Concrete specified via ACI 301

[Dennis59]

I've been looking through ACI 301-99 with an eye to using it as a project spec for general construction projects.
In ACI's own words, "This Specification is a Reference Specification that the Engineer or Architect can make applicable to any construction project by citing it in the Project Specifications. The Architect/Engineer supplements the provisions of this Reference Specification as needed by designating or specifying individual project requirements."

This sounds very simple, but after looking through all the mandatory and optional requirements (plus even more options that are not specifically mentioned in the checklists), it looks to me like it will be nearly impossible to do this in a manner that a Contractor (or anyone else, for that matter) will understand.

I would like to know if anyone is using ACI 301 exactly like the ACI says it can be used. If so, how has it gone with the Contractor? How is the use of ACI 301 actually carried out? Does the Contractor buy a copy specifically for a certain job and then mark it up so that he ends up with nothing but the actual requirements for that particular job?

Does anyone know of a real-world example of an ACI 301-type spec that is available on the Internet somewhere? Has ACI ever published an example spec like this? Is this spec normally placed in the project spec book, or just produced on the drawings?

Thanks for reading. Sorry for all the dumb-sounding questions.

 

[JAE]

We rarely use ACI 301 as a spec on a project. We do use it as a guide in writing our own specs.

ACI used to sell white sheet copies of 301 that could be purchased for the purpose of simply inserting it in the spec book - but again, we haven't done this.