A research-based approach to promote the adoption of novel UK-based concrete test methods in Chinese construction standards

As part of a UK-China Science Bridge project – a UK government funded initiative linking leading universities and businesses in selective partnering countries – in 2009 a collaborative research programme was initiated between Queen’s University Belfast and the Research Institute of High Performance Concrete (part of the Central Research Institute of Building and Construction) in Beijing.The focus of research was concrete permeability assessment; a key factor in determining the potential long-term durability of civil engineering infrastructure. More specifically, a programme of work was designed to allow comparisons between the related test method included in the Chinese construction standards (GB/T50082-2009) and a novel non-destructive test method, the Autoclam Permeability System, developed by researchers at Queen’s University allowing both laboratory- and site-based measurement of air permeability, unsaturated water permeability and water absorption.A programme of 14 concrete mixtures was investigated to assess the influence of water-binder ratio (in the range 0.36-0.60) and binder type (considered was cement, fly ash, slag and silica fume). All mixes were prepared and tested in China using local materials and assessed for slump and compressive strength, in addition to a suite of durability-related parameters using Chinese and UK test methods. Reported in the paper are the positive correlation coefficients attained between the various test methods and on-going work to secure adoption of the Autoclam test method in China.