NL Master Specification Guide

for Public Funded Buildings

Issued 2008/03/18 Section 33 65 73 - Concrete Encased Duct Banks and Manholes Page 1 of 6

PART 1 GENERAL

1.1 RELATED SECTIONS

.1 Section 01 33 00 - Submittal Procedures.

.2 Section 01 74 21 – Construction/Demolition Waste Management and Disposal.

.3 Section 03 10 00 – Concrete Forming and Accessories.

.4 Section 03 20 00 – Concrete Reforcing.

.5 Section 03 33 00 – Cast-in-Place Concrete.

.6 Section 26 05 00 – Common Work Results - Electrical.

.7 Section 26 05 27 – Grounding – Primary.

.8 Section 31 23 33.01 - Excavating, Trenching and Backfilling.

1.2 REFERENCES
.1 Canadian Standards Association (CSA),
.1 CAN/CSA-A3000, Cementitious Materials Compendium. Includes:
.1 CAN/CSA-A5, Portland Cement
.2 CSA A23.1/A23.2, Concrete Materials and Methods of Concrete Construction/Methods
of Test for Concrete.
.3 CSA G30.3, Cold-Drawn Steel Wire for Concrete Reinforcement.
.4 CSA G30.5, Welded Steel Wire Fabric for Concrete Reinforcement.
.5 CSA-G30.18, Billet-Steel Bars for Concrete Reinforcement.
.2 American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM),
.1 ASTM D1056, Specification for Flexible Cellular Materials – Sponge or Expanded
Rubber.

1.3 SUBMITTALS
.1 Submit manufacturer’s test data and certification at least 2 weeks prior to commencing work.

.2 Submit manufacturer’s information data sheets and instructions.

1.4 DELIVERY, STORAGE AND HANDLING

.1 Deliver, store and handle materials in accordance with Section 01 61 00 – Common Product
Requirements.
 NL Master Specification Guide
for Public Funded Buildings
Issued 2008/03/18 Section 33 65 73 - Concrete Encased Duct Banks and Manholes Page 2 of 6

1.5 RECORD DRAWINGS

.1 Provide record drawings, including details of pipe and duct bank materials, maintenance and
operating instructions in accordance with Section 01 78 00 – Closeout Submittals.

PART 2 PRODUCTS

2.1 PVC DUCTS AND FITTINGS

.1 Rigid PVC duct and conduit for exterior underground site lighting circuits and wiring below
interior concrete floor slabs, size as indicated to CSA C22.2, with moulded fittings and minimum
wall thickness at any point of 2.8 mm. Nominal length: 3 m plus or minus 12 mm.

.2 Rigid PVC split ducts as required.

.3 Rigid PVC bends, couplings, reducers, bell end fittings, plugs, caps, adaptors same product
material as duct, to make complete installation.

.4 Rigid PVC 90o and 45o bends.

.5 Rigid PVC 5o angle couplings.

.6 Expansion joints as required.

.7 Preformed, interlocking intermediate duct spacers for duct size as indicated.

.8 Use epoxy coated galvanized steel conduit for sections extending above finished grade.

2.2 SOLVENT WELD COMPOUND

.1 Solvent cement for PVC duct joints.

2.3 FRE CONDUITS (FOR SERVICE ENTRANCE)

.1 FRE conduits to CSA C22.2 No. 211.3 encased in concrete duct bank for service entrance feeders.
Rigid PVC or type DB2 (thinwall) PVC conduits are unacceptable.

.2 Conduits to be composed of glass filaments encapsulated in an epoxy matrix. Each conduit to have
an integral expanded coupling with urethane gasket for sealing. No threads or adhesives to be used
for assembling joints.

.3 Conduit to be suitable for continuous operation from -40° C to + 100° C without change in
mechanical properties.

2.4 FRE CONDUIT FITTINGS

.1 FRE 90° bends, 5° bends, couplings, adaptors, caps, etc., to make complete installation as
indicated on drawings.
 NL Master Specification Guide
for Public Funded Buildings
Issued 2008/03/18 Section 33 65 73 - Concrete Encased Duct Banks and Manholes Page 3 of 6

2.5 RIGID EPOXY COATED CONDUIT

.1 Rigid epoxy coated galvanized steel conduit with zinc coating and corrosion resistant epoxy finish
inside and outside. Use for sections extending above finished grade as indicated on drawings.

