THE JOURNAL OF THE CONCRETE REPAIR ASSOCIATION

ISSUE NO. 10

The Arrival of British Standards

for Concrete Repair
By: Roel van Es, BSc(Hons), MCS, MICorr., Associate Director of Makers UK Ltd, who has
been involved on various committees working on the production of standards on Concrete
Repair for more than ten years - more recently as CRA representative on the main BSI
committee, actively supporting the UK Chairman, Hywel Davies.

he publication of the BS EN 1504 series

of British Standards will, for the first
time in the UK, provide a comprehensive
set of standards for concrete repair. They
therefore represent an opportunity to further
improve UK practice. They also present a
challenge to the industry, which needs to adapt
to these standards as they are issued. In an
industry previously devoid of specific British
Standards, this will be a significant landmark.
The new British Standards
will have a significant impact
on repair and protection work
throughout the UK,
especially in the design and
execution of repair works.
Introduction of the Standards
is also relevant in the context
of the current drive to
improve supply chain
integration and to increase the value of
specialist input to projects in the early design
stages, when it can be most beneficial.

respectively. Given the overarching nature of

the key Part 9 of the BS EN 1504 series, which
has been available from BSI since 1997, it is
worth briefly reviewing the structure and basic
philosophy of design of concrete repair set out
in Part 9.
Historically Part 9 builds on the work of the
international RILEM Technical Committee on
repair strategy (Schiessl, 1994) and on the work
of the German Society
for Reinforced
Concrete (1991). From
the outset it was
stressed that this
standard should not be
a code of practice, but a
framework for the
whole process of
determining the need,
assessing the extent,
and delivering a repair package, using materials
and systems which have been tested in
accordance with the European standard test
methods. Initially the standard set out to
address the whole process from inception to
completion on site, but this proved impractical.
The standard therefore has two parts reflecting
the design and site execution processes,
respectively:

... new standards will

increase the value of
specialist input to
projects...

NEW BRITISH STANDARDS

The new British Standard BS EN 1504 series
cover the whole repair process, from first
identification of a potential problem, right
through the on site works, to ongoing
inspection and maintenance. They specifically
advocate a whole life cost approach, based on
the anticipated future needs of the client and the
functional requirements of the building or
structure.
The series can be viewed on the CRA web site
at: www.concreterepair.org.uk There is a
selection of relevant material there, including
detail of the many supporting standards.
Of greatest relevance to many will be Part 9
and Part 10 of the ten-part BS EN 1504 series,
dealing with design and site execution

Part 9: General principles for the use of

products and systems.
Part 10: Site application of products and
systems and quality control of works.
Part 10 is at formal vote stage within CEN and
publication is expected early in 2003.
Early issue of Part 9 as an ENV in 1997 was
justified on the basis that the design approach is
the key to the success of the whole repair
process. Formal adoption as an EN will ensue
when the remaining Parts of BS EN 1504 are

Free advertising?

dvertisements inviting companies to

tender for concrete repair and
associated work can be regularly seen
in the various journals that serve the
construction market.
It is, no doubt, incumbent upon many clients
to invite tenders in this manner.
In order to augment such public notices the
CRA has been debating an idea to allow
clients to include these tenders on the CRA
web site also, thus enabling their message to
be directly targeted at specialist repair
contractors and material manufacturers.

(Pictures by kind permission of

CRA member Makers UK Ltd)

published. The new

British Standards will
require significant

changes in practice by
many in the industry.
Whilst some
manufacturers and
contractors have shown
interest, recent industry
feedback events on draft
materials specifications
have indicated that there
is a significant lack of understanding of and
planning for the implications of the new
Standards.

BEST PRACTICE
To ensure that they derive the full
benefits, repair contractors,
materials suppliers, construction
professionals, as well as building
owners and operators, need
information, guidance and support for the
introduction of the new British Standards.
Continued on page 2

Whats happening
to the insurance industry?

uch has been written and talked

about in the national media recently
about the problems with the
insurance industry. Certainly many
contractors (and CRA members are no
exception) are extremely concerned about
rocketing insurance premiums - in some
instances up by an incredible 1,000%.
Imagine the impact on your business if your
average premium is normally 50,000 or so!

It is proposed that details would be included

within a special section of the Associations
web site, completely free of charge.

So, whats going on ? And just as important,

what are the likely knock on affects ?
According to some informed people that the
CRA has talked to recently, the primary
reasons for the increases are four-fold.

