Test Methods and Specifications
No-fines Concrete Subbase
- Publication no: ATS-3510-25
- Published: 9 December 2025
- Edition: 1.1
- PDF (free) Download
Austroads Technical Specification ATS 3510 sets out the requirements for the construction of no-fines concrete subbase (NFC). It includes the requirements for:
- constituent materials;
- concrete mix design;
- production and transport of NFC;
- NFC subbase paving;
- survey;
- sampling and testing; and
- conformity criteria.
This test method can also be downloaded as a Word document.
Edition 1.1 published December 2025
Edition 1.1 amends:
- Clause 2.1 – Change of name to ATS 5335
- Clause 6.18 – Typo amended
- Annexure A – Change of Clauses 6.15 and 6.23 to 6.16 and 6.24 for clarity.
Superseded editions
Edition 1.0 published March 2023
- 1. Scope
- 2. Referenced Documents
- 3. Definitions
- Abbreviations
- Symbols
- 4. Quality System Requirements
- 5. Materials
- Coarse Aggregate
- Alkali-Aggregate Reactivity
- Cementitious Materials
- Water
- Admixtures
- Curing Membrane
- 6. Design of Concrete Mixes
- General
- Water to Cementitious Material Ratio
- Compressive Strength
- Permeability
- Sulphate Content
- Trial Mixing for Mix Design
- Submission of Nominated Mixes
- Variation to Authorised Nominated Mix
- 7. Production and Transport of Concrete
- General
- Production Mixes
- Production Monitoring
- Mixing of Concrete
- Minimum Mixing Time
- Maximum Mixing Time
- Admixture Addition
- Discharge
- Transport of Concrete
- Retempering
- Forming Time
- 8. No-fines Subbase Concrete Paving
- General
- Concrete Paving Crew Training
- Traceability
- Surface Preparation Using Dental Concrete
- Temperature, Weather Condition and Tunnel Leakage
- Machine (Mechanical) Paving
- Fixed-Form (Manual) Paving
- Paving in Transition Zones
- Joints and Edges
- Outer Edges
- Inspection
- Prevention of Moisture Loss
- Surface Finish
- 9. Curing
- 10. Concrete Paving Trial
- General
- Acceptance of Trial Section
- New Trial Section
- 11. Protection of Work
- Temperature
- Water Damage
- 12. Asphalt Interlayer
- General
- Surface Preparation Prior to Placing Asphalt Interlayer
- Placing of Asphalt Interlayer
- Trafficking of NFC Subbase and Asphalt Interlayer
- 13. Survey
- Levels
- Alignment
- Surface Profile
- 14. Conformity – Concrete Compressive Strength
- Sub-Lot Delineation
- Test Groups
- Location and Frequency of Coring
- Test Specimens
- Correction Factors
- Conformity for Core Compressive Strength
- 15. Conformity – Thickness
- General
- NFC Subbase and Asphalt Interlayer Thickness Determination from Survey
- NFC Subbase Thickness Determination from Cores
- Discrepancy Between Thickness from Survey and Cores
- Mean Thickness
- Conformity for Thickness
- Offsetting Subbase Thickness Deficiency With Increased Base Thickness
- 16. Conformity – Subbase Alignment, Levels and Surface Profile
- Alignment
- NFC Subbase and Asphalt Interlayer Surface Levels
- Surface Profile
- 17. Redesign of Pavement Levels
- Redesign by the Contractor
- Redesign by the Principal
- 18. Restoration of NFC After Coring
- 19. Removal and Replacement of NFC
- Subbase
- Boundaries of Section for Removal
- Sawcutting
- Replacement
- Annexure A: Summary of Hold Points, Witness Points and Records
- Annexure B: Mixer Uniformity Testing
- B1 General
- B2 Stationary Mixer
- B3 Mobile Mixers
- Annexure C: Minimum Frequency of Testing
- Amendment Record
Related publications
ATS-3110-26
ATS-3145-26
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