2014. 07. 30..
On 30 July 2014, a conference was held at Colas’ Technology Directorate with the aim of resolving recent issues regarding frost- and de-icing salt resistant concrete mixtures in Hungary.
The primary goal of the gathering was to inform the participants on standards, specifications, technologies, testing procedures, and qualification methods applied in Hungarian in international practice. Among others, we invited clients, authorities, engineers, and the authors of standards and specifications, who showed up in great numbers at the Technology Directorate’s Bécsi Road headquarters despite the scorching summer heat.
The event was opened by technology director Zoltán Puchard, followed by a welcome speech from the deputy CEO of NIF Zrt., Ákos Kovács. As the next item on the agenda, the chairman of the ÚTLAB Association, Pál Fülöp, and the head of the concrete subcommittee, Ottó Kettinger explained the activities of the association in brief.
The professional programme was kicked off with back-to-back presentations by Szabolcs Lukács, who introduced Hungarian standards and specifications, and Zsuzsa Szilágyi, who summed up the practical applicability of those regulations.
We invited a number of renowned foreign experts to familiarise guests with international protocols – among them the German Motorway Directorate’s chief technologist, Janette Klee, and the Colas Group’s two technology directors, Jean-Paul Michaut and Jean-Paul Dupuy.
Inspired by the thought-provoking lectures, several participants signalled their intent in the breaks to participate in specialist committees. The discussion seminar held as the day’s closing event was moderated by Gyula Kolozsi (MAÚT).
Topics raised at the conference included design requirements for concrete mixes, ways of verifying frost- and salt resistance characteristics, the use of base materials, experience regarding the application of air-entrained concrete and the most common errors committed during construction. Although we have experimental results at hand, as well as theoretical answers to all questions, we do not have any practical experience so far, due to restraints of our previous standards and specifications.
Based on the professional competence of the participants, we hope that conclusions of the conference will have an effect on road technical specifications and the new standard (MSZ 4798:2014) currently in the works, thus clearing the way for more up-to-date technologies. The complete material of the presentations is available at the Technology Directorate.
