Unit 1

Specification
 Unit - I
• Necessity of specification, importance of
specification.
• How to write specification.
• Types of Specification.
• Principles of Specification writing.
• Important aspects of the deign of specification.
• Sources of information.
• Classification of Specification.
 Specification
Specification deals with the methods of execution,
qualities of materials, nature of labour to be employed, proportion
in which materials are to be mixed, measurements of work done
etc.,

The information regarding the quality of materials and

workmanship is conveyed in a separate contract document which
is known as the specifications for the work.
 Specification. . . ?
• A specification is a specific description of a particular subject.
• An engineering specification contains detailed description of
all workmanship and materials which are required to complete
an engineering project in accordance with it’s drawings and
details.
• The technical drawings of a structure will show the
proportions and relative positions of the various components
of the structure.
• The data regarding the drawings, quality of materials and
workmanship is conveyed in a separate contract document
which is known as the “specifications” for the work.
• Thus the drawings with the engineering specifications will
completely define the structure.
 Necessity of specification
1. The cost of the unit quantity of work is governed by it’s specification.
2. Specifications of a work are required to describe the quality and quantity of
different materials required for a construction work and is one of the essential
contract documents. Thus a contractor can make a programme to procure the
materials required for a project and the owner can check the quality of materials
conforming to the specifications.
3. This also specifies the workmanship and the method of doing work. Thus,
specification of a work serves as a guide to the supervising staff of the contractor
as well as to the owner to execute the work to their satisfaction
4. A work is carried out according to it’s specification and the contractor is paid for
the same .Any change in specification tends to change the tendered rate.
5. As the rate of work is based on specification, a contractor can calculate the rates
of various items of works in a tender with his procurement rates of materials and
labour.
6. Specification is necessary to specify the equipments ,tools and plants to be
engaged for a work and thus enables to procure them beforehand.
 Importance of specification.
• The drawings and specifications form two important contract documents.

• The information (such as dimensions, types of construction, etc.) which can

be easily expressed graphically are put up on the drawings.

• On the other hand, The instructions which can be easily expressed well in
words are written in the specifications.

• But generally, the provisions in specifications are given more legal strength
and most of the contracts state that in case of discrepancy between the
drawings and specifications, the provisions of the specifications shall
govern.

• Thus, the specifications play an important part in construction work and

heavy responsibility is attached to the specification writer for his job.
 Types of Specification

General Specifications / Brief Specifications

In general specifications, nature and class of
works and names of materials that should be
used are described. Only a brief description of
each and every item is given. It is useful for
estimating the project. The general
specifications do not form a part of contract
Detailed Specifications:
document.
The detailed specifications form a part of a contract document. They specify the
qualities, quantities and proportions of materials and the method of preparation and
execution for a particular item of works in a project. The detailed specifications of the
different items of the work are prepared separately and they describe what the work
should be and how they shall be executed. While writing the detailed specifications, the
same order sequence as the work is to be carried out is to be maintained.
 Principles of Specification Writing

• The specification of the work are written by the engineer

before it is known who the contractor will be.

• It should be noted that the technical knowledge of the engineer

is of little value as far as writing of the specifications is
concerned unless he can make his ideas clearly understood by
the other contractors, workmen, supervisors, etc., many of
whom may have little or no technical training.
 Principles of Specification Writing Contd…

1. Subject matter
2. Grammar
3. Abbreviations
4. Development of style
5. Selection of words
6. Accuracy
7. Conflicting requirements
8. Practical limits and commercial sizes
9. Clearness
10. Fairness
 Principles of Specification Writing… Contd
Subject matter: The subject matter of the specifications should relate to the
information required after the contract is given to a particular contractor. The
requirements which are to be enforced should only be included in the
specifications. The use of cross references should be reduced to a minimum.

Grammar: All sentences of the specifications should comply with the rules of
grammar. The style and tense should remain the same throughout. The
hyphens, commas and semi-colons should be used as and when required and
the sentence should be framed in such a way that the addition, omission or
misplacement of a comma does not alter the sense. As far as possible the
pronouns, especially relative pronouns, should not be used. It is advisable to
repeat a noun.

