Construction

Contact: ACG's Construction Market Sector Manager - Richard Horn
e-mail: rhorn @ acg.co.uk

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Construction

Advanced Composite Group (ACG) is well established as the world's leading supplier of composite technology and materials into performance industries, offering turnkey application development from concept through to design, manufacture and supply. The Group has positioned itself at the forefront of developing and translating composite technology into new markets, such as construction, by supporting clients, consultants and contractors who face fundamental challenges in the use and uptake of affordable composite solutions.

Whilst the superior performance of composite materials has been known for many years, the design, cost and manufacturing processes have limited the uptake in construction applications. This is no longer the case as projects are now demonstrating that, with detailed technical and commercial application, solutions can be competitive to traditional construction engineering material solutions.

Composite materials can be freely moulded to complex shapes and exhibit high fatigue performance and durability. These materials also exhibit excellent chemical and corrosive resistance. The high stiffness to weight ratio of carbon composites and the ability to tailor properties in response to stress directions yields a lightweight structural solution. These weight savings can lead to reductions in site handling issues, heavy capital equipment requirements and possession times. The potential also exists for effective off-site manufacture and JIT delivery of structural components to site.

The total project cost is often significantly lower, even though the cost of the raw materials may still be higher than traditional steel or concrete.

ACG provides conceptual design to facilitate initial conclusions of load case, structural concepts, material and laminate specification providing rapid feedback on engineering methodology, weight, costing and manufacturing methods. Design services included in-house CATIA and FEA capability. Project and application engineering of design solutions are supported by in-house part manufacture at Advanced Composite Engineering (ACE) and by ACG's Technology Centre, which provides bespoke customer training and technology transfer packages, and complete composite materials testing and data generation capability.

Advanced Composite Materials (ACM) supports all activities with a comprehensive range of materials for structural repair, strengthening and element applications. ACG is a BS EN ISO 9001, AS9100 (prEN 9100) and TS 16949 approved supplier. ACG's continuous material and processing development programmes offer genuine construction solutions to resolve the complex engineering and commercial challenges that face the construction industry.

Full details of the projects and the materials developed for individual construction applications are available on request from Richard Horn, e-mail: rhorn @ acg.co.uk, ACG's Construction Market Sector Manager.