Quality control

&
quality assurance

Quality Management In Construction

BECM 4201
Quality Control & Quality Assurance (QC/QA)

• It is very important to have a good quality control process

on a project.

QC – QC is ultimately just making sure that they are

completing the work safely and in compliance with the
contract.

QA – QA is spot checking contract compliance, test

results, and ultimately just making sure that the Quality
Control Processes is working.
 Quality Control
• Feigenbaum (1991): 4 steps in quality control

1. Setting Standards: Determining the required

cost–quality, performance– quality, safety–quality,
and reliability–quality standards for the products.

2. Appraising Conformance: Comparing the

conformance of the manufactured product, or the
offered service to the standards.
3. Acting When Necessary: Correcting problems and
their causes throughout the full range of those
marketing, design, engineering, production, and
maintenance factors that influence user satisfaction.

4. Planning of Improvements: Developing a continuing

effort to improve the cost, performance, safety, and
reliability standards.
 Steps for Quality Control
Control involves a universal sequence of steps as follows:

• 1. Choose the control subject, that is, choose what we intend

to regulate.
• 2. Establish measurement.
• 3 Establish standard of performance, product goal, and
process goals.
• 4. Measure actual performance.
• 5. Compare actual measured performance against standards.
• 6. Take action on the difference.
 Quality Control
• Gryna (2001):The control process involves observing
actual performances, comparing it with some standards,
and then taking action if observed performance is
significantly different from the standard. The control
process is in the nature of a feedback loop as shown in
Figure.
QC process in Construction
• The quality of construction is to be maintained as per project
specifications. It is important that quality requirements be
satisfied and production schedules are met. Therefore, quality
control in construction can be achieved through the integration
of the following aspects:

A. Quality of constructed facility

B. Quality of Design
C. Conforming to Quality
D. Quality of Performance
E. Characteristics of Quality
(A) Quality:
Quality of a constructed facility may be verified based on some
instincts or factors. These may be considered as follows :

• • Aesthetics
• • Strength
• • Durability
• • Safety
• • Economy
• • Maintainability
• • Reliability
• • Degree of satisfaction of the end user
• • Versatility of use for many purposes
• (B) Quality of Design:

• Quality of design of a construction is concerned with the

specifications which have to be conformed with.

• A good quality of design must ensure consistent performance

of the facility for the entire life span of the facility.

• The design of the facility should be done in such a way that all
possible modes of failures are considered and appropriate
inputs are ingrained in the design to take care of them.
(C) Conforming to Quality:
• Conforming to quality means the quality of the
product/construction to be of a required order.

• Use of proper quality of materials, proper work sequences,

proper types of equipment and inspections from time to time
are factors which should be considered.

• It is to noted that a higher quality of design increases the cost but

a higher quality of conformity with the design saves the
investment.
• (D) Quality of Performance:
• It is connected with how well the constructed facility gives its
performance. It depends on both the quality of design and the
quality of conformance.

• It may be easily understood that even a best design may not

be able to provide us with something which is going to be the
best in terms of performance if the quality of conformance is
poor.

• The reverse is also true. A proper quality of conformance also

can not provide a good quality of constructed facility if the
quality of design of the facility is not good.
• (E) Characteristics of Quality:

Quality characteristics may be defined in terms of parameters

which may be of the following types :

• • Technical parameters – length, viscosity, etc. (dimensions)

• • Psychological paramètres – taste, beauty, etc. (aesthetics)
• • Time parameters – speed, life span, etc.
• • Contractual parameters – safety, reliability, etc.
• • Ethical parameters – honesty, integrity, nature, etc.
Benefits of maintaining quality in the construction.

• • Increase in efficiency because of quality consciousness

• • Reduction of scrap/ clash due to less number of items being

rejected

• • Easy identification of construction faults

• • Decrease in cost in the long run due to benefits of quality

control

• • Creating quality consciousness in workers

 Best practices in QC in Construction
 Quality Control (QC) – Depends on the contract but best
practices require;

• The Construction Contract defines the quality standards and

the QC testing requirements. The contract requires that the
QC testing lab be validated by the approved source.

• The contractor must prepare a detailed quality control plan

for each definable feature of work detailing how the quality
standards will be achieved. The plan must be approved
before work can begin.