Before progressing matters, however, the

Association wishes to gauge its readers
reaction to the idea. It would therefore be
appreciated if you would indicate whether
you approve of such a scheme, or otherwise,
by ticking the relevant box and returning the
enclosed Fax-Back. Alternatively, should
you wish to submit a more detailed
response, please write to the Editor,
Cracking Matters.

Firstly, because of a recent spate of disasters,

caused by El Nino, global warming and
September 11, the re-insurance market has
been overwhelmed by the primary insurers and
as a consequence, has paid out heavily.
Secondly, a large number of insurance
companies, wishing to maximise income from
premiums, whilst reducing their exposure to
risk, have switched their marketing emphasis
into niche sectors. Many will simply no

longer take on employers liability since the

ratio of premium to pay out is less than for,
say, household contents cover. Thirdly, those
companies offering cover such as buildings
insurance, an area formerly dominated by some
very active independent insurance companies,
have experience a very difficult period. As a
result they now insist on a better ratio and
therefore premiums have risen
disproportionately, in some cases six-fold year
on year.

Continued on page 3

INSIDE

CRA members news

New CRA Chairman
H&S warning
Report concern
I dont believe it !

www.concreterepair.org.uk

The Arrival of British Standards

for Concrete Repair
Continued from page 1
Dr Hywel Davies of Hywel Davies
Consultancy, a freelance consultant who has
been active in the development of the
Standards for over ten years as the
Chairman of the relevant BSI committee and
as the UK delegate to CEN TC104 SC8, has
been awarded a DTI Partners in Innovation
project, Best Practice in Protection and
Repair of Concrete Structures.
It will publicise the introduction of the new
BS EN 1504 series of standards on Concrete
Repair. It aims to reach specifiers and
clients, as well as the suppliers and
contractors involved in the industry.
Details can be found on the CRA website.
NEED FOR GUIDANCE
The UK currently spends hundreds of
millions of pounds annually on repair,
maintenance and replacement of reinforced
concrete. Whilst much of this is effective
and gives value for money, a small but
significant amount of work fails
prematurely, causing extra costs and further
remedial work.
Further remedial work disrupts the business
activity or public service delivered by the
facility. Disruption also causes social costs,
particularly with infrastructure or social
housing facilities, where occupants may
have to be decanted, or service users suffer
delays to journeys due to works.
Environmental costs due to the waste, noise
and pollution also arise from additional
repair works.
Whilst these costs are always considerable,
the additional cost of using appropriate
repair products and methods for the original
repair would often have been small by
comparison. The marginal costs of good
materials and site practice are a small
fraction of the potential costs of premature
failure.
Because good practice costs more in the first
instance, in a lowest first cost culture it is
placed at a competitive disadvantage, even
though it delivers better value and lower

Use the enclosed Fax-Back to obtain more information

SOLUTIONS FOR EVERY APPLICATION
Caught in the same shot, the newly converted Baltic Arts Centre and
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Winner of the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize, the dramatic footbridge
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machine rooms, these grouts were chosen because of their reliability and
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The highly acclaimed Baltic conversion drew on other products from the portfolio, in the areas of waterproofing
and in concrete and pavement repairs. The extensive range holds many other problem solvers for Designers and
contractors working in the demanding Civil and Building Conversion arenas.
For further details telephone: 08703 330070.
ENQUIRY NO: 1001

The DTI project seeks to provide guidance

and information on the contribution that
adoption of the new standards can make to
the development of best practice in repair
and protection of concrete structures, and to
a whole life cost based approach to repair
works. This will also of course benefit
clients as they seek to demonstrate that they
are delivering best value, whether to
shareholders or to taxpayers.

FOR ACCRETE ... READ MAKERS

Specialist partnering contractor Makers UK Ltd, a subsidiary of
global construction services provider - the Keller Group plc, has
significantly strengthened its position in the UK water and
wastewater market through the recent acquisition of the entire
share capital of specialist repair and refurbishment contractor
Accrete Ltd.
The acquisition of Accrete, who is firmly established in the
refurbishment of water industry sites, represents a strategic move
by the company. A Makers spokesman commented, "The recent
acquisition will enhance the position of the Makers Infrastructure
Division as a major contracting organisation in the utilities sector and through its already proven and successful
'partnering' initiative will provide an excellent platform for significant business expansion".
For further information telephone: 01462 477333.
ENQUIRY NO: 1002

