Successful French industry event
The second “Expertise and Construction Day” hosted by Cerib (Centre d’études et de recherches de l’industrie du béton; French Study and Research Center for the Concrete Industry) at Épernon again attracted many attendees. According to the organizer, about 420 participants who primarily represented the French precast industry came to the Cerib headquarters in this town located south of Paris in early July. The accompanying exhibition comprised booths of 43 companies or institutions from the supplier industry, academia and research, and the media, including international market leaders such as Quadra, 3R, Würschum, Kniele, Teka, Wasa, Bikotronic, Trimble, Adler Technologies, CTVS, Eco Frog, Sika, Mapei, and WMW Industrieanlagen. As the official media partner of the event, the BFT International industry magazine welcomed many visitors to its booth.
Cerib staff members presented their most recent research projects in a dedicated panel. Christophe Tessier represented the fire safety department. At its laboratory, this department conducts various standardized and custom-configured tests on behalf of the industry to determine the fire resistance and behavior of construction materials and products, structural components, and complete structures.
Pipes equipped
with RFID chips
Thibaut le Doeuff presented a project for monitoring and maintaining pipelines using RFID chips. According to le Doeuff, all research goals were achieved; a database was set up that can be used to develop an RFID system for precast elements. This database takes account of all technical and functional issues that may occur during the life-cycle of the RFID system. Furthermore, this research project captured all existing RFID systems and can serve as a knowledge base for interested users.
Paul Sauvage’s lecture concentrated on BIM and the precast industry. In October 2015, the “Fédération française de l’industrie du béton” (FIB; Federation of the French Concrete Industry) and the Cerib research institute joined forces to carry out preliminary work on compiling a BIM library for buildings consisting of masonry blocks. Among other work steps, this endeavor included capturing requirements for masonry blocks in accordance with the French XP P 07 150 standard, including their strength, acoustic behavior, and thermal properties. This work was performed for four different types of masonry block.
Other research projects dealt with various topics, such as reducing the carbon footprint of precast elements by using cements containing ground granulated blast-furnace slag, determining the environmental impact of a framed building using the LEEOS software suite, installing prestressed concrete floor slabs, and investigating the acoustic behavior of flooring blocks. Attendees of the second “Expertise and Construction Day” were also given the opportunity to participate in guided tours through the Cerib laboratories and research facilities.
Text: Christian Jahn, M. A.
