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Prescription to Performance (P2P) Initiative for Concrete Specifications

Have you experienced negative concrete pour results in which the concrete mix was potentially the source of the issue? Traditional concrete specifications have been found to be prescriptive in nature and sometimes limit the types and quantities of ingredients and material proportions, yielding unexpected results.

There has been a shift in the concrete industry towards performance-based, rather than prescriptive, project specifications for concrete. Performance-based specifications provide details for required results such as strength, durability, and serviceability, and are free of process limitations such as mixture proportions and construction methods. Performance-based specifications encourage innovative products and construction methods along with testing and quality management systems.

During the December 10, 2014 SE University session, Guidelines for Reviewing Concrete Mix Designs, Art Dell, from SOHA Engineers, highlighted a helpful online resource called the P2P Initiative. Led by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA), the Prescription to Performance (P2P) Initiative promotes a shift from traditional prescriptive Concrete Specifications to performance-based Specifications.

NRMCA Research and Engineering – P2P Initiative

Below is a sample of documents included in the P2P Initiative online resource:

Is your office using the P2P initiative information to change the way you specify concrete? Have you issued performance-based concrete specifications? If so, let us know your experiences in the comments.