HIGH PROFILE PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN

BY MACKENZIE CONSTRUCTION
Mackenzie Construction is undertaking refurbishment and strengthening
works on two road structures for the Land Services Department of Glasgow
City Council - the historic King George V Bridge over the River Clyde and
the Finnieston Flyover on the Clydeside Expressway. Both projects require
extensive traffic management.
At KGV, works include hydro-erosion, structural repairs to
reinforced concrete, repairs & refurbishment of existing
bearings, deck waterproofing, carriageway construction and
footpath strengthening. The Finnieston flyover, a more modern
structure, also includes the replacement and strengthening of the
existing parapet and drainage improvements. Mackenzie is
delighted to be involved in these high profile projects.
For further information telephone: 0141 633 5555

ENQUIRY NO: 1003

ENQUIRY NO: 1005

YOLDINGS AT SILVERTOWN
- JOB AND FINISH

Specialist main
contractor Concrete
Repairs Ltd (CRL)
has secured two fouryear partnering
agreement packages
(with the option of an
additional three years)
for an estimated 8m
worth of concrete
repair and cathodic
protection work on
Highways Agency
Areas 9 and 10.

CRL anticipate the bulk of the work to be repairs on

the elevated section of the Midland Links
motorways. For further details telephone
John Drewett on 020 8288 4848.

Plus a FREE initial visual assessment

For more information telephone: 0845 601 8319.
ENQUIRY NO: 1008

ENQUIRY NO: 1004

Sika is a world leader in proven, high performance

construction chemicals. Our latest newsletter
showcases project information in relation to a range
of activities and products, including the following:

Recognised as a foremost supplier of repair and

refurbishment systems for marine structures,
Flexcrete Limited has a complete range of systems
designed to overcome the unique and rigorous
demands placed on engineers and specifiers
responsible for maintaining the integrity of structures
such as coastal defences, wharves and pier decks.
Flexcrete's range of purpose designed marine
mortars, sprayed mortars and specialist cementitious
coatings ensure optimum performance in wet,
chloride laden environments and offer excellent
resistance to wash-out. Flexcrete marine products can
be installed between tides to damp substrates and
will cure under water to form a resilient, durable
finish that resists abrasion and chloride ion diffusion.
For more information telephone: 01772 255074.

SIKA AT WORK:
BUILDING & CAR PARK
REFURBISHMENT

Under the agreement, CRL will be responsible for

bridge refurbishment works in Area 9, comprising all
Midland Links motorways and Spaghetti Junction in
Birmingham, parts of the M42, M6 and the M5 as far
south and west as Chepstow and Shrewsbury. Area
10 in the Manchester region involves the M60 orbital
motorway, parts of the M6, M53, M56, M61, M62,
M67 and major trunk roads.

Brookes offers the following concrete testing and

survey services: Visual Inspections
Delamination
Surveys (Hammer
Testing)
Covermeter Surveys
Carbonation Depth
Testing
Sampling of
concrete for
analysis by
independent UKAS
accredited testing
laboratories
Half Cell Potential Mapping
Electrical Continuity Testing
Concrete Resistivity Measurement
Rate of Corrosion Measurement
Production of Tender Documentation, including
Drawings, Specifications, and Bills of Quantities

FLEXCRETE PROTECTION
SYSTEMS FOR MARINE
STRUCTURES

CRL SECURE HIGHWAYS

AGENCY PARTNERING
AGREEMENT

Birmingham City Laboratories (BCL) have recently entered into a

partnering arrangement with a major local authority to provide specialist
investigation and testing to a number of highway structures, which require
working in areas classified as confined spaces. BCL has therefore expanded
its training programme in order that additional team members can become
certificated and competent in confined space entry.
BCL's Building Investigation Section is able to carry out a wide range of
specialist tests, surveys and in-house analysis.
For an information pack or general enquires please contact Trevor Box telephone 0121 303 9300

CRA Members

whole life costs. The contribution of good

practice to achieving best value over the
whole life of an asset is currently not widely
considered and understood in the industry as
a result of the client driven short-term
lowest initial cost culture. There are,
however, signs that this is changing, with
increasing interest in whole life costing.

