THE MAGAZINE OF THE CONCRETE SOCIETY Volume 54 June 2020 Issue 05 concreteVisit: www.concrete.org.uk GRC stud frames Overlooked opportunity? Training and education Bridge construction Benefits and evolution Temporary works The Modern Approach to Concrete Investigation and Testing The perfect blend of the Latest Technology with 30+ Years of Experience I O..r 30y'""1• •• tho UK's H TMA Structural lrtvl!!l:!-ti9&tion Expel'IS HENDERSON THOMAS ASSOCIATES LTD NOT Testing via Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Ultrasonic Tomography Post Tensioned Special Inspections (PTSI) Concrete Condition Surveys High Alumina Cement (HAC) Investigations Structural Load Testing and Monitoring Detailed Structural Investigation/ Ascertain as built details Alkali Silica Reaction Investigations REDUCE THE NEED FOR INTRUSIVE TECHNIQUES www.hendersonthomas.co.uk 01707 657 212 [email protected] RISQS iiii AlcumusSafi!'Contractot· Constructionline Cold Member defra AYA Contents 3 From the Editor 4 World News 6 Society News Bridge Construction and Repair 8 Kilkenny CAS Bridge – connecting a city for the future Caroline Cavanagh 12 The most common concrete deterioration processes in bridges Kaveh Afshinnia 16 Technical Guide No 16 – Temporary Works for Concrete Bridges Jeremy Barnes and Nigel Hewson 18 Working around buildability challenges to deliver a concrete bridge Ilyass Meslek Training and Education 20 Concrete field testing technician: ACI–ICT certification programme rolled out Edwin Trout and Raman Mangabhai 24 Looking to a zero-carbon future with Constructionarium Charlotte Ainsworth 28 The benefits and evolution of training Mike Threadgold Durability/Aggressive Environments 31 The integration of sodium acetate in concrete for protection against extreme weather conditions Mazen J Al-Kheetan, Seyed Hamidreza Ghaffar and Mujib M Rahman Glass-fibre-reinforced Concrete 34 GRC stud-frame construction – an overlooked opportunity Nikolaj Ringberg Brandt 38 Fantastic façades – GRC comes of age in the UK James Butler 40 Features List/Ad Index/Subscriptions concrete magazine is produced in-house by The Concrete Society, The June 2020 cover a not-for-profit, independent membership organisation dedicated to Stud-frame construction is often supporting the use of concrete, the most widely used building material in overlooked when producing and the world. Cover Story installing glass-fibre-reinforced concrete (GRC), despite offering Established in 1966, and with members from around a superior solution. GRC with the world, The Society has built on its technical base embedded stud-frame construction to become a leading provider of information, serving offers savings both in substructure the needs of clients, architects, engineers, specifiers, costs and a heavily reduced mounting suppliers, contractors and users of concrete. time. A look at the case for stud- frame construction and the various Visit: www.concrete.org.uk systems for its installation. See page 34. (Photo: KUDIVANI Photography.) Follow concrete on Pinterest Go to pinterest.com/concretemag/boards, click on a board to view images from projects featured in current and past issues. Share images with Follow: @ukConcrete Find us on: others within the concrete community. THE CONCRETE SOCIETY is an independent membership organisation dedicated to supporting the use of concrete – the most widely used building material in the world. Established in 1966, The Society encourages innovation and the exchange of knowledge and experience across all disciplines. The Society works through the co-operation of our members, who come from all sectors of the industry to exchange information and experience, and to enhance the performance, productivity and quality of concrete as a construction medium. Supported by the technical and administrative staff of The Society, our members collaborate to produce and disseminate state-of-the-art reports, recommendations and practical guidance. The Society receives special support from the following: SPECIAL CATEGORY MEMBERS www.breedongroup.com www.laingorourke.com www.tarmac.com www.cemex.co.uk www.sir-robert-mcalpine.com www.hanson.co.uk The Society is supported by a global community of 250+ Corporate and 500 individual members. www.concrete.org.uk FROM THE EDITOR EDITOR: James Luckey Tel: +44 (0)1276 607158 [email protected] EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Helen Marney Tel: +44 (0)1276 607159 [email protected] Zero-carbon focus TECHNICAL ADVISOR: Richard Barnes While news bulletins are still full of stories concerning the topic du jour, let’s ignore the ‘elephant in the room’ and focus on industry matters that still need DESIGN: Darryl Killoran addressing when life returns to normal – whatever form that will take. SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Fred Combe ne of the striking statistics over sector is already working from a position of Tel: +44 (0)20 3859 7097 the past three months is the strength (no pun intended), having worked [email protected] fact that the UK’s daily carbon diligently on its carbon cutting – and overall James Pembroke Media Ltd is O emissions fell by 36% during environmental impact and performance – The Concrete Society’s appointed lockdown (up to the end of April). With over decades. CO2 emissions from cement advertising sales agency. passenger vehicle usage cut so drastically production have fallen 25% since 1998, (down 60%), the UK’s biggest carbon especially impressive considering that SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER: emission source – transport – was clearly a domestic sales have increased by 29% since Val Goddard significant factor in the fall of CO2 levels. 