New standards for a new millennium - documentation outlining new European standards for cement

Citation

(2000), "New standards for a new millennium - documentation outlining new European standards for cement", Facilities, Vol. 18 No. 5/6. https://doi.org/10.1108/f.2000.06918eab.010

New standards for a new millennium - documentation outlining new European standards for cement

Keywords Standards, Concrete

Thanks to the introduction of BS 5075 in 1974 and of the BSI third-party audited Quality Scheme for Admixture Manufacturers in 1991, the use of admixtures to modify and improve the quality of concrete is gradually becoming more accepted in the UK. Current sales figures from the Cement Admixture Association (CAA) suggest that 65 per cent of the UK's annual readymix concrete production now contains a water-reducer.

Admixtures are already established as an integral part of virtually all concrete placed throughout Europe and are now being specified for all major UK projects as an aid to concrete durability, to enhance workability and to ensure good placing and compaction, as well as providing other job-specific properties.

Nowadays, all the major admixture producers operate on a global level. Individual products from any one company will normally be identical anywhere in the world, which means that that any international standardisation is of considerable benefit to both the admixture industry and its customers.

In view of this, the CAA has, for the past ten years, been working together with other members of the European Federation of Concrete Admixture Associations (EFCA), to produce a new harmonised admixture standard for CEN member countries. As a result, the introduction of EN 924 - "Admixtures for Concrete, Mortar and Grout" is imminent.

Part 2: Concrete Admixtures - Definitions and Requirements is already in place. Parts 3, 4, 5 and 6 are currently being finalised. Once agreement on part 6 is achieved (anticipated during 2000) the new standard will trigger the complete withdrawal of BS 5075.

EN 924 maintains all the key aspects of BS 5075 and builds upon the control requirements and range of products covered. Users and specifiers of cement admixtures can be confident that early in the new millennium the quality and performance requirements of admixtures will be of an even higher standard than in the past, says the CAA.

The Cement Admixtures Association has produced a document giving an outline of the new European Standards, the British Standards that they replace and how they differ from those currently in operation. Copies can be obtained from the Secretary, CAA, 38a Tilehouse Green Lane, Knowle, West Midlands B93 9EY. Tel/Fax: +44 (0) 1564 776362.