INVESTIGATION & TESTING

IN CONFINED SPACES

BROOKES CONCRETE
SURVEYS AND
INVESTIGATIONS

NEWS from

Against some of the toughest opposition in the

industry, Hailsham based contractor Yoldings Ltd
secured the contract to refurbish the Silvertown
Flyover in the London Borough of Newham. With
credibility in Health & Safety and provable site
skills being regarded as being as important as price
by the client, Yoldings were able to demonstrate
superiority in all three areas.
With a requirement to undertake; cathodic
protection, spray concrete repairs, traditional repairs
and general upgrades within a short time period, the
project required a high degree of site management.
By dedicating both a specialist site agent (Alan
Oliver) and a highly skilled and experienced
supervisor in Andrew "Bill" Bettison along with
their support crews, the Yoldings operation was kept
under tight control and the job brought in on time
and budget. For more details contact Allen Broad on
01323 442288.
ENQUIRY NO: 1009

ENQUIRY NO: 1006

CORROSION INHIBITORS
with proof of effectiveness
CAR PARKS deck
waterproofing & full product
portfolio
CONCRETE REPAIR /
PROTECTION unrivalled
durability
BALCONY DECK
WATERPROOFING
STRUCTURAL STRENGTHENING
using carbon fibre plates
INJECTION TECHNOLOGY
FOR FILLER JOIST CONCRETE
We offer a free and comprehensive technical
support service. Please contact Mike Moore on
01707 394444 for assistance
ENQUIRY NO: 1007

MBT PRODUCTS STRENGTHEN THEYDON BOIS VIADUCT

MBT Feb recently worked in partnership
with Mouchel and Makers UK Ltd, to repair
and strengthen railway arches at Theydon
Bois viaduct for Essex County Council. The
project increased the multi-span road-over-rail
structures weight restriction from 17 to 40
tonnes.
The underside of the viaduct was in poor
condition where the original concrete had
spalled, leaving the steel rebars exposed. The rebars were beginning to corrode and this was treated by taking
back the concrete and reinstating it by shotcreting with MBTs Shotpatch 12. On the surface of the bridge, prebonded MBT-MBRACE carbon fibre plates were installed to the road surface for extra reinforcement.

CRACKING MATTERS - The Journal of the Concrete Repair Association

ENQUIRY NO: 1010

www.concreterepair.org.uk

Health & Safety - you have been warned!

By: David Bowen Bravery, Partner, Mitchell, McFarlane & Partners

s any experienced Engineer or Contractor

will tell you, there is no such thing as a
safe building site and there probably
never will be, despite the modern politically
correct drive for seemingly complete risk free
operations. For as long as humans are involved
in any activity, risks will remain. This is a fact of
life. However, nobody in their right mind would
wish the past (or current) accident rate on
building sites to continue. Much can be done
through both design and site practices to
significantly reduce risks and thus accidents
during and after construction. Of course, an
article of this brevity
cannot possibly seek to
address all the issues in
this vast subject, but it
can cover some of the
aspects that are
particularly close to my
heart; following many
years of involvement in
health and safety issues
both within our Practice and advising clients.

Engineers have quickly appreciated the benefits

to site safety that can be achieved by their active
participation albeit, Im afraid, that some still
consider their involvement in such matters to be
purely part of the growing fashion of new
regulations and red tape. Accordingly their input
on safety issues is tailored to do as little as
possible to comply with the Regulations. This
negative attitude is both risky and disappointing
particularly when peoples lives are at stake. The
issue of health and safety and designers
responsibilities is here to stay and rightly so. It is
very clear that in future the HSE will be looking
very carefully at the
role of all CDM duty
holders, not just the
Contractor.

... the HSE really mean

business and are
increasingly resorting to
court action ...

Traditionally, Consulting Engineers considered

health and safety to be solely a Contractors
responsibility and ridiculously dangerous
practices on site were ignored with the attitude
its not my problem. However, litigation and
the issue of the CDM Regulations in recent years,
has changed this thinking and Engineers have
been forced to take a more proactive role in
health and safety matters, not only at design stage
but also at construction stage. Responsible

REPEX CELEBRATING ITS

MOST SUCCESSFUL PERIOD
External refurbishment contractor, concrete repair
specialist and CRA member, Repex Ltd, is currently
celebrating the most successful period in its eightyear history. An increased turnover can be put down
to an improving profile as a Main Contractor for
external refurbishment and the companys
accreditation to the BBA as an applicator of Sika,
Weber-SBD and Fosroc materials.
Recently completed works include entire external
envelope refurbishment and a huge concrete repair
contract at Chalcott Towers and the buildings
underground car parks (see picture).
For further details contact William Drinkwater:
telephone 01435 866666, or visit web site:
www.repex.co.uk
ENQUIRY NO: 1011

