Concrete Slump in Nuclear Power Plant Construction

The various aspects related to the slump test are detailed for nine nuclear power plants including test frequency, acceptance criteria, time limits, and the addition of supplement water. These aspects are compared to industry standards of practice. It is pointed out that nuclear concrete specifications are written so as to diminish the role played by the concrete inspector because much of the engineering judgment traditionally applied on commercial construction projects is not permitted on nuclear construction. Instead, the rigid interpretation of the specifications often relegates the inspector to a position of nothing more than a number collector. It is suggested that the role of the inspector is the most important element in a cost effective quality control program and should be complemented with flexible specifications that include inadvertency margins are void of time limits, lower slump limits, and running averages.