•
 Construction QC Factors
• 1. Human control:
As the main activity part of construction process, the overall
quality and individual ability of human will determine the
results of all quality activities.

So, human are considered as both the controlled targets

and controlling motivation of other quality activities. (Cheng
Hu)

The contents of human control includes the overall quality of

organization and individual's knowledge, ability, physical
condition, psychological state, quality consciousness,
behavior, concept of organizational discipline, and
professional ethics.
• 2. Materials control:

Materials (including raw materials, finished products, semi-

finished products, components and parts) are material conditions
of construction, and material quality is one of necessary
conditions to ensure construction quality. (Cheng Hu)

Main contents of quality control of materials:

• (1) Material procurement

• (2) Material testing
• (3) Storage and usage
• 3. Control of construction machinery and equipments:

Construction machinery and equipment are:

 essential facilities for the modern construction,

 reflecting the construction power of the enterprise, and
 having a direct impact on the project progress and quality.

(1) The contractor should select construction machinery and

equipment in accordance with advanced technology, economic
rationality, production application, reliable performance and
safety, with the applicability and reliability to a specific project.
• (2) The performance parameters should be made sure
correctly in accordance with the requirements of construction
and quality assurance.

• (3) Construction machinery and equipment should be regularly

calibrated, so as not to mislead the operator. Besides,
mechanical equipment selected must be matched with the
adapting operation workers.
• 4 Control of construction methods:

• (1) Construction program should be constantly refined

and deepened with the progress of the project
construction.

• (2) When selecting the construction program, some viable

options of major projects should be prepared, presenting
main contradictions, advantages and disadvantages, so
as to discussion and comparison, then the best option will
be selected.

• (3) When developing programs for the major projects, key

parts and difficult projects, such as the new structure, new
materials, new technology, large-span, large cantilever,
the tall structure parts, and so on, the possible
construction quality problems and treatment should be
fully assessed.
• 5 Environmental control:

Creating a good environment will play an important role in

guaranteeing the quality and safety of construction projects,
achieving civilized construction, and setting social image of
construction corporation.

Control of construction environment includes not only the

understanding, restriction, transformation and usage of natural
environment, but also activities of creating working environment
and environment management. (Cheng Hu)
 The method of quality control
• A. Quality control by statistical methods:
• The use of statistics is essential in interpreting the results of testing on
a small sample. There are two types of statistical sampling which are
commonly used for the purpose of quality control in batches of work or
materials (Quality Control and Safety During Construction):

• (1) The acceptance or rejection of a lot is based on the number of

defective (bad) or nondefective (good) items in the sample. This is
referred to as sampling by attributes.
• (2) Instead of using defective and nondefective classifications
for an item, a quantitative quality measure or the value of a
measured variable is used as a quality indicator. This testing
procedure is referred to as sampling by variables.
• B. PDCA:
• PDCA Cycle, which is composed of 4 stages of P (plan),
D (do) , C (check), A (action).
Quality Inspection
• Inspection means the checking of material or product at
various stages of manufacture or construction of an object.

• An inspection is a specific examination, measurement, testing,

and formal evaluation exercise and overall appraisal of a
process, product, or service to ascertain if it conforms to
established requirements.

 The results are usually compared to specified requirements

and standards for determining whether the item or activity is in
line with the target and tries to detect the faulty nature of the
object.
 Three-Phase Inspection System

– Preparatory : Before the work starts the QC manager

conducts a meeting to go over all the approved submittals,
work plan, safety plan, etc with all parties involved in order to
make sure the feature of work is ready to begin and makes
sure everyone is on the same page.

– Initial: As the work is beginning the QC manager conducts

an inspection of the work to make sure the work is being
performed as plan. The crew is working safely and with the
correct material.