The new CDM

Regulations created a
new role in the
design/construction
process by way of the
Planning Supervisor.
My original understanding, from discussions with
the HSE, was that it was envisaged a member of
the design team should have undertaken this role.
In practice, however, it has spawned a whole new
breed of professionals whose sole role is that of
undertaking Planning Supervisory duties.
Whether this state of affairs is a good thing or a
bad thing is open to debate, but the most
common result is that the Pre-construction Health
and Safety Plan, envisaged by the HSE as being a
simple document (immediately available) that
would highlight risks that would not be apparent
to a reasonably competent Contractor, has
become a major document that attempts to pick
up every conceivable risk and serves mainly to
protect the Planning Supervisor rather than assist
the Contractor in his appraisal of the most critical
health and safety issues. The Contractor is
generally already overwhelmed with a mountain
of contract documents and the addition of a
voluminous Pre-construction Health and Safety
Plan simply does not help in any way. A
Contractor is far more likely to read a short
simple document that highlights the major risks.
Two major ring binders containing everything but
the kitchen sink will just be put on the shelf and
forgotten. This may not be palatable to some but
I believe it to be a true reflection of what often
happens. In the case of the CDM Safety Plan I
believe that the old adage of less is more should
be generally adopted.
Contractors, of course, have a mandatory duty to
provide a safe place of work. This is now much
more clearly defined by the HSE who are
themselves currently taking a far more proactive
role and conducting site blitzes in many areas.
They are also recruiting more staff so this activity
can only increase in future. If this saves lives and
serious injury on site, I am all for it. It is my
understanding that the HSE will be strongly
challenging Contractors on a range of topics but

Tom McCulloch becomes

new Chairman of CRA

om McCulloch, of Glasgow based specialist contractor

Mackenzie Construction Ltd, has been elected Chairman of
the Concrete Repair Association.

Consulting Engineers visiting site have a duty of

care to bring dangerous site practices to the
attention of the Main Contractor. This is
sometimes difficult to achieve. Main Contractor
presence on site is often cursory, the site
operations seemingly being run by any number of
uncoordinated sub-contractors. Some clients are
even writing such duties into
Engineers/Surveyors
Conditions of
Appointment,
sometimes in an
attempt to avoid their
own responsibilities.
As professionals,
Engineers are expected
to know at least the
rudimentaries of good
site health and safety
practice. The old
head in the sand
attitude of the past is
no longer a tenable
position. Be that as it
may, less responsible
Contractors do not
appreciate adverse
comments on health
and safety issues from
Consulting Engineers
and even some clients
are sometimes
unsupportive of such
comments as they
consider that it sours relationships! Im afraid
that Engineers must just grin and bear it and not
be afraid to raise such issues. It may well save
lives or serious injury. In most cases, they would
be well advised to do so formally as this is now
virtually a legal requirement. In the event of an
incident/accident, all parties must be able to
demonstrate that they acted reasonably. In
todays litigious climate Engineers cannot afford
to be faint-hearted even if this makes them
unpopular.
In terms of concrete repair there are particular
problems of health and safety, notwithstanding
that associated with often being a Specialist SubContractor and being asked to carry out work
from access arrangements out with their control.
It is a brave Sub-Contractor who refuses to let his
operatives use a scaffold/cradles that he is not
happy with, or because of scandalously poor
welfare facilities, yet if any of his workforce are
injured because of such matters, it is he who will
carry the can because it is the employer who
must ensure a safe place of work. The Main
Contractor does not employ the Sub-Contractors

Allen Broad, of Sussex based specialist contractor Yoldings Ltd

has accepted the post of Deputy Chairman.
Bob Berry will continue to serve as a member seven-man
Executive Committee, which in addition to Tom McCulloch and
Allen Broad, comprises Mike Hackett of Makers UK Ltd, Neil Perring of Alfred Bagnall & Sons
(Restoration) Ltd, Mike Moore of Sika Ltd and Tony Hansard of Weber SBD.
The CRA was formed thirteen years ago to set high standards of workmanship and technical
competence in a hitherto fragmented and unregulated concrete repair industry. As well as being
able to demonstrate a proven track record and overall proven ability in this specialist construction
sector, each full member is currently obliged to be Q.A. accredited to BS EN ISO 9000, to comply
with the Associations stringent Codes of Practice and its training requirements.

