The American Concrete Institute has released two new documents that should be of interest to ready mixed concrete producers. NRMCA has maintained representation on these committees and was active in the development of these documents.

132R-14 Guide for Responsibility in Concrete Construction - This guide identifies and suggests allocation of responsibilities to various parties involved in concrete construction. The guide can be useful in assessing existing contractual documents to determine if they are adequate and balanced with respect to responsibilities associated with concrete construction. In some cases, the responsibilities outlined carry the force of law. In others, there are options that could be incorporated into a particular contract. It is important that the party controlling that process (usually the owner or the owner’s representative) makes certain that the responsibilities of the parties are clear, coordinated, and consistent. Clarity and consistency in the responsibilities defined in the contracts will reduce friction in the execution of a construction project, as well as reduce the incidence of legal disputes.

329R-14 Report on Performance-Based Requirements for Concrete - This report discusses the differences between performance and prescriptive requirements for concrete, and provides information on developing performance requirements as an alternative to the current prescriptive requirements in codes and specifications. Performance-based requirements allow the contractor and concrete producer to be more innovative in concrete applications, providing an element for sustainability of concrete construction. The essential elements of a performance-based requirement are reviewed, which include the desired performance characteristics, sampling and testing procedures to verify these characteristics, and acceptance criteria. Because acceptance criteria are crucial elements of effective performance specifications, factors to consider in developing criteria that distribute risks to the owner and members of the construction team are also discussed. Considerations for implementing performance-based requirements on a project are presented and development of performance-based requirements for durability emphasized. Alternative performance-based requirements are proposed for the prescriptive durability requirements in ACI 318.