers coal fly ash and raw or calcined natural pozzolan for use as a mineral admixture in concrete.
Provides requirements for concrete construction.
Describes practices for transporting concrete from the mixer to the forms.
Defines hot weather conditions and covers precautions for concrete work in hot weather.
Describes practices for concrete work in cold weather.
Describes methods for curing concrete.
The primary code governing structural concrete design and construction in the United States.
Specifies requirements for the constituent materials of concrete, the properties of fresh and hardened concrete, and their verification.
Specifies requirements for concrete, including fresh and hardened properties, production, and conformity.
Provides general rules for the design of concrete structures.