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Reference Tools for Developing/Revising Committee Documents

The ACI Style Manual is a reference tool created to promote concise, unambiguous, well-written ACI technical documents. It is not intended to be all-inclusive. The rules outlined here are specific to ACI technical documents. Some ACI standardized documents may have unique requirements that are not covered in this manual.

The ACI Specification Manual is a reference tool prepared by the Technical Activities Committee (TAC) Specifications Committee to guide ACI technical committees in preparing and writing ACI reference or guide specifications. ACI’s specification format is based on the Construction Specifications Institute’s (CSI) three-part Section format.

The ACI Manual for Writing Committee Reports and Guides is a reference tool that will soon be available to guide ACI technical committees in preparing nonstandard reports and guides. Check back periodically for this development.

ACI technical documents must adhere to the ACI Policy on Metrication given in the ACI Style Manual. TAC has stated that all documents, including revisions to existing documents, shall be prepared and published as: 1) two documents, one with SI units and the other with inch-pound units (codes and specifications only); or 2) a document with dual units, SI (metric) and inch-pound (all other documents). Numerical examples should not be shown in dual units. Instead, one example should be given in inch-pound units, followed by a similar example in SI units, or vice-versa. Tables and figures should be in dual units, unless that would result in a table or figure that was difficult to read. In that case, appropriate conversion factors should be given in the caption of the figure or in a footnote to the table. The Metrication Conversion Guide is available to assist committees with this policy.

For detailed information on Committee Documents, please refer to the ACI Technical Committee Manual (TCM).

Letter Ballot

• Using ACI web balloting is highly recommended.
• The canvassing date must be at least 30 days unless permission is obtained from TAC Contact for a shorter period.
• Negative voters must give reason.
• Non-voting members can make comments only.
• If done by mail or e-mail, use the Sample Committee Letter Ballot. Send copies to all members, TAC Chair, TAC Contact, and TAC Secretary.
• The Review Comments Classification provides a guide for classifying your review comments.

For each ballot item, record:

• Date ballot was distributed,
• Date ballot was due (the canvassing date),
• Name of every voter and how they voted: affirmative, affirmative with comment, negative, abstain, or did not respond, and
• Resolution of negative votes.

ACI voting requirements for letter ballots are:

• 1/2 Rule: At least 1/2 of all eligible voting members on the committee roster must cast an affirmative vote, and
• 2/3 Rule: The number of affirmative votes must be at least twice the number of negative votes.

For a document nearing the 8-year mark of its effective date, the committee must decide to revise, reapprove, or withdraw the document. If the committee decides to reapprove a document because the information in it is still valid, the committee must be letter balloted. It is strongly recommended that web balloting be used; however, the Ballot Reapproval Form can also be used.

For detailed information on balloting committee documents, please refer to the ACI Technical Committee Manual (TCM).

Meeting Ballot

An official vote taken at a meeting in response to a motion made by a voting member:

• Shall only be used to resolve negative votes on a letter ballot or previous meeting ballot, approve response to TAC review comments, or approve response to public discussion comments, and
• Shall not be used to ballot a new document or new revisions to a document, or to reapprove or withdraw an existing document.

ACI voting requirements for letter ballots are:

• 40% Rule: At least 40% of all eligible voting members on the committee roster must cast an affirmative vote (Committee 318 and 530 must still follow 1/2 Rule),
• 2/3 Rule: The number of affirmative votes must be at least twice the number of negative votes, and
• Negative votes from voting members may need to be resolved.

Submittal Information

When the draft is complete, submit it to ACI headquarters for ACI staff editorial review and subsequent TAC review. When submitting the draft document, the following is required:

• Attached cover letter stating purpose of submission (TAC review),
• Letter Ballot Summary Form, including resolution of all negatives,
• Draft document in Microsoft Word format, including title page with committee roster, synopsis, and keywords,
• All figures, tables, references, and SI unit conversations, and
• Completed Document Submittal Checklist.

More detailed information on the adoption and publication of technical committee documents can be found in the ACI Technical Committee Manual (TCM).

TAC Review Deadlines
ACI technical documents are reviewed three times each year. Documents must be submitted to ACI staff on time—deadlines are not flexible. Submitting a document by the deadline does not guarantee TAC review at the next upcoming meeting.

* Committee-approved documents must include: an electronic draft with title, roster, synopsis, figures, graphs, tables, a membership balance statement (if the document is a standard), and a completed ballot summary with all negatives resolved. Submitting a document by this deadline does not guarantee TAC review at the upcoming meeting.
** To ensure a productive document review process, TAC expects one or two members of the committee to meet with the review group during the TAC meeting. For the convention, the discussion should be in person. For the summer meeting, the discussion may be in person or via teleconference.

MANUALS

 ACI Technical Committee Manual (TCM)

 ACI Style Manual

 ACI Specification Manual

GUIDES

 Guide for Construction of Symbols

 Metrication Conversion Guide

BALLOTING

 Sample Committee Letter Ballot

 Review Comments Classification

 Ballot Reapproval Form

 Letter Ballot Summary Form

CHECKLISTS

 Document Submittal Checklist

 Responding to TAC Comments Checklist

 Responding to Public Discussion Checklist