ONTARIO

PROVINCIAL METRIC
STANDARD OPSS 1443
SPECIFICATION NOVEMBER 2007

MATERIAL SPECIFICATION FOR

ORGANIC COATINGS FOR REINFORCING
STEEL BARS FOR CONCRETE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1443.01 SCOPE

1443.02 REFERENCES

1443.03 DEFINITIONS

1443.04 DESIGN AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS - Not Used

1443.05 MATERIALS

1443.06 EQUIPMENT - Not Used

1443.07 PRODUCTION

1443.08 QUALITY ASSURANCE - Not Used

1443.09 OWNER PURCHASE OF MATERIAL - Not Used

APPENDICES

1443-A Commentary

1443.01 SCOPE

This specification covers the requirements for organic coatings for the protection of reinforcing steel bars
for concrete.

1443.01.01 Specification Significance and Use

This specification has been developed for use in provincial- and municipal-oriented Contracts. The
administration, testing, and payment policies, procedures, and practices reflected in this specification
correspond to those used by many municipalities and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

Use of this specification or any other specification shall be according to the Contract Documents.

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1443.01.02 Appendices Significance and Use

Appendices are not for use in provincial contracts as they are developed for municipal use, and then, only
when invoked by the Owner.

Appendices are developed for the Owner’s use only.

Inclusion of an appendix as part of the Contract Documents is solely at the discretion of the Owner.
Appendices are not a mandatory part of this specification and only become part of the Contract
Documents as the Owner invokes them.

Invoking a particular appendix does not obligate an Owner to use all available appendices. Only invoked
appendices form part of the Contract Documents.

The decision to use any appendix is determined by an Owner after considering their contract
requirements and their administrative, payment, and testing procedures, policies, and practices.
Depending on these considerations, an Owner may not wish to invoke some or any of the available
appendices.

1443.02 REFERENCES

When the Contract Documents indicate that provincial-oriented specifications are to be used and there is
a provincial-oriented specification of the same number as those listed below, references within this
specification to an OPSS shall be deemed to mean OPSS.PROV, unless use of a municipal-oriented
specification is specified in the Contract Documents. When there is not a corresponding provincial-
oriented specification, the references below shall be considered to be to the OPSS listed, unless use of a
municipal-oriented specification is specified in the Contract Documents.

When the Contract Documents indicate that municipal-oriented specifications are to be used and there is
a municipal-oriented specification of the same number as those listed below, references within this
specification to an OPSS shall be deemed to mean OPSS.MUNI, unless use of a provincial-oriented
specification is specified in the Contract Documents. When there is not a corresponding municipal-
oriented specification, the references below shall be considered to be the OPSS listed, unless use of a
provincial-oriented specification is specified in the Contract Documents.

This specification refers to the following standards, specifications, or publications:

Ontario Provincial Standard Specifications, Material

OPSS 1350 Concrete - Materials and Production

OPSS 1442 Epoxy Coated Reinforcing Steel Bars for Concrete

ASTM International

D 3963/D 3963M-93a Epoxy-Coated Reinforcing Steel

1443.03 DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this specification, the following definitions apply:

Organic Coating means a coating of epoxy, vinyl, polyester, or other film in which the principal
ingredients are derived from some compound of carbon.

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1443.05 MATERIALS

1443.05.01 Coating and Patching Material

Coating and patching material shall meet the prequalification requirements of ASTM D 3963M, Annex A1,
except as modified as follows:

a) Flexibility of the coating shall be evaluated by bending three 20M coated reinforcing steel bars 180
degrees, after rebound, around a 150 mm diameter padded or wooden mandrel. The bend shall be
made at a uniform rate and may take up to 5 seconds to complete. The two longitudinal deformations
may be placed in a plane perpendicular to the mandrel radius and the specimen shall be at a thermal
equilibrium of 24 °C ± 2 °C.

b) The coating shall be free of cracking that is visible to the naked eye on the outside radius of the three
bent bars. The bars shall be examined again after 24 hours have past since bending in order to verify
that delayed cracking has not occurred.

c) A continuity of coating test shall be performed according to OPSS 1442.

d) The coating shall be of a colour that provides a contrast with the colour of rust.

1443.05.02 Concrete

Concrete shall be according to OPSS 1350.

1443.07 PRODUCTION

1443.07.01 Packaging and Labelling

The coating material shall be packaged in containers and identified with a label providing the following
information:

a) Name and address of manufacturer

b) Plant identification

c) Trade or brand name

d) Batch number

e) Date of manufacture

f) Handling precautions

g) Storage requirement

1443.07.02 Quality Control Testing

The test methods shall be according to ASTM D 3963M, Annex A1. Concrete for the bond strength and
creep specimens shall be 30 MPa. The age of the concrete for the bond specimens at the time of testing
shall be 28 Days.

Suppliers shall provide the Owner with test results for each lot or part of lot to verify that the coating
material was produced and tested according to the appropriate specification requirements.

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Appendix 1443-A, November 2007
FOR USE WHILE DESIGNING MUNICIPAL CONTRACTS

Note: This is a non-mandatory Commentary Appendix intended to provide information to a designer,

during the design stage of a contract, on the use of the OPS specification in a municipal contract.
This appendix does not form part of the standard specification. Actions and considerations
discussed in this appendix are for information purposes only and do not supersede an Owner’s
design decisions and methodology.

Designer Action/Considerations

The designer should ensure that the General Conditions of Contract and the 100 Series General
Specifications are included in the Contract Documents.

Related Ontario Provincial Standard Drawings

None

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