ASTM C478-97

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or discontinued.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information.
Designation: C 478 – 97
Standard Specification for
Precast Reinforced Concrete Manhole Sections
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 478; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
PART I—GENERAL A 496 Specification for Steel Wire, Deformed, for Concrete
Reinforcement
1. Scope
A 497 Specification for Steel Welded Wire Fabric, De-
1.1 This specification covers the manufacture and purchase formed, for Concrete Reinforcement
requirements of products used for the assembly and construc-
A 615/A 615M Specification for Deformed and Plain
tion of precast reinforced concrete manholes used in sewer and Billet-Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement
water works.
C 33 Specification for Concrete Aggregates
1.2 Part I, Sections 1-11, of this specification presents
C 39 Test Method for Compressive Strength of Cylindrical
general requirements and requirements that are common to Concrete Specimens
each precast concrete product covered by this specification.
C 150 Specification for Portland Cement
1.3 Part II of this specification presents specific require- C 309 Specification for Liquid Membrane-Forming Com-
ments for each manhole product in the following sections:
pounds for Curing Concrete
C 497 Test Methods for Concrete Pipe, Manhole Sections,
Product Section
Grade Rings 12
or Tile
Flat Slab Tops 13
C 595 Specification for Blended Hydraulic Cements
Risers and Conical Tops 14
Base Sections 15 C 618 Specification for Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined
Steps and Ladders 16
Natural Pozzolan for Use as a Mineral Admixture in
NOTE 1—Future products will to be included in Part II in a future Concrete
revision of this specification.
C 822 Terminology Relating to Concrete Pipe and Related
Products
1.4 A complete metric companion to this specification has
2.2 ACI Standard:
been developed, Specification C 478M; therefore, no metric
318 Building Code, Requirements for Reinforced Concrete
equivalents are presented in this specification.
NOTE 2—This specification is a manufacturing and purchase specifica- 3. Terminology
tion only and does not include requirements for backfill, or the relation-
3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms relating to precast
ship between field load conditions and the strength requirements of the
reinforced concrete manholes, see Terminology C 822.
manhole products and appurtenances. Experience has shown, however,
that the successful performance of this product depends upon the proper
4. Materials and Manufacture
selection of the product strength, type of foundation and backfill, and care
in the field installation of the manhole products and connecting pipes. The 4.1 General material requirements for precast reinforced
owner of the project for which these products are specified herein is
concrete manhole products are presented in 4.1.1-4.1.5. Other
cautioned to require inspection at the construction site.
materials or additional requirements for a product, if any, are
covered in the Part II section for that specific product.
2. Referenced Documents
4.1.1 Reinforced Concrete—Reinforced concrete shall con-
2.1 ASTM Standards:
sist of cementitious materials, mineral aggregates, and water, in
A 82 Specification for Steel Wire, Plain, for Concrete Re-
which steel reinforcement has been embedded in such a
inforcement
manner so that the steel reinforcement and concrete act
A 185 Specification for Steel Welded Wire Fabric, Plain, for
together.
Concrete Reinforcement
4.1.2 Cementitious Materials:
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C-13 on
Concrete Pipe and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee C13.06 on Manholes Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.02.
and Specials. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.01.
Current edition approved April 10, 1997. Published March 1998. Originally Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.05.
published as C 478 – 61T. Last previous edition C 478 – 96. Available from the American Concrete Institute, Box 4754, Redford Station,
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 01.04. Detroit, MI 48219.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
C 478
4.1.2.1 Cement—Cement shall conform to the requirements requirements are given in the Part II section for a specific
for portland cement of Specification C 150, or shall be portland product.
blast-furnace slag cement or portland-pozzolan cement con- 6.2 Cover—The exposure of the ends of reinforcement,
forming to Specification C 595, except that the pozzolan stirrups or spacers used to position the reinforcement during
constituent of the Type IP portland-pozzolan cement shall be placement of the concrete shall not be cause for rejection.