Abbreviations: Only those abbreviations which are well-known in the

building industry should be used without giving definitions. The use of
abbreviations facilitates easy understanding and reduces the typing work
without sacrificing clarity.
 Principles of Specification Writing… Contd
Development of style: It must be remembered that the main aim of
specification writing is to present a clear picture of facts and no attempt should
be made to make an elegant and impressive style. The specifications writer
should develop his own style of arranging his ideas with clarity and brevity.
There is plenty of scope for improvement even when the specification is being
copied from a printed specification of some manufacturer.

Selection of words: While writing specifications, only suitable words with

desired meaning should be used. The unfamiliar words or words having more
than one meaning should never be used in the specification. Also the use of
unusual technical and trade expressions and semi-legal words should not be
used.

Accuracy : The information given in the specification should be complete and

correct, otherwise the contractor may claim for any extra cost due to damage
occurred to him by the misleading information supplied by the owner. Also,
care should be taken to see that information is not repeated in the
specifications.
 Principles of Specification Writing… Contd
Conflicting requirements: The clauses of the specifications should be framed
in such a way that no conflicts of any type result. For instance, while writing
the specification for driving piles, both the requirements, namely, penetration
of the pile and its bearing capacity, should not be mentioned. In some cases,
the piles may have reached the required penetration. But the specified baring
power may not have been developed. In other cases, the reverse may happen.

Practical limits and commercial sizes: The specification should be frame

while keeping in view the practical limitations of materials and workmanship
and they should not specify practical impossibilities. Also the specification
should specify use of commercial sizes and patterns of the materials. It
becomes expensive to manufacture special size and it also takes more time to
prepare such sizes. For instance, the steel sections and steel bars are readily
available in certain sizes only. If other size is specified, a special order is to be
given, which requires more time and special rate for its delivery.
 Principles of Specification Writing… Contd
Clearness: The specification should be clear as far as possible and it should be
observed that their meaning is not left by the engineer. In fact, both the particles
owner and contractor- should follow the same sense. Also the specification
should state what the contractor should or should not do.

Fairness: The specification should be fair and they should not be framed in
such a way so as to throw all the risks on the shoulders of the contractor. Also,
all likely hazards, difficulties, etc. should be specified in the specification so as
to give a clear picture of the work to the contractor will assume all such risk and
will put a higher price in his tender to accommodate all such risks, in case they
come up.
 IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE DESIGN OF A
SPECIFICATION
• Changes: The designer of a specification should be given an opportunity to observe the field
application of his specification. Such a procedure will help in increasing the knowledge of the
designer and he may utilize this knowledge, if found necessary, to change, to expand, to
improve, to modify or to strengthen his specification for future works.
• Clearness : The design of a specification should be such that it brings the limit of
misunderstandings and misinterpretations to a minimum. Such a design will naturally
minimize the chances of disputes.
• Co- operation: The specifications should be designed to provide a motive of co-operation
between the engineer and the contractor. The engineer, with the help of a well-designed
specification, can assist, encourage and guide the contractor, with the help of a well-designed
specification, can combine labour and materials to the best advantage of getting the desired
end product. Thus, a well-designed specifications would prove useful to both – the owner and
the contractor.
• Cost : The initial cost of a well- designed specifications may prove to be more but it forms a
small fraction of the cost incurred in extra claims, delays, disputes and bad workmanship due
to poorly designed specifications.
 IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THE DESIGN OF A
SPECIFICATION Contd…

• Flexibility : The specifications should not be rigid. But they should be dynamic in
nature and should be adaptable to new inventions, to new ideas and to new methods
of construction.

• Product control: A well – designed specifications aims at product control by the

available equipment of the contractor. The automation can also be adopted with
advantage to achieve product control. The advantages of product control are-fewer
samples for testing, reduced costs, early completion and uniform work.

