Construction
Tolerances
What is Construction Tolerance ?
The components used to develop buildings are
regularly manufactured, assembled or formed on
site, frequently manually, in conditions that might
be not great, and utilizing materials with inherent
‘imperfections’.
The idea of tolerance is additionally be significant
when assembling a number of components as
certain things might have almost no adaptability to
oblige varieties in adjoining things.
Example :
For instance, it very well might be moderately
straight forward to change the setting out of
brickwork to oblige a slight variety in the size of a
lumber beam, or essentially to cut the beam on
site, yet in the event that a double glazing unit is
even a millimeter bigger than the opening for
which it is expected, it basically won't fit..
Accuracy of measuring equipment in batching
plant.
Cement : + – 2%
Aggregate : + – 3%
Admixture : + – 3%
Water : + – 3%
Mixing time : 2 minutes for one mixing. (Mixing
which is being done on site)
Tolerance in Form work
In C/S for columns & Beams deviation is = +
12mm more (or) – 6mm less in size
In footing plan = + 50 mm more (or) – 12 mm
less size
In depth = + – 0.05 D (specified thickness).
Tolerance in Form work
In C/S for columns & Beams deviation is = +
12mm more (or) – 6mm less in size
In footing plan = + 50 mm more (or) – 12 mm
less size
In depth = + – 0.05 D (specified thickness).
Construction Column Vertical

Tolerances Steel : 6 mm
Timber : 10 mm
Concrete, in situ : 12 mm
Concrete, precast : 10 mm
Tolerance in Reinforcement Space between Walls
For effective depth D < = 200mm = +- 10mm For Brickwork : 20 mm
effective depth D > 200mm = +- 15mm Blockwork : 21 mm
For Cover to reinforcement = + 10mm Timber : 30 mm
Maximum freefall of concrete = 1.50 m height. Concrete, in situ : 24 mm
Concrete, precast : 18 mm
Tolerance on diameter in length
Space between Columns
0-25mm = +- 0.5 % Steel : 12 mm
25-35mm = +- 0.6 % Timber : 12 mm
35-50mm = +- 0.8 % Concrete, in situ : 18 mm
Concrete, precast : 13 mm
Tolerance on weight per metre Beams, Vertical Position
0-10mm = +- 7% Steel : 20 mm
10-16mm = +- 5% Timber : 20 mm
16 and above = +- 3% Concrete, in situ : 22 mm
Concrete, precast : 23 mm
Tolerance for cutting Length
Floors, Vertical Position
A) When the specified length is not given =
Concrete, in situ : 15 mm
+ 75mm (or) – 25 mm Concrete, precast : 15 mm
B) When the minimum length is specified =

Plan Position
+ 50 mm (or) – 0 mm Brickwork : 10 mm
Steel : 10 mm
Floors, Flatness Timber : 10 mm
Measured over a 3 m long straight edge: Concrete, in situ : 12 mm
Concrete, in situ : 5 mm Concrete, precast : 10 mm
Floor screed : 5 mm
Wall Vertical
Brickwork : 10 mm
Blockwork : 10 mm
References :
Concrete, in situ : 17 mm www.engineeringcivil.com
Concrete, precast : 11mm Design Builidings Wiki
www.engineeringtoolbox.com