– Follow-up: Throughout the work the QC manager

conducts inspection as per contract and as required
FACTOR AFFECTING QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION

Quality of construction is dependent, to a great extent, on:

• • The quality of materials which are used in construction

• • The expertise of workers

• • The technology adopted in construction

• • Number, type and quality of inspections

• • Quality consciousness of people

• • Funds available for construction and quality control

• • Time available for quality control procedures

• • Existence of norms and guidelines for assessing quality of

construction of a particular type

• • Experience and expertise of inspectors

• • Quality of design

• • Nature of the construction project

MAJOR ITEMS IN CONSTRUCTION JOB
REQUIRING QUALITY CONTROL

Quality of construction materials should be good. Guidelines should be

followed in the assessment of quality of these materials. Some common
materials which are used for construction are given below :

• • Cement
• • Fine and coarse aggregates
• • Chemical admixtures
• • Timber
• • Steel
• • Soil of a site
• • Bricks and stones
STAGES OF INSPECTION AND QUALITY CONTROL
(1) Earth Work Stages:
• Measurement of dimensions in different directions in terms of
height, width and length

• Excavation of soil

• Determination of soil properties

• Compacting soil Quality Control Considerations

• Accurate measurements with precise instruments

• Use of good equipment

• Use of standard procedures for testing of soil

• Use of equipment for compaction

(2) Masonry Stages:
• • Measurement of dimensions in different directions in terms of
height, width and length

• • Construction of masonry

• • Curing of masonry work Quality Control Considerations

• • Use of good quality materials

• • Use of right construction procedures and correct bonds

• • Employment of people with experience and expertise

• • Adequate curing of masonry

(3) Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) Stages:
• Measurement of dimensions in different directions in terms of
height, width and length

• Creation and installation of formwork

• Provision of reinforcement

• Mixing of concrete

• Casting of concrete

• Curing of concrete Quality Control Considerations

• Use of good quality materials

• Use of right construction procedures

• Employment of people with experience and expertise

• Correct detailing of reinforcement

• (4) Sanitary and Water Supply Services Stages:
• • Measurement of dimensions in different directions in terms of
length as well as area covered

• • Procurement of sanitary and water supply items

• • Installation of these items correctly

• • Testing of these items Quality Control Considerations

• • Use of good quality materials and items

• • Use of right construction procedures

• • Employment of people with experience and expertise

(5) Electrical Services Stages:

• Measurement of dimensions in different directions in terms of

length as well as area covered

• Procurement of items

• Installation of these items correctly

• Testing of these items Quality Control Considerations

• Use of good quality materials and items

• Use of right connection procedures

• Employment of people with experience and expertise

Table: Various Effects due to Inadequate Quality Control

Crumbling of concrete is considered as a falling hazard

also.
 QC Document

Document QC activities into a Management System which

includes;

1. Non compliance Reports

2. RFIs (Request for information)
3. Change orders requests
4. Safety violations
5. Daily field reports
6. Test results
7. Permits
8. Close Documents
9. QA/QC plan - Testing program
 Quality Control Tools
The following are the most commonly used quality control tools
for a variety of applications to improve the quality process:

• 1. Cause-and-effect diagram (graphically display multiple

causes with a particular effect)

• 2. Check sheet (indicate how often each item occurs)

• 3. Control chart (analyze variation in a process by comparing

current data to historically determined lines)

• 4. Data collection

• 5. Flow chart (a process in sequential order)

 Quality Control Tools
The following are the most commonly used quality control tools
for a variety of applications to improve the quality process:

• 6. Histogram (it displays how often the different values occur)

• 7. Pareto analysis (graphical representation of frequency of
occurrence)
• 8. Pie chart
• 9. Run chart (to know the trend or changes in the average)
• 10. Scatter diagram (to identify potential root cause of
problems and to evaluate cause - effect relationship)
• 1. The cause-and-effect diagram is
also called an Ishikawa diagram or
fishbone diagram. It is used to
organize and graphically display
multiple causes with a particular
effect.

• 2. A check sheet is a structured list,

prepared from the collected data, to
indicate how often each item occurs.
• 3. The control chart is the fundamental tool of
statistical process control. It is a graph used to
analyze variation in a process.

By comparing current data to historically determined

lines, one can arrive at a conclusion regarding whether
the process is stable or is being affected by special
cause of variation.
• 4. Data collection objectives are to

• Identify the problem

• Report the problem
• Verify the problem
• Analyze the problem
• Correct the problem
• 5. A flowchart is a pictorial tool that is
used for representing a process in
sequential order. Flowcharts can be
applied at all stages of the project life
cycle.

• 6. The histogram is a pictorial

representation of a set of data. It is
created by grouping measurements into
cells, and it displays how often the
different values occur.
• 7. Pareto analysis is a graphical representation of
frequency of occurrence.

