COMPLETE REVISION

June 2002

Process Industry Practices

Structural

PIP STS03600
Nonshrink Cementitious Grout Specification

PURPOSE AND USE OF PROCESS INDUSTRY PRACTICES

In an effort to minimize the cost of process industry facilities, this Practice has
been prepared from the technical requirements in the existing standards of major
industrial users, contractors, or standards organizations. By harmonizing these
technical requirements into a single set of Practices, administrative, application, and
engineering costs to both the purchaser and the manufacturer should be reduced. While
this Practice is expected to incorporate the majority of requirements of most users,
individual applications may involve requirements that will be appended to and take
precedence over this Practice. Determinations concerning fitness for purpose and
particular matters or application of the Practice to particular project or engineering
situations should not be made solely on information contained in these materials. The
use of trade names from time to time should not be viewed as an expression of
preference but rather recognized as normal usage in the trade. Other brands having the
same specifications are equally correct and may be substituted for those named. All
Practices or guidelines are intended to be consistent with applicable laws and
regulations including OSHA requirements. To the extent these Practices or guidelines
should conflict with OSHA or other applicable laws or regulations, such laws or
regulations must be followed. Consult an appropriate professional before applying or
acting on any material contained in or suggested by the Practice.

This Practice is subject to revision at any time by the responsible Function Team and
will be reviewed every 5 years. This Practice will be revised, reaffirmed, or withdrawn.
Information on whether this Practice has been revised may be found at www.pip.org.

Process Industry Practices (PIP), Construction Industry Institute, The

University of Texas at Austin, 3925 West Braker Lane (R4500), Austin,
Texas 78759. PIP member companies and subscribers may copy this Practice
for their internal use. Changes, overlays, addenda, or modifications of any
kind are not permitted within any PIP Practice without the express written
authorization of PIP.

PIP will not consider requests for interpretations (inquiries) for this Practice.
PRINTING HISTORY
November 1996
Issued
June 2002
Complete Revision
Not printed with State funds

COMPLETE REVISION
June 2002

Process Industry Practices

Structural

PIP STS03600
Cementitious Grout Specification
Table of Contents
1. Introduction .................................. 2
1.1 Purpose ............................................. 2
1.2 Scope................................................. 2

2. References ................................... 2
2.1 Process Industry Practices ................ 2
2.2 Industry Codes and Standards .......... 2
2.3 Government Regulations ................... 2

3. Definitions .................................... 3
4. General ......................................... 3
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4

Field Quality Control of Grout ............ 3

Testing ............................................... 4
Submittals .......................................... 4
Safety................................................. 4

5. Products ....................................... 4
5.1 Materials ............................................ 4
5.2 Mixing Water...................................... 5

6. Execution...................................... 5
6.1 Application ......................................... 5
6.2 Preparation ........................................ 5
6.3 Installation of Grout............................ 6

Process Industry Practices

Page 1 of 6

PIP STS03600
Cementitious Grout Specification

1.

COMPLETE REVISION
June 2002

Introduction
1.1

Purpose
This Practice provides the contractor with a specification for the supply and
installation of non-shrink cementitious grout for equipment and structural column
base plates. Refer to PIP STS03601 for epoxy grout specifications.

1.2

Scope
1.2.1

The contractor shall furnish all equipment, materials, labor, and supervision
and shall perform all operations necessary for the formwork, proper mixing,
placing, finishing, and curing of nonshrink cementitious grout, hereafter
referred to as grout, where indicated by the contract documents.

1.2.2

Any conflicts or inconsistencies between this Practice, the design drawings,

the grout manufacturers specifications and recommendations, or other
contract documents shall be brought to the attention of the buyer for
resolution before the work begins.

This document is a complete revision of PIP STS03600 - Cementitious Grout

Specification, and therefore revision markings are not provided.

2.

