The forum was kicked off by Steve Hadley, chair of the Ground Forum and managing director of Central Piling, who underscored the critical role of concrete in ground engineering, highlighting its substantial impact on construction projects and its notable consumption, accounting for 5% of the UK's concrete volume. This set the stage for a day focused on addressing the challenges specific to this sector. 

Driving sustainability from design 

The keynote was delivered by John Chick, FPS chair and business leader of Expanded Geotechnical. Chick highlighted the enduring significance of concrete, tracing its roots back to ancient architectural marvels and confronting the modern-day challenges of sustainability in its production and application.

He called for a unified drive towards sustainable, responsible concrete utilisation, emphasising the importance of not only sensible, sustainable design but also redefining and owning the narrative surrounding construction and its positive impact on environmental, social, and economic sustainability via the technical and scientific progress we are making. 

From specification to supply and all points in between 

Dr James Branch, regional technical manager (Concrete) at Heidelberg Materials UK, provided insights into the journey from concrete specification to supply. He discussed the main constituents of concrete, their impact on composition and performance, and the importance of precise enquiries to ensure the most suitable application. His talk also covered the crucial acceptance tests and project-specific trial processes. 

Sampling and control with changing mixtures 

Matt Oliver, general manager at Socotec UK, closed the morning session, emphasising the significance of adaptive testing strategies in the face of changing concrete mix designs. He advocated for rigorous quality control through best practices in sampling, manufacturing, and curing of compressive strength specimens. 

A confluence of expert insights 

Following a networking lunch, the event moved on to a panel discussion featuring contractors and suppliers in conversation about common issues. Discussions revolved around concrete specification, on-site sampling practices, and managing consistency in material quality. The panel, chaired by Steve Hadley and comprising industry veterans; Danny Bunting, Chris O'Shea, Kevin Paterson, Mark Boden, and Paul Wiltcher, gave a rich exchange of perspectives on navigating the challenges and opportunities in concrete supply and its use.

Chris Harnan, managing director at Ceecom Geotech, then presented and discussed the EFFC/DFI Guide to Tremie Concrete, focusing on workability, stability, and the adoption of new testing methods. He outlined efforts to incorporate these standards into the new European Concrete Standard (EN 206) and revise the guide for broader acceptance. 

Unveiling the centre of excellence for modern construction 

Philip Muff, contracts manager at Explore Manufacturing (part of Laing O'Rourke), then took to the stage and introduced the Centre of Excellence for Modern Construction. He discussed how it integrates into projects to provide benefits and shared insights into their carbon reduction strategy, balancing production outputs with environmental considerations. 

Lower carbon concrete, today and tomorrow 

Presenting another keynote, Paul Astle, decarbonisation lead at Ramboll, offered an overview of current and future strategies for reducing the embodied carbon of concrete. He discussed the importance of immediate actions and the potential of new concrete technologies to contribute to a lowering of the industry's carbon footprint. 

The science of concrete as a fluid 

Closing the event, James Blackwell, technical and innovation at Martello Piling/Franki Foundations, addressed the complexity of concrete mixes. He used the forum to simplify the understanding of concrete as a viscous fluid, illustrating how it may be possible to enable better predictions of pumping issues and potential adjustments to mixes to avoid these in the first place. 

Conclusion: a foundation for change 

The Concrete Forum 2024 marked a significant milestone in the journey towards sustainable ground engineering and concrete utilisation. The event highlighted the industry's commitment to tackling contemporary challenges through innovation, collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to sustainability, paving the way for a more sustainable construction future.

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