• Pareto charts are used to identify those factors that

have the greatest cumulative effect on the system,
and thus, less significant factors can be screened out
from the process.
• 8. The pie chart is a circle divided into
wedges to depict proportion of data or
information in order to understand how they
make up the whole. The portions of entire
circle or pie sum up to 100%.

• 9. The run chart is a graph plotted by

showing measurement (data) against time.
Run charts are used to know the trend or
changes in the average and also to
determine if the pattern can be attributed to
common causes of variation, or if special
causes of variation were present.
• 10. The scatter diagram is a plot of one
variable versus another. It is used to
identify potential root cause of problems
and to evaluate cause - effect relationship.
Quality Assurance

• In today’s workenvironment quality assurance is viewed as

an umbrella under which quality management activities take
place and the owner’s primary quality assurance role is one
of [Link] of the term quality assurance is now
favored over the previously used abbreviation QAQC or
QCQA.
Quality Assurance
• ASQ: “all the planned and systematic activities implemented
within the quality system that can be demonstrated to provide
confidence a product or service will fulfill requirements for
quality.”

• ISO 9000 (or BS 5750): quality assurance is “those planned

and systematic actions necessary to provide adequate
confidence that product or service will satisfy given
requirements for quality.”

• ISO 8402-1994: quality assurance as “all the planned and

systematic activities implemented within the quality system,
and demonstrated as needed, to provide adequate confidence
that an entity will fulfill requirements for quality.”
Quality Assurance
• Quality assurance is the activity of providing evidence to establish
confidence among all concerned that quality-related activities are being
performed effectively. All these planned or systematic actions are necessary
to provide adequate confidence that a product or service will satisfy given
requirements for quality.

• Quality assurance covers all activities from design, development,

production/ construction, installation, and servicing to documentation, and
also includes regulations of the quality of raw materials, assemblies,
products, and components; services related to production; and
management, production, and inspection processes.

• Quality assurance in construction projects covers all activities performed by

the design team, contractor and quality controller/auditor (supervision staff)
to meet owners’ objectives as specified and to ensure that the project/
facility is fully functional to the satisfaction of the owners/end users.
Elements of QA
The elements of an acceptable quality assurance program
include:

 quality control by the contractor

 acceptance sampling and testing and inspection
 independent assurance
 qualified personnel
 accredited laboratories, and
 a dispute resolution process.

These elements work together to ensure an effective quality

assurance program. Any elements missing from the program
increase the risk of a reduced service life.
Need For QC & QA In Construction:

•Concern for project managers. Even minor defects in

constructed facilities can cause heavy loss

•Quality control during construction consists largely of

insuring conformance to these original design and
planning decisions
ORGANIZATION FOR QC & QA
A variety of different organizations are possible for quality control
during [Link] common practice is to have two groups:

[Link] quality control.

[Link] quality assurance.

• In large organization separate departments are formed.

• Specific Individuals are assigned with these functions on small

projects.

• In both the cases project manager is concerned for the work.

QUALITY CONTROL AND ASSURANCE PLAN

An inventory agency responsible for coordinating

QA/QC activities. A QA/QC plan should clarifies:

• general QC procedures
• Source category-specific QC procedures
• QA review procedures
• Reporting, documentation, and archiving procedures
OJECTIVES OF QA PLAN
• Describe the quality program and organization to be
implemented so that the project is constructed in accordance
with the contract requirements and industry standards.

• Describe guidelines for inspection and documentation of

construction activities.

• Provide reasonable assurance that the completed work will

meet or exceed the requirements of the construction drawings
and specifications.
QA Testing
• The CQAO will be responsible for the QA materials
sampling and testing program.

• QA testing is provided for the verification of the

adequacy and effectiveness of the contractor’s QC
testing.
Quality Assurance Method Application Matrix
Quality Assurance Method Application Matrix
Why Quality Assurance Programs fail?
• – Starting site work without an acceptable, approved Quality
Control Plan
• – Inadequately developed Quality Control contract provisions
• – Inadequately enforced Quality Control contract provisions
• – Delay in submitting an acceptable Quality Control Plan
• – Inadequate qualifications of personnel in the quality control
organization
• – Untimely or incomplete reports
• – Failure to take corrective action when deficiencies exist
• – Late or incomplete reporting of tests and inspections
• – Lack of interest by contractors or management personnel.
Table: lists the major work elements normally
performed by quality specialists.