men! All Sub-Contractors should insist upon a

specific site induction presentation before they set
foot on a site and an inspection of the site prior to
beginning work is essential. But if we are honest,
how often in this done? Many subbies appear to
arrive on site and begin work in complete
oblivion to any dangers associated with site, the
works involved, or even basic emergency
procedures. If this is doubted just talk to site
operatives and ask a few basic questions! Be
this as it may, there are three matters specific to
concrete repair which I would like to raise.
BREAKING OUT DEFECTIVE CONCRETE
In our experience, these operations are invariably
undertaken by the least trained operatives;
sometimes by labourers without any basic
training whatsoever; sometimes by persons
whose knowledge of English is very sparse. Yet
this operation is potentially
one of the most dangerous in
terms of injury. We have
noted many occasions where
no protective footwear is
worn (trainers are often the
order of the day!) even
when breaking out with
mechanical breakers at low
level where one slip of the
Kango would result in a very
serious foot injury. Other
protective clothing, although
provided by the Contractor
appears to be optional (e.g.
gloves, ear muffs, goggles,
etc) - particularly in warm
summer months.
Of course of great concern to
all is now the risk of hand
arm vibration syndrome
(commonly known as
vibration white finger)
caused by the use of
concrete breakers and the
like. The HSE has issued
guidance on the use of such equipment which
requires frequent rest periods. Strict compliance
with these recommendations would be very
costly and it is difficult to envisage how a
Contractor can competitively tender and comply.
However, this is a very real risk to health and
court judgements in the mining industry
concerning HAV have been very severe. I am
reliably informed that legal proceedings have
been instigated against concrete repair
contractors, so this is a very real problem already
recognised by many in the industry. The answer
probably lies with the use of newly developed
low vibration breakers currently being
introduced, or by the use of high pressure water
jetting to break out concrete, albeit this causes its
own specific problems which I do not have space
to go into at this time.
CONCRETE/REINFORCEMENT
PREPARATION - GRIT BLASTING
To avoid the risk of silicosis, only silicon free
grit should be used and operatives should be

Continued on page 4

Whats happening to
the insurance industry?
(Continued from page 1)

Previously Deputy Chairman of the Association, he assumed the

position from Bob Berry of specialist contractor Concrete Repairs
Ltd at the Associations recent AGM. Tom McCulloch becomes
the tenth individual to Chair the Association since its inception in
1989. The post is usually held for a two-year period.

www.concreterepair.org.uk

most importantly on three main issues. The use

of ladders to carry out work, site welfare facilities
and working from height. In addition, they will
be carefully looking at hand arm vibration,
asbestos, manual handling, noise and transport.
Be warned. They really mean business and are
increasingly resorting to court action, which often
results in the imposition of hefty fines, which are
not always restricted to the contractor but also to
employers and other members of the design team.

Fourthly and possibly most significantly, the

seemingly ever-increasing compensation
culture has boosted both the number and the
value of claims being made. Because more
people are after a slice of the cake, the demand
for cover has become disproportionate to the
financial cake available. In other words, there
is simply not enough cake to go round.
Demand is greater than the financial
availability ... and we all know what happens to
prices when such conditions exist.
The impact on some specialist contractors has
been that no one wants to insure their activity,
sometimes at any price. Many insurers rely
heavily on the Loss Prevention Council and

BRE to offer them indications of the level of

risk. In some cases the information supplied is
insufficient, so they err on the side of caution
and that can cause havoc to certain industrial
sectors.
What is virtually certain is that in future
insurance companies will be looking more
intensely at companys track records before
providing the necessary cover. Those who are
members of creditable trade associations, such
as the CRA, will be in pole position. In the
meantime, if conditions remain as at present, or
worse deteriorate, it is quite obvious that the
additional costs will permeate through and force
an upward movement in tender prices. There is
simply no alternative.

CRACKING MATTERS - The Journal of the Concrete Repair Association

Cause for concern over highway

bridge repair document

new document aiming to give

guidance to specifiers of concrete
repair on bridges was launched at the
Institution of Civil Engineers on 31 October
2002. The document, entitled Repair of
concrete in highway bridges - a practical
guide was jointly sponsored by the County
Surveyors Society (CSS), the Highways
Agency (HA) and the Transport Research
Laboratory Ltd (TRL). The document was
funded by the CSS and HA, produced by the
TRL and co-authored by Steve Pearson of
Derbyshire County Council and Ramesh Patel
of TRL.
The seminar, organised to launch the
document, featured speakers from the
sponsoring organisations and others from
councils and consultants. The
launch was not,
however, without
controversy. Some
CRA members in the
audience,
representing concrete
repair contractors and
materials suppliers,
were critical of the
lack of representation
of contractors and
suppliers on the
working group and a
seeming lack of
consultation with these
sectors prior to the
reports publication.
The report is divided into
eight sections entitled
introduction; causes of
deterioration in concrete
bridges; inspection;
investigation; review and
assessment; decide the course of action; nonconcrete repair options and concrete repair. It
was hoped that the document would provide
the basis for replacements for BD27/86
Materials for the Repair of Concrete
Highway Structures and BA 35/90
Inspection and Repair of Concrete Highways
Structures, each of which are now seriously
dated. This, in turn, would lead to Series 1700
of the Specification for Highways Works
being extended to include specifications for
concrete repair. Speaker Neil Loudon of the
Highways Agency indicated that these
aspirations were still some way from delivery.
The documents introduction focuses on the
history of concrete bridges, durability and
service problems, the extent of the UK repair
problem, current trends and future
developments. The chapter on deterioration
details the main mechanisms of attack;
concrete corrosion from chloride attack and
carbonation; alkali silica reaction; freeze-thaw
attack; sulfate attack and plastic settlement
and early thermal cracks. Inspection guidance
is brief but contains a table of crack
classification linking appearance and location
with likely causes. A more detailed section on
investigation outlines the range of non and
semi destructive tests available to engineers.