• Designer : The specifications should be designed by competent persons, possessing

wide experience and high ability. This is a very important factor influencing the
achievement of a goal of specification. If the work of writing the specification is
entrusted to a professional man, it simply results into the copying of paragraphs
from the existing specifications.
 SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Following are the main sources of information from

which the information regarding the specifications of civil
engineering work can be gathered or obtained:

1. Contract drawings
2. Previous specifications
3. Requirements of owner
4. Site Investigations
5. Standard specifications
6. Trade catalogues
 SOURCES OF INFORMATION Contd…
• Contract drawings: The draft drawings prepared in
the initial stage of the project contain useful details
which are of considerable assistance to the writer of the
specifications.
• Previous specifications: In majority of cases, the
specifications of the executed jobs or jobs under
execution can be used as basis for the preparation of
new specification of similar job. This procedure
expedites the work. However, care should be taken
• Requirements of owner : If the owner desires to
incorporate certain requirement in connection with the
job, the same should be suitably included in the
specification of the work.
 SOURCES OF INFORMATION Contd…
Site Investigations: It is desirable that the specifications
include the fullest information for the existing site conditions
such as extent of site clearance work, soil conditions, etc. The
contractor is thus kept away from making unnecessary
allowance for certain factors.
Standard specifications: The reference can be made to the
relevant standard specifications and thus, it permits a
considerable reduction in the length of specification clauses. It
also helps the contractor in easy understanding of the
specification requirements.
Trade catalogues: For specifications of the proprietary
commodities the reference can be made to the catalogues
supplied by the manufacturer of that item. However, if an
article is produced to a number of different patterns it is
necessary to quote the correct catalogue reference.
 Classification of Specification

Depending upon the method to be used in describing a material or

method of installation, the specifications can be classified into the
following three categories:

1. Open specifications

2. Restricted specifications

3. Closed specifications
 Classification of Specification … Contd
Open specifications :
An open specifications gives the physical and chemical properties of the
material, the tests it must comply with or the results expected and such other
information. But it never gives a specific item of equipment or a trade name or a
proprietary commodity. The open specifications are generally used for public works
and a true open specification is one which of lays down minimum standards and which
can be easily fulfilled by several manufactures within permissible limits.
Following are the advantages of the open specifications:
• Basic materials: They are suitable for basic materials such as cement, steel, sand,
etc. because the standards of such materials can easily be laid down without regard
to the manufactures.
• True competition: They provide an atmosphere of a true competitive of a true
competitive market in which the new products have equal chance to compete with
the old and well advertised products. It may also result into a lower cost the owner.
 Classification of Specification … Contd
Following are the disadvantages of the open specifications:
1. Checking and testing : The checking and testing for each material or product
mentioned in these specifications may prove to be time-consuming.

2. Control over the quality : It is feared that if they are not properly drafted, it may result
into losing a firm control over the quality of the products.

3. Effect on design: If a particular product or material fulfills the permissible variances

with respect to size, weight, etc. mentioned in these specifications and if the contractor
insists to use such product or material , the architect in some cases have to change or
alter the design of the project to accommodate such product or material.

4. Time –Consuming: These specifications are by nature lengthy and hence, the architect
or specification writer has to spend his valuable time in framing them.
 Classification of Specification … Contd
RESTRICTED SPECIFICATIONS:

The material is described by the choice of the contractor is limited to

two or more manufactures or distributors.

Disadvantages of a Restricted Specification:

• Problems of design: The possible use of various product mentioned in the
approved list should be carefully considered. In fact, only such products
should be included in the approved list which will not disturb the space
requirements, connections, equipment for installation, details and other
factors of the project.
• Quality product: It should be seen that the products mentioned in the
approved list are more or less in reality equal in quality and price. If the
price of even one of the product mentioned in the approved list is
substantially lower than those of others, it will eliminate the competition
and the purpose of restricted specifications will not be served.
 Classification of Specification … Contd
Closed specification : In case of a closed specification, the material or product is
designated by a trade name mentioning catalogue number, manufacturer and
sometimes a particular distributor from whom the product is to be purchased. It is
sometimes argued that the closed specifications result in avoiding the competition
and in increasing the cost of the project. This argument has no force in the sense
that the material or product which is included in closed specifications has stood the
test of time and has proved its adaptability in respect of quality and price both. The
architect is the agent of owner and hence, he will select only those materials or
product to be included in the closed specifications which will be helpful in turning
out a satisfactory completed project.
 Classification of Specification … Contd
Following are the advantages of the closed specifications:

• Completion of drawings: the architect can complete the drawings of the

project before the tenders for the work are invited, when these
specifications are adopted. As the complete details are known, the designer
can accurately decide the details such as room dimensions, foundations,
fastenings, fittings, etc.

• Choice of owner: The owner has a choice of the material he prefers and he
can thus enjoy the special features of a particular product.