.2 Factory “ells” where 90° bends are required for 27 mm and larger conduits.

.3 Fittings: FRE to rigid conduit female adaptors. Manufactured for use with conduit specified.
Coating same as conduit.

2.6 PRECAST CONCRETE MANHOLES

.1 Precast concrete manholes and auxiliary sections fabricated in steel forms.

.2 Aggregates: to CSA A23.1/A23.2.

.3 Portland cement: to CAN/CSA-A3000-A5, Type 10.

.4 Steel welded wire fabric mesh reinforcing: to CSA G30.3.

.5 Pulling inserts and bolts for racks integrally cast in concrete.

.6 Neoprene gasket seals between manhole sections: to ASTM D1056.

2.7 DRAINAGE
.1 Floor drain fittings in each manhole consisting of floor drain, back water valve, trap and pipe
connection to drainage system.

.2 Storm sewer connection: cast iron service saddle consisting of oil resistant gasket, stainless steel
clamp and oil resistant O ring.

.3 Sump pit: 300 x 300 x 125 mm.

2.8 MANHOLE NECKS

.1 Concrete brick and mortar.

2.9 MANHOLE FRAMES AND COVERS

.1 Cast iron manhole frames and covers.

2.10 GROUNDING
.1 Ground rods in accordance with Section 26 05 27 - Grounding - Primary for Cable Rack
Grounding.

2.11 CABLE RACKS

.1 Hot dipped galvanized cable racks and supports.

.2 12 x 100 mm preset inserts for rack mounting.

 NL Master Specification Guide
for Public Funded Buildings
Issued 2008/03/18 Section 33 65 73 - Concrete Encased Duct Banks and Manholes Page 4 of 6

2.12 CABLE PULLING EQUIPMENT

.1 Pulling iron: galvanized steel rods, size and shape as indicated.

.2 Pull rope: 6 mm stranded nylon polypropylene, tensile strength 5 kN, continuous throughout each
duct run with 3 m spare rope at each end.

2.13 CONCRETE & REINFORCEMENT

.1 Refer to Division 3- Concrete.

2.14 MARKERS
.1 Concrete type cable markers: 600 x 600 x 100 mm, with words: "Cable", "Joint", "Conduit"
impressed in top surface, with arrows to indicate change in direction of duct runs.

.2 Provide 150 mm wide, 4 mil, polyethylene marker tape in all trenches. Use red colored tape.
Install at depth as per drawings.

2.15 DUCT SPACERS

.1 As required for installation at 900 mm center – center.

PART 3 EXECUTION

3.1 INSTALLATION GENERAL

.1 Install underground duct banks and manholes including formwork.

.2 Build duct bank and manholes on undisturbed soil or on well compacted granular fill not less than
150 mm thick, compacted to 95% of maximum proctor dry density.

.3 Open trench completely between manholes to be connected before ducts are laid and ensure that no
obstructions will necessitate change in grade of ducts.

.4 Prior to laying ducts, construct "mud slab" not less than 75 mm thick.

.5 Install ducts at elevations and with slope as indicated and minimum slope of 1 to 400.

.6 Install base spacers at maximum intervals of 900 mm levelled to grades indicated for bottom layer
of ducts.

.7 Lay FRE ducts with configuration as indicated with preformed interlocking, rigid plastic
intermediate spacers to maintain spacing between ducts at not less than 75 mm horizontally and
vertically. Stagger joints in adjacent layers at least 150 mm and make joints watertight. Encase
duct bank with 75 mm thick concrete cover. Use epoxy coated galvanized steel conduit (i.e.
corroguard) for sections extending above finished grade level.

.8 Make transpositions, offsets and changes in direction using 5 degree bend sections, do not exceed a
total of 20 degree with duct offset.
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for Public Funded Buildings
Issued 2008/03/18 Section 33 65 73 - Concrete Encased Duct Banks and Manholes Page 5 of 6

.9 Use bell ends at duct terminations in manholes or buildings.

