The project confirmed the choice of one strength test and analysed sampling procedures. The results are being incorporated into the relevant European standards. Every year in the EC, there is a demand from the construction industry for more than 2 billion tonnes of aggregates. And you only have to take a look around you to see how important aggregates are in our world's infrastructure. From tunnels and roads to buildings, bridges and power plants, they are more than just part of the scenery.
Different aggregates are right for different jobs.
As the products' properties are partly determined by the properties of the aggregates, suppliers, users and testing bodies need to be able to assess the suitability of individual aggregates for different purposes. Over the years, different countries have developed and adopted a variety of tests to meet their needs. Increasingly, these tests will be replaced by European Standard test methods. These will assist trading millions of tonnes of aggregate across European borders but only if the strengths and limitations of the new methods are fully recognised. Aggregating skills and experience From 1993 to 1997, five organisations from France, Germany, The Netherlands and the UK came together to work on a programme to research and assess a range of different test methods.