2012. The embodied carbon of concrete is Tel: +44 (0)1276 607149 Those figures have given further impetus also on a long-term downward trend, being [email protected] to the push for 2050 carbon-neutral Britain, cut by 30% based on 1990 levels. concrete is published 10 times a year (2020) with the committee that is advising the Lest anyone be in any doubt, these are no and sent free to all Concrete Society members. Government on such matters insisting easy achievements. Carbon emissions from Annual prepaid subscriptions for 2020: UK £125, Europe £150, outside Europe £170 that the UK’s economic recovery after the cement production in the US, for example, (prices inc. p&p). Single copies and back issues: pandemic should be ‘green’. have increased by 20% since 1990. £15 (exc. p&p). The Committee on Climate Change But moving forward, clearly there will be (CCC) has put forward a six-point plan to far greater scrutiny and demands placed on THE CONCRETE SOCIETY rebuild the nation, while delivering a stronger, carbon-intensive industries. For the cement President: cleaner and more resilient economy. These and concrete sector to stay at the forefront of Deiniol Williams points include: using ‘climate’ investments the built environment, it will not be a time Managing Director: to support economic recovery and jobs; of resting on laurels but redoubling efforts Kathy Calverley mbe strengthening incentives to reduce emissions to improve performance. That will mean when considering tax changes; leading a constant analysis of how CO2 emissions The Concrete Society, shift towards positive, long-term behaviours; can be cut at every stage of the production Riverside House, 4, Meadows Business Park, Station Approach, Blackwater, and providing support for carbon-intensive chain, from clinker, cement and concrete to Camberley, Surrey GU17 9AB, UK sectors contingent on them taking real and construction and recycling. Tel: +44 (0)1276 607140 lasting action on climate change. Social distancing may be a longer term part Fax: +44 (0)1276 607141 While the Government has taken a baby of the ‘new normal’ but the task to close the e-mail: [email protected] www.concrete.org.uk step with its £2 billion investment last month distance on zero carbon has already begun. to boost healthier and greener transport Enjoy the issue! Printed by Bishops Printers activity (namely cycling and walking), it is the Portsmouth, Hampshire last of these CCC points that will have the © The Concrete Society, 2020 greatest impact on our industry. ISSN 0010-5317 The need for a subtle change in approach is underlined in the use of a new expression. Neither Concrete nor The Concrete Society are It is no longer sufficient to crow about responsible for the statements made or the opinions ‘sustainability’; everything from this point James Luckey, Editor expressed in this journal by third parties and Tel: 01276 607158 organisations. onwards is focused on ‘zero carbon’. Fortunately, the cement and concrete [email protected] www.concrete.org.uk JUNE 2020 concrete 3 WORLD NEWS NEWS IN BRIEF UK • Helpline Site theft increases Calls to the UK’s Construction Industry Helpline have increased THE CEA (Construction Equipment This also applies to any unusual 25% since early April, reflecting the Association), owner of the plant transport movements for construction rising levels of anxiety and insecurity marking and registration initiative plant, for example, during an unusual within the construction industry. CESAR, says construction plant theft time, or if the vehicle is moving A series of free online lunchtime has increased by an estimated 50% as numerous items of plant belonging Mobile mixing workshops are available for those Covid-19 forced sites to close. Since to different companies. For owners of working in construction; topics range mid-March, there has been a marked construction plant, it may be useful, plant for RCC from mindfulness and meditation to increase in plant and tool theft from for example, to ensure that tracking resilience and controlling stress. Visit site compounds. The sharp spike in companies are alerted to the plants' RAPID International has www.coins-global.com thefts is largely due to construction location.” commissioned a new Rapidmix firms temporarily scaling down work “The coronavirus lockdown 400CW, fully weighed, mobile UK • Covid-19 and shutting jobsites due to the has meant that it’s currently open continuous mixing plant (pugmill) for Four construction specialists are raising pandemic. season for criminal gangs who target Pavement Recycling Systems. The new money for NHS front-line workers.