.10 Use conduit to duct adapters when connecting to conduits.

.11 Terminate duct runs with duct coupling set flush with end of concrete envelope when dead ending
duct bank for future extension.

.12 Cut, ream and taper end of ducts in field in accordance with manufacturer's recommendations, so
that duct ends are fully equal to factory-made ends.

.13 Allow concrete to attain 50% of its specified strength before backfilling.

.14 Use anchors, ties and trench jacks as required to secure ducts and prevent moving during placing of
concrete. Tie ducts to spacers with twine or other non-metallic material. Remove weights or wood
braces before concrete has set and fill voids.

.15 Clean ducts before laying. Cap ends of ducts during construction and after installation to prevent
entrance of foreign materials.

.16 Immediately after placing of concrete, pull through each duct wooden mandrel not less than 300
mm long and of diameter 6 mm less than internal diameter of duct, followed by stiff bristle brush to
remove sand, earth and other foreign matter. Avoid disturbing or damaging ducts where concrete
has not set completely. Pull stiff bristle brush through each duct immediately before pulling-in
cables.

.17 Install four 3 m lengths of 15M reinforcing rods, one in each corner of duct bank when connecting
duct to manholes or buildings. Wire rods to 10M dowels at manhole or building and support from
duct spacers. Protect existing cables and equipment when breaking into existing manholes. Place
concrete down sides of duct bank filling space under and around ducts. Rod concrete with flat bar
between vertical rows filling voids.

.18 In each duct install pull rope continuous throughout each duct run with 3 m spare rope at each end.

3.2 MANHOLES
.1 Build cast-in-place manholes.

.2 Place concrete in two lifts with slab and sump in first, walls, roof and neck in second lift. Provide
key in walls to slab. Place 100 x 6 mm PVC water bar vertically in key. Install ground rod before
placing slab and place reinforcing steel, inserts for cable rack, pulling irons, drain, duct outlets,
duct run dowels before casting walls. Make manhole to duct connection as indicated.

.3 Provide 115 mm deep window to facilitate cable bends in wall at each duct connection. Terminate
ducts in bell-end fitting flush with window face. Provide four 10M steel dowels at each duct run
connection to anchor duct run. On runs of 16 ducts and over, support concrete duct encasement on
a 700 mm wide by 75 mm thick concrete pier poured against manhole wall between slab and
bottom of duct run, provide dowels for anchoring.

.4 Alternately connect large duct runs by leaving square opening in wall, later pouring duct run and
wall opening in one pour, and install 10M x 3m reinforcing rods in duct run at manhole connection.
 NL Master Specification Guide
for Public Funded Buildings
Issued 2008/03/18 Section 33 65 73 - Concrete Encased Duct Banks and Manholes Page 6 of 6

.5 Build up concrete manhole neck to bring cover flush with finished grade in paved areas and 40 mm
above grade in unpaved areas.

.6 Install manhole frames and covers for each manhole. Set frames in concrete grout onto manhole
neck.

.7 Drain floor towards sump with 1 to 48 slope minimum and install drainage fittings as indicated.

.8 Install cable racks, anchor bolts and pulling irons as indicated.

.9 Grout frames of manholes. Cement grout to consist of two parts sand and one part cement and
sufficient water to form a plastic slurry.

.10 Ensure filling of voids in joint being sealed. Plaster with cement grout, walls, ceiling and neck.

.11 Spray paint "X" on ceiling of manhole above floor drain or sump pit.

3.3 MARKERS
.1 Mark location of duct runs under hard surfaced areas not terminating in manhole with railway
spike driven flush in edge of pavement, directly over run. Place concrete duct marker at ends of
such duct runs. Construct markers and install flush with grade.

.2 Mark ducts every 150 m along straight runs and changes in direction.

.3 Where markers are removed to permit installation of additional duct, reinstall existing markers.

.4 Lay concrete markers flat and centered over duct with top 25 mm above earth surface.

.5 Provide drawings showing locations of markers.

3.4 INSPECTIONS
.1 Inspection of duct will be carried out by Owner’s Representative prior to placing. Placement of
concrete and duct cleanout to be done when Owner’s Representative present.

END OF SECTION