fly ash and shall not exceed 25 % by weight. 6.3 Continuity—The continuity of the circumferential rein-
4.1.2.2 Fly Ash—Fly ash shall conform to the requirements forcement shall not be destroyed during the manufacture of the
of Class F or Class C of Specification C 618. product, except when lift holes or pipe openings are provided
4.1.3 Allowable Combinations of Cementitious Materials— in the product.
The combination of cementitious materials used in the concrete 6.4 Welded Steel Cage Laps, Welds, and Splices:
shall be one of the following: 6.4.1 If splices are not welded, the reinforcement shall be
4.1.3.1 Portland cement only, lapped not less than 20 diameters for deformed bars, and 40
4.1.3.2 Portland blast-furnace slag cement only, diameters for plain bars and cold-drawn wire. In addition,
4.1.3.3 Portland pozzolan cement only, or where lapped cages of welded wire fabric are used without
4.1.3.4 A combination of portland cement and fly ash welding, the lap shall contain a longitudinal wire.
wherein the proportion of fly ash is between 5 and 25 % by 6.4.2 When splices are welded and are not lapped to the
weight of total cementitious material (portland cement plus fly minimum requirements in 6.4.1, pull tests of representative
ash). specimens shall develop at least 50 % of the minimum speci-
4.1.4 Aggregates—Aggregates shall conform to Specifica- fied strength of the steel, and there shall be a minimum lap of
tion C 33, except that the requirements for gradation shall not 2 in. For butt welded splices in bars or wire, permitted only
apply. with helically wound cages, pull tests of representative speci-
4.1.5 Admixtures and Blends—Admixtures and blends may mens shall develop at least 75 % of the minimum specified
be used with the approval of the owner. strength of the steel.
4.1.6 Steel Reinforcement—Reinforcement shall consist of 6.5 Steel Hoop Splices—A representative sample steel hoop
wire conforming to Specification A 82 or Specification A 496, with welded splices shall develop at least 50 % of the mini-
of wire fabric conforming to Specification A 185 or Specifica- mum specified strength of the steel, and there shall be a
tion A 497, or of bars of Grade 40 steel conforming to minimum lap of 2 in. For butt welded splices, the representa-
Specification A 615/A 615M. tive steel hoop sample shall develop at least 75 % of the
4.1.7 Secondary Synthetic Fiber—Collated fibrillated minimum specified strength of the steel.
polypropylene virgin fibers may be optionally used in steel
7. Precast Concrete Manufacture
reinforced concrete manholes as a non-structural manufactur-
7.1 Mixture—The aggregates shall be sized, graded, propor-
ing enhancement. Only fibers designed and manufactured
tioned, and mixed with such proportions of cementitious
specifically for use in concrete and so certified by the manu-
materials and water as will produce a homogeneous concrete
facturer shall be accepted.
mixture of such quality that the products will conform to the
4.1.8 Other Materials—Other materials required for a prod-
test and design requirements of this specification. All concrete
uct and not covered in Section 4 will be covered in the Part II
shall have a water-cementitious ratio not exceeding 0.53 by
section for that specific product.
weight. Cementitious materials shall be as specified in 4.1.2
5. Design
and shall be added to the mix in a proportion not less than 470
lb/yd , unless mix designs with a lower cementitious materials
5.1 Design requirements for a product are prescribed in the
content demonstrate that the quality and performance of the
specific Part II section for that product.
product meet the requirements of this specification.
5.1.1 The minimum compressive strength of concrete man-
7.2 Curing—Concrete products shall be subjected to any
hole products covered by this specification shall be 4000 psi
one of the methods of curing prescribed in 7.2.1-7.2.4 or to any
unless specified otherwise in Part II of this specification.
other method or combination of methods approved by the
5.2 Modified or Special Design
owner that will give satisfactory results.
