The Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA) has announced the public availability of their newly revised guideline specifications and tolerance document in standard three-part CSI format. A major industry reference for architects, engineers, developers and owners, the TCA Guideline Specifications has been updated for areas of major development and advancements of technology.

Originally produced and distributed to the industry in 1994, this document was significantly updated to standard three-part CSI format and expanded in 2001, and then modified further in 2002 for industry certification language. Since then, the specification document has been incorporated into hundreds of projects throughout North America. Its use has been a major factor in the dramatic growth of ACI/TCA Certified Tilt-Up Technicians and Supervisors.

The 2015 version of the specification document brings forth increased quality control standards and conversation for acceptable tolerances, performances and gradations of finish. It also provides advanced certification language incorporating company certification to recognize the advancement of the TCA Company Certification program. Users of this document will find the majority of the changes in the following sections:

• 1.5 Quality Assurance – qualifications for contractors and field personnel and job mock-up panels for architectural finishes.
• 1.6 Tolerances – expanded tolerances for as-cast, as-erected and in-place conditions.
• 2.2 Panel Materials – references for slab protection in forming conditions and addressing air-entrained concrete.
• 3.7 Panel Finishing – direction for timing of welded connections and acceptance criteria for non-structural cracking.
• 3.8 Sealing of Panel Joints – direction for maintaining continuous air-barrier and thermal envelope requirements as well as indication for fire endurance treatments.

The most significant change in the document, however, is its public availability. The specification has now been added to the TCA website, allowing for ongoing revisions and the expansion of the specification for quick links to approved manufacturers.

Interested parties may now visit the TCA website, www.tilt-up.org, and find the specification under resources. A download of a Microsoft Word version and a PDF are also available from this same page.