References
When adopted in this Practice or in the contract documents, the latest edition of the
following codes, standards, specifications, and references in effect on the date of contract
award shall be used, except as otherwise specified. Short titles will be used herein when
appropriate.
2.1

Process Industry Practices (PIP)

PIP STS03001 - Plain and Reinforced Concrete Specification
PIP STS03601 - Epoxy Grout Specification
PIP/API REIE686 - Recommended Practices for Machinery Installation and
Installation Design

2.2

Industry Codes and Standards

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
ASTM C109/C109M- Standard Test Method for Compressive Strength of
Hydraulic-Cement Mortars (Using 2-in. or 50-mm Cube Specimens)
ASTM C1107 - Standard Specification for Packaged Dry, Hydraulic-Cement
Grout (Nonshrink)

2.3

Government Regulations
Federal standards and instructions of the U. S. Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA), including any additional requirements by state or local

Page 2 of 6

Process Industry Practices

COMPLETE REVISION

PIP STS03600
Cementitious Grout Specification

June 2002

agencies that have jurisdiction where the grout is to be installed, shall apply,
including the following:
Code of Federal Regulations, OSHA Part 1910

3.

Definitions
buyer: The party who awards the contract to the contractor. The buyer may be the owner or
the owners authorized agent.
buyers inspector: The authorized representative of the buyer with authority to act in the
interest of, and on behalf of, the buyer in all quality assurance matters
contractor: The party responsible for the supply and installation of the grout. Unless
otherwise noted, the term contractor shall apply also to the contractors subcontractor(s)
and/or vendors.
contract documents: Any and all documents, including design drawings, that the buyer has
transmitted or otherwise communicated, either by incorporation or by reference, and made
part of the legal contract agreement or purchase order agreement between the buyer and the
contractor
manufacturer: The party that produces and warrants the performance of the product

4.

General
4.1

Field Quality Control of Grout

4.1.1

The contractor shall be solely responsible for the quality control of all
contractor-supplied materials, installations, and workmanship, including
those items or installations supplied by any of the contractors
subcontractors or vendors.

4.1.2

Notwithstanding the contractors responsibility for quality, the grout

manufacturer shall provide a technical representative who will be on-site to
review the grouting set-up procedures and the manufacturers instructions
with the ones who will actually be doing the grouting. The technical
representative shall remain at the grouting site as long as required to ensure
that the grout manufacturers installation instructions are being followed.
This requirement may be waived by the buyer or as otherwise directed in the
contract documents.

4.1.3

The buyer reserves the right to make inspections at any time during mixing
of the materials and during execution of all grout work.

4.1.4

If cementitious grout is approved for the setting of rotating equipment, the

contractor and grout manufacturers technical representative shall complete
the appropriate Grouting Checklists found in Chapter 5, Section 4, of
PIP/API REIE686 and shall submit these to the owners representative for
acceptance before starting to place the grout.

Process Industry Practices

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PIP STS03600
Cementitious Grout Specification

4.2

COMPLETE REVISION
June 2002

Testing
4.2.1

After initial prequalification, grout shall be sampled and tested if required by

the contract documents in accordance with the following requirements.
4.2.1.1 Make two sets of three test cubes in the field each day that grout is
mixed and placed. Make test cubes in accordance with the applicable
provisions of ASTM C109.
4.2.1.2 Cure the cubes in the field for 3 days in the same way as the placed
grout is cured. After 3 days, transport cubes to the testing laboratory
for compressive strength testing.
4.2.1.3 Test compressive strength of cubes in accordance with the
applicable provisions of ASTM C109. Test one cube set at 7 days
and one cube set at 28 days.

4.3

4.4

Submittals
4.3.1

Unless noted otherwise in the contract documents, the contractor shall

submit the manufacturers literature, material safety data sheets, and
certified test data for the grout, indicating the products compressive
strength, dimensional stability, and other requirements of this Practice.

4.3.2

At least 15 days before installation, the contractor shall submit to the buyer,
for review and acceptance, a written quality control program describing in
detail how compliance with this Practice will be ensured. The program shall
include procedures for all forming, handling, mixing, placement, locating
joints, including joint details, curing, testing, and inspection.

4.3.3

When testing is required by the contract documents, the contractor shall

submit to the buyer copies of all inspection and test reports. Reports shall
contain the date of grout placement, grout type, identification of foundation
of grout placement, design compressive strength, air temperature at time of
grout placement, foundation temperature at time of grout placement, and
compressive break strengths.