The two sections covering review and

assessment and deciding the course of action
considers strategies open to owners of substandard bridges, i.e. preventative
maintenance, repairs, replacement, or do
nothing. The variety of repair methods
available and their suitability for particular
circumstances is then considered, with a flow
chart provided to guide the user to an
appropriate repair strategy.
Non concrete repair options are then pondered
in detail. The merits of surfaces treatments e.g.
coatings, surface impregnants and corrosion
inhibitors are detailed. Electrochemical
methods, such as cathodic protection, chloride
extraction and realkalisation receive
considerable attention. Cathodic protection, in
particular, seems about to
gain much wider
acceptance by the HA and
Local Authorities as a
mainstream repair
method than has perhaps
been the case to date.
The final chapter details
at length conventional
concrete repair options.
Materials selection,
concrete removal,
reinforcement repair
and application
methods are reviewed
and control systems
suggested, to ensure a
satisfactory outcome
is obtained. Crack
sealing is also
featured. The
industry trend
towards hydrodemolition was
confirmed by the guidance that wherever
possible hydro demolition should be the
preferred method of concrete removal.
Unfortunately it was this final chapter that
gave CRA members most cause for concern.
It was felt that the lack of representation and
consultation with suppliers and contractors
had led to a document being produced that
was perhaps some years out of date compared
with contemporary industry practice. It was
technically flawed with regard to material
properties and selection and perhaps most
seriously, the opportunity to provide robust
guidance about the selection of repair
contractors had been completely missed.
By enlarge, the guarantee of a successful
concrete repair will only come from using
suitably qualified operatives employed by
reputable and experienced contractors.
Employers must take steps to ensure that
detailed guidance on appropriate contractor
selection is available to their engineering staff
in order to maximise the quality and durability
of their repair expenditure. That this
document did not provide such guidance is a
source of regret. It is a missed opportunity to
ensure that demonstrable standards of
competence are used to select repair
contractors.

Recent work volume up

but outlook a little gloomy

indings from the most recent State of

trade survey, carried out by the
Concrete Repair Association on a
regular six-monthly basis, show that during
the period January to June 2002 the contract
sales value for the entire UK specialist
concrete repair market is estimated to have
been worth in the region of 103m.
When compared with findings for the first six
months of 2001, the figures indicate a 7%
reduction in completed work. They also
indicate that the value of individual concrete
repair contracts appears to be becoming
smaller. The figures reveal that whilst CRA

contractor members were successful in

winning just under 600 new orders for
concrete repair work (worth approximately
38m) during the latest period, the equivalent
period in 2001 generated business worth
39m, from a little more than 500 contracts.
The January - June 2002 findings were not all
doom and gloom however, since business won
during the period was up by 22% in
comparison with the final six months of 2001.
In addition, most CRA contractor members
also reported that the trend in enquiries
received for concrete repair work was up on
both the first and second periods of 2001.

I dont believe it !
A
recent survey identified that a new social class had been
created, namely The Meldrews.

