Civil Engineering Association

residential concrete detailing and specification guide

This document has been prepared as a general guide to the design and construction of the single family house and projects of similar scale in New Zealand. Although this manual does not specifically address fire resistance and sound transmission ratings, the adjacent table demonstrates the values that can be achieved with appropriate detailing. It presents materials and systems that are commonly available in New Zealand. Some, such as timber joinery and concrete itself, have been in use for several generations. Others have recently
come into the local market and industry experience with some of these may be limited. On the other hand, building products not available in New Zealand have not been incorporated. To do so would inaccurately present the range of materials available here. The construction, specification and detailing issues are presented in the New Zealand context.We have specific and often unique ways of doing things. The New Zealand environmental conditions are also unique. This book is principally concerned with design and construction
issues.While it does touch upon topics such as thermal performance and structural engineering, it is not meant to serve as a guide in these areas. Structural design is still best left to the professionals except in those areas where non-specific design standards are available. Concrete masonry is one such format with NZS 4229 having been revised in 1999.