Safety
The contractor shall comply with the safety requirements specified in the contract
documents and also as recommended by the manufacturer.

5.

Products
5.1

Page 4 of 6

Materials
5.1.1

All materials shall be supplied as specified in the contract documents and as

described in the following sections.

5.1.2

All grout materials shall be proportioned products, meeting all the

requirements and packaged according to ASTM C1107, requiring only the
addition of potable water, and shall not contain metallic substances,
aluminum powder, measurable amounts of water soluble chlorides, or other

Process Industry Practices

COMPLETE REVISION

PIP STS03600
Cementitious Grout Specification

June 2002

substances that may be potentially harmful to concrete or steel

reinforcement.

5.2

5.1.3

Compressive strength shall meet the requirements of ASTM C1107 and shall
not be less than the compressive strength of the foundation.

5.1.4

All manufactured materials shall be delivered to the job site in original

unopened packages and shall be stored in accordance with the
manufacturers recommendations. All materials and tools shall be stored in a
clean, dry, and organized manner.

5.1.5

No admixtures, unless specified in the contract documents, shall be added to

the grout without approval of the buyer and the manufacturer.

Mixing Water
Mixing water shall be potable and free of oils, acids, alkalines, organics, and other
deleterious materials.

6.

Execution
6.1

Application
Grout thickness for column base plates and equipment supports shall be as shown in
the contract documents.

6.2

Preparation
6.2.1

Foundation preparation shall be in accordance with the manufacturers

written instructions.

6.2.2

Foundations shall be suitably prepared before installation of formwork for

grout. Concrete foundation shall be cured for a minimum of 7 days before
surface preparation unless otherwise approved by buyer.
6.2.1.1 Remove laitance and oil-soaked or damaged concrete with chipping
hammer to the level of sound, fractured aggregate or to a minimum
of the top 1 inch (25 mm) of concrete.
6.2.1.2 When surface chipping is complete, remove all dust and loose
particles with clean, dry, oil-free air.
6.2.1.3 After cleaning, protect the foundation surface from contamination by
applying protective sheeting.

6.2.3

The formwork shall be constructed with adequate strength, rigidity, and

dimension to permit grout placement.

6.2.4

A bond breaker consistent with the manufacturers recommendations shall

be applied to the surface of the formwork in contact with the grout.

6.2.5

Concrete surfaces in contact with the grout shall be saturated with clean
water before grout placement. The surface of the concrete shall be damp but
free from standing water.

Process Industry Practices

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PIP STS03600
Cementitious Grout Specification

6.2.6
6.3

Page 6 of 6

COMPLETE REVISION
June 2002

Joints in grout shall be as located and shown in the contract documents or as

recommended by the grout manufacturer.

Installation of Grout
6.3.1

Grout shall be mixed, placed, and cured in accordance with manufacturers

written requirements. The contractor shall read, understand, and comply with
the manufacturers instructions as printed on each unit.

6.3.2

Grout may be dry packed, flowed, or pumped into place as permitted by the
manufacturers written instructions for the specific grout being installed. For
some grouts, particular installation methods are restricted or prohibited by
the grout manufacturer. Therefore, manufacturers written instructions shall
be strictly followed.

6.3.3

All grout shall be placed in only one direction to prevent trapping air.
Grouting shall be quick and continuous to avoid segregation, bleeding, or
premature initial set.

6.3.4

Retempering of grout by adding water after stiffening is not permitted.

6.3.5

The grout shall be cut back to the lower edge of the baseplate after it has
reached its initial set. The cutback shall be at a 45 angle, unless otherwise
indicated in the contract documents.

6.3.6

Grout shall be stored, mixed, placed, and cured at temperature ranges that
are consistent with the manufacturers recommendations.

6.3.7

Equipment and machine baseplates and soleplates shall be prepared and

installed according to the requirements of PIP/API REIE686.

6.3.8

If grout must be placed through grout holes, it shall be placed from one hole
continuously until the grout has passed a second hole. A liquid head pressure
shall be maintained at the first access hole until a head pressure has been
established at the next hole. Grout placement shall continue from the next
hole in a similar fashion.

Process Industry Practices