5.2.1 Manufacturers may submit to the owner, for approval
7.2.1 Steam Curing—Concrete products may be placed in a
prior to manufacture, designs other than those prescribed in the
specific section for a product. If such approval is obtained, then curing chamber, free of outside drafts, and cured in a moist
atmosphere maintained by the injection of steam for such time
the product shall meet all the tests and performance require-
ments specified by the owner in accordance with the appropri- and such temperatures as may be needed to enable the products
to meet the strength requirements. The curing chamber shall be
ate sections on manufacture and physical requirements.
so constructed as to allow full circulation of the steam around
5.2.2 If permitted by the owner, the manufacturer may
the entire product.
request approval of designs of special sections, such as
7.2.2 Water Curing—Concrete products may be water-
reducers, tees, and bases.
cured by covering with water-saturated material, or by a system
6. Reinforcement
of perforated pipes, mechanical sprinklers, porous hose, or by
6.1 This section presents requirements for reinforcement any other approved method that will keep the products moist
cover, continuity, laps, welds, and splices. Other reinforcement during the curing period.
requirements are presented in Section 4 and any additional 7.2.3 Sealing Membrane—A sealing membrane conforming
C 478
to the requirements of Specification C 309 may be applied and Two manhole products from the remainder of the day’s
should be left intact until the required concrete strength production run shall be selected at random and one core taken
requirements are met. The concrete at the time of application of from each manhole product and tested. When the average
the membrane shall be within 10°F of the atmospheric tem- concrete strength of the two cores is equal to or greater than
perature. All concrete surfaces shall be kept moist prior to the 80 % of the specified strength of the concrete with no core
application of the membrane and shall be damp when the below 75 % of the specified strength of the concrete, the
membrane is applied. concrete strength of the day’s production run shall be accept-
7.2.4 The manufacturer may, at his option, combine the able.
methods prescribed in 7.2.1-7.2.3 provided the required con- 8.2.1.5 If the concrete strength of the two cores does not
crete compressive strength is attained.
meet the preceding concrete strength requirement, then the
remainder of the day’s production run shall be either rejected,
8. Acceptance
or, at the option of the manufacturer, each manhole product of
8.1 Acceptance Procedures:
the remainder of the day’s production run may be cored and
8.1.1 Unless otherwise designated by the owner at the time
accepted individually.
of, or before, placing an order, acceptance procedures for
8.2.1.6 Plugging Core Holes—Core holes on accepted con-
precast reinforced concrete manhole products shall be as
crete manhole products shall be plugged and sealed by the
specified in the Part II section for a particular product, and may
manufacturer in a manner such that the manhole products will
consist of one or more of the following:
meet all of the requirements of this specification. Manhole
8.1.1.1 Acceptance of a product on the basis of tests of
sections so sealed shall be considered as satisfactory for use.
materials, including concrete compressive strength and absorp-
8.2.2 Absorption Test:
tion.
8.2.2.1 The absorption of a specimen from a concrete
8.1.1.2 Acceptance of a product on the basis of inspection of
product, as determined in Test Methods C 497, shall not exceed
the finished product, including amount and placement of
9 % of the dry mass for Test Method A procedure or 8.5 % for
reinforcement to determine conformance with the design
Test Method B procedure. All specimens shall be free of visible
prescribed under this specification, and freedom from defects.
cracks and shall represent the full thickness of the product.
8.2 Test Methods:
8.2.2.2 Specimens for Test Method B shall meet the require-
8.2.1 Concrete Compressive Strength Test:
ments of Test Methods C 497.
8.2.1.1 Type of Specimen—Compression tests for satisfying
8.2.2.3 Each specimen tested by Test Method A shall have a
the minimum specified concrete strength requirement shall be
minimum mass of 0.1 kg.
made on either concrete cylinders or, at the option of the
8.2.2.4 When the initial absorption specimen from a con-
manufacturer, on cores cut from the concrete manhole product.
crete product fails to conform to this specification, the absorp-
8.2.1.2 Compression Testing of Cylinders—Cylinders shall
tion test shall be made on another specimen from the same
be made in accordance with Test Methods C 497, and shall be
product and the results of the retest shall be substituted for the
tested in accordance with Test Method C 39. For manhole
original test results.
products, an owner may require concrete compressive tests on
8.2.3 Retests—When not more than 20 % of the concrete
cylinder specimens numbering in the amount of 5 % of the
test specimens tested under either 8.2.2.1 or 8.2.2.2 fail to pass
total order of a manhole product, but not to exceed two
the requirements of this specification, the manufacturer may
cylinders for each day’s production. The average compressive
cull his stock and may eliminate whatever quantity of product
strength of all cylinders tested shall be equal to or greater than
he desires and shall so mark the culled product that they will
the specified strength of the concrete. Not more tha
...