Named after the television character, the main characteristic of a

Meldrew is a willingness to complain and to speak out against
the things that vex them. No doubt most people can think of
someone who meets that description. Not you of course gentle
reader, or me for that matter. We are all models of tolerant
reason ... its the others!
The new social grouping was much on my mind recently
when I attended a tenants meeting as part of a
partnering agreement. Now I can wax long and boring
over partnering and the abuse of that particular buzzword, but
this is not the place. Suffice to say that within the slightly robust definition of partnering,
other than that envisaged by Egan, the client, contractor and residents were sat around a table
hammering out the details.
In fairness, two of the three tenants representatives were competent and committed to getting
their co-residents the best deal going and all power to their elbows, I say. The third was an
archetypal Meldrew. His questions ranged from Why do you have to make a noise breaking
out concrete? to can you take the scaffolding down at weekends to let us see the view?
My particular favourite was, If youre still here at Christmas will you be buying us all a
present to make up for the inconvenience?
Judging by the body language from his two colleagues, including that well-known rhythmical
hand gesture much used by lorry drivers when overtaking, they both had a fairly low opinion
of the third guy. Having settled his queries (two nos and a not-unless-we-take-three-times-aslong response) the meeting concluded.
It occurred to me on the way back to the office that whether or not this particular person was
being purposely obstructive, he was symptomatic of one of the problems of the
contractor/client/resident relationship. The problems being that we, as construction
professionals, often assume a level of basic knowledge on the part of the residents that of
course they simply do not have.
They do not understand why concrete has to broken out and repaired, or why it has to be done
that way. Health and safety procedures are a complete mystery to them and as for COSHH,
RIDDOR and all the rest - forget it!
By the same token, whilst we might have been to endless seminars on the principles of
partnering, residents regard builders as folk who dont turn up when they say they will, or
those people that are never in evidence when sitting in a queue on the coned-off section of
motorway.
So what we need to do is talk a bit more, in basic terms that explain what we are doing and
why we are doing it. If we get this bit right then in theory we should get rid of the Meldrew
tendency from our sites. Personally, however, I DONT BELIEVE IT!

H&S - you have been warned !

(Continued from page 3)
masked at all times. However, many local
authority clients specifically prohibit the use of
dry grit blasting because it is so easily airborne
and can thus be a great problem to residents in
occupied buildings both on site and in the
immediate vicinity. Wet grit blasting should be
used generally to minimise this risk and should
be specified by the client, even if it is more
expensive. However, the seemingly impractical
new Eurocode requirement for reinforcement
cleaning to reach the Swedish 21/2 SA standard
will surely perpetuate the need to use grit blasting
to prepare exposed reinforcement prior to repair,
unless high pressure water jetting is used.
REPAIR AND COATING MATERIALS
The continued need for Contractors and
Engineers to carry out COSHH assessments and
work, in strict accordance with manufacturers
health and safety data sheets and other

With regard to the business outlook for the

next twelve months, however, the returns
indicated that most CRA members anticipated
a reduction in workload volume, with the vast
majority foreseeing a continued reduction in
both contract values and business margins.
Other figures, compiled from returns provided
by the CRAs product manufacturing members
for the same period, indicated increases in
sales volume for all categories of concrete
repair material except anti-carbonation
coatings, compared to the same period in
2001. Unlike their contractor colleagues,
most CRA manufacturer members anticipated
sales volumes to continue to increase over the
coming twelve-months. The majority,
however, expected prices and business margins
to remain unchanged.

CRACKING MATTERS - The Journal of the Concrete Repair Association

recommendations, remain absolutely essential.

Several protective coatings and reinforcement
primers, still widely used today because of their
proven performance and track record over many
years, contain solvents and the like which require
specific handling to ensure safety of site
personnel.
There are, of course, many other hazards
affecting refurbishment contracts but these are
applicable to contracts as a whole such as falling
from height, site traffic, site debris, trip hazards
and scaffolding to name but a few. These are of a
general nature and well known to competent
Contractors who are, in most instances, looking
to train their staff and implement measures to
minimise such risks. I am certainly aware that
the CRA are very much au fait with most of the
matters raised in this article and are actively
advising both Contractors and clients alike.
However, there is much merit in taking advice
from a health and safety consultant who
specialises in concrete repairs and refurbishment
contracts. I am also aware that several
Contractors in the CRA (and some Consulting
Engineers) are already taking advantage of such
specialist advice. These moves are very much
welcomed and should significantly help in
improving health and safety. It should also add
to a Contractors or Engineers standing in tender
appraisals where safety records, best value and
added value form part of the evaluation.
ENQUIRY NO: 1012
CRACKING MATTERS is published by the Concrete
Repair Association (CRA), Association House,
99 West Street, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7EN.
Tel: (01252) 739145 Fax: (01252) 739140
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.concreterepair.org.uk
Comments and opinions expressed in the articles provided
are those of the Author and not necessarily of the CRA.
Rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced or transmitted in any form, without prior written
consent of the publishers. Tenth edition: 01.12. 02

www.concreterepair.org.uk