Consultancy
The Consultancy department provides advisory reports in the broadest sense of the word. Through measurement and analysis of building materials with the newest techniques (a.o. rheology and radar), both in our laboratory and on site, our experts can offer you expertise in the following areas: behavior of material, sustainability and (remaining) lifecycle, environment, health, damage and repair, risk control and guidance in the building process of structures. Moreover we develop new building materials like a.o.: concrete with phase change materials and smart noise reducing barriers. These developments lead to INTRON being an international trend setter in its innovation and capacities.
Our competences are:
Material behaviour
Our consultants are eager to understand the circumstantial behavior of a building material; its reaction in its environment, how it deteriorates during service life and what features the material have with regard to its requirements. We know everything about concrete, asphalt, coatings, plastics, insulation materials, etc.
Sustainability
There is a growing awareness worldwide that sustainable materials are needed for next generations to enable them to live comfortably and healthy. Our consultants know exactly how to make sustainable materials, build sustainable constructions and assess the sustainability of a given solution by laboratory testing, LCA calculations or, for instance, BREEAM related inspections.
Within the sustainability services our core competence is on building and demolition waste solutions, such as road foundations, concrete and asphalt constructions as well as immobilisation solutions.
Durability
Knowledge of a construction’s service life is essential to make the best decisions on (raw) material selection, design, installation, utilisation and maintenance strategies. SGS INTRON has a vast experience in concrete durability, asphalt, coated constructions and is specialized in helping engineers, contractors, building managers and building owners to guide them through their design and maintenance process.
Leaching
Environmental regulation is continuously in progress. SGS INTRON consultants can help customers in guiding them through their processes and help them to comply with requirements or permits. Our consultants are experts on leaching behavior of all kinds of building materials to surface water and soil. Tested materials comprise all types of concrete, asphalt, brickwork, building demolition waste, natural stone, breakwater armor stones etc.
Environmental Life Cycle Analyses and Environmental Product Declarations
An environmental Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) makes an inventory and quantification of the processes. The result of a LCA also provides opportunities to use the knowledge for o.a. product innovation, production process optimalisation and stimulation of the re-use, recycling or other ways of waste demolition.
Since 1990 the SGS INTRON consultants have been executing many LCA projects for the Dutch and European building industry including producers, associations and governmental organizations. SGS INTRON is active in European standardisation and therefore customers may profit from its up-to-date knowledge of present and future developments.
We also have the expertise to declare the environmental profile of a building product or construction with respect to national and international standards.
Damage and repair
What caused a specific damage and what is the best repair strategy? These are two of the most asked questions in the consultancy department. Our consultants answer these questions based on thorough, independent and discrete research. We offer these services for all parties concerned and for all constructions with damage present. Our track record in this field is impressive. See our projects for more information.
Risk management
Risk analyses and management services are growing demands for the complex structures that are build these days. Our consultants understand the behavior of building materials and know what the cause is for a specific damage. We are expert in service life matters and recognise effects of human behavior during construction processes. Therefore we can help customers to understand the risk of a certain choice of material, application method and maintenance strategy.
Construction supervision
Professional supervision of construction works is a prerequisite for the successful completion of a project in terms of time, quality and cost. Owners and contractors want to be sure that the investment, realization conforms to technical documentation, agreed price and time and regulations and valid standards. SGS INTRON helps customers to reduce technical risks, prevent construction errors, control budgets and effectively keeps the construction project within planned schedule.
NDT
NDT Methods used by SGS INTRON in civil activities are:
- High frequency concrete radar (GPR),
- Advanced armoring detectors (Ferroscan),
- Infrared thermography,
- Impulse response (IR),
- Halfcell potential measurements (Hcp),
- Mira
With the methods mentioned above we are able to offer the following analyses:
- Reinforcement configurations
- Reinforcement corrosion
- Depth / delamination
- Rock pockets
- Cracks
- Thickness concrete/floors
- Position foundation beams underneath a floor
- Position floor heating
- Moisture
- Fluid thightness / impervious constructions
When performing activities with the usage of fluids it is very important to prevent the floors from being polluted with these fluids. Also licenses and authorities are entitled to demand conditions regarding the fluid tightness of floors, pavements, walls and/or drainage canals.
The SGS INTRON consultants are able to conduct floor risk analyses, perform certification of the construction and inspection of liquid tightness facilities and assessment of other facilities like quality, functionality and organisational assessments. With our extensive experience covering all aspects of the liquid tightness assessment directives , SGS INTRON has the skills to provide an unique service on all requirement elements.
Manager Consultancy: Ron Leppers (tel.: +31(0)46-4204204)