Cement and building lime
Cement is a traditional product whose technical knowledge has been refined since the middle of the 19th century. It is manufactured from limestone, clay and other additions, which allow a regular composition in time.
The aim of standardisation was initially to harmonize the procedures for the testing of cement in order to compare cements all the more so since they initially were from natural origin.
The specifications of the intrinsic properties of cements were then standardised. Durability tests will now be added to this series of standards.
Faced with the environmental challenge, the energy-consuming industry manufactures its products respecting the legislations while ensuring a continuous quality of its products by applying in particular the standards and the certification based on it.
At international level, the ISO/TC 74 ensures the development of the standards.
Within CEN, the committee in charge is CEN/TC 51
For the NBN, CRIC assumes the secretariat of the Belgian committee. The documents are reserved to the members and can be consulted via http://doc.bin.be/livelink/livelink.exe.
Aggregates
Typically a natural product, aggregates are used in a lot of different ways. The traditions in these various sectors differ for instance about the granulometry measured by different series of sieves. The harmonization between these European standards is one of the priorities of the sector.
The environmental aspects are also very sensitive and the experts in standardisation pay a great attention to these aspects.
At international level, the ISO/TC 71 SC 3 WG 1 ensures the development of the standards.
Within CEN, the committee in charge is CEN/TC 154
For the NBN, CRIC assumes the secretariat of the Belgian committee. The documents are reserved to the members and can be consulted via http://doc.bin.be/livelink/livelink.exe.
Concrete
An ordinary concrete consists of elements of decreasing granulometry; while starting with the aggregates, the granulometric spectrum continues with the cement powder then sometimes with a material with a granulometry even finer like silica fume (recovered at the electrostatic filters in the steel industry). Obtaining continuous and wide granulometric spectrum improves compactness and therefore the mechanical performances.
The production of concrete is confronted with the development of a number of potential constituents and with the more frequent use of high-strength concrete and/or self-compacting concrete.
The current challenges for the standardizers consist in the implementation of these new technologies for the common concrete and the working out of new standards.
The environmental questions are also essential in order to guarantee the safety of all the concerned parties during the life of the structures.
At international level, the ISO/TC 71 ensures the development of the standards.
Within CEN, the committee in charge is CEN/TC 104
For the NBN, CRIC assumes the secretariat of the Belgian committee. The documents are reserved to the members and can be consulted via http://doc.bin.be/livelink/livelink.exe.
Standards-Antenna
The standards have always had an important role in order to maintain the competitiveness of the industries but also of the environment and the equitable functionning of the market for the protection of the citizens.
The information as to the standards have more and more importance for the industries and, in particular, for the positioning on the European and international markets.
However a problem, in particular for the SME, is still growing: the understanding of the standards in order to be correctly applicated.
The creation of an standards-antenna comes from the will of from a target group which would like to solve this problem. This also means investment in supervisory staff, employees and financing.
An early information about standards in preparation is a real asset in order to be ready to master new contraints and to take advantage of the opportunities. The content and the application of the standards has to be communicated in a comprehensible and didactic way.