Provides background reference material to AS3600-2009, indicates the origin of particular requirements and departures from previous practice, and explains the application of certain Clauses.

This Commentary was prepared by Standards Australia Committee BD-002, Concrete Structures, to supersede AS 3600 Supp 1—1994. It provides detailed background information to the fourth edition of the Concrete Structures Standard, AS 3600–2009. This is the third edition of the Commentary, which was first published in 1990. While it is intended that this Commentary be read in conjunction with AS 3600–2009, it does not form an integral part of that Standard.

The objectives of this Commentary are to:

(a) provide background reference material to the Clauses of the Standard;
(b) indicate the origin of particular requirements;
(c) indicate departures from previous practice; and
(d) explain the application of certain Clauses.

The paragraph numbers of this Commentary are prefixed with the letter ‘C’ and refer directly to the respective clause numbers of AS 3600 (e.g. C1.1 refers to Clause 1.1).

To avoid possible confusion between Commentary and Standard Clauses that are cross- referenced within the text, Commentary clauses are referred to as ‘Paragraph C...’. This is in accordance with Standards Australia policy.

Where appropriate, each Section of the Commentary concludes with a list of references that are cross-referenced numerically in the text, e.g. (Ref. 6) or (Refs. 6, 7 and 8). In some sections, additional references for further reading, or as a lead to specialist literature, have also been listed.

As noted in the Preface to AS 3600—2009, the new edition of the Standard is a revision of the third edition, AS 3600—2001, which incorporates Amendments published in 2001 and 2004, as well as changes and updates that take account of the significant developments that have occurred over the past decade in construction practice and theory. The main changes are listed in the Preface to AS 3600—2009. Background information on these changes is given in this new edition of the Commentary, as well as on Clauses that have remained largely unchanged from the previous edition of the Standard. The opportunity has also been taken to include improvements suggested in the interim by users.

Like the Standard itself, this Commentary is an ongoing work-in-progress. Suggestions for improvements to both the Standard and to the Commentary, in regard either to content or to clarity of wording, are therefore welcomed by Standards Australia.

First published in part as MP 28.C4-1975. MP 28.C9 first published 1975. MP 28.C10 first published 1975. MP 28.C26 first published 1975. MP 28.C6 first published 1977. MP 28.C11 first published 1977. MP 28.C12 first published 1977. MP 28.C12 first published 1977. MP 28.C13 first published 1977. MP 28.C14 first published 1977. MP 28.C15 first published 1977. MP 28.C19 first published 1978. MP 28.C21 first published 1978. MP 28.C22 first published 1978. MP 28.C23 first published 1978. MP 28.C25 first published 1978. The preceding Standards revised, amalgamated and redesignated AS 3600 Supplement 1-1990. Second edition 1994. Third edition 2014.