Course Description

Day 1
18.45- Welcome talk
Dinner- 19.00- 19.45
20.00- 21.30- Evening Lecture
Scope and compass of course including practical sessions:  What is concrete?  Understanding the basic terminology and primary reasons for decay.  Overview of current issues and debates for conservation-led repair of concrete.

Day 2
The history of concrete in Britain, and the influence of developing technologies on design and construction Demonstration.  Mixing and slump test Lecture.  Understanding the problem, research and diagnostics Demonstration.  Taking a core sample, carbonation testing, hammer testing, use of Schmidt hammer.
Will it stay up?  A structural engineer’s key questions to ask when working with historic concrete. 
Case Study:  Dudley Zoo.  Q&A
Demonstration.  Patch repairs, part 1:  Cutting out and matching mixes.
Practical session.  Use of aggregates
Chichester Festival Theatre:  Concrete repair case study Chichester Festival Theatre
17.15- Chichester Festival Theatre- Mock-up Q&A 
Dinner- 19.00- 19.45
20.00- 21.00- Evening Film Show and discussion:  Edward James’ ‘Las Pozas’, concrete garden in Mexico
  
Day 3   
Visit to Chichester to look at a variety of concrete structures and different surface finishing techniques Film.  William Mitchell’s Lea Valley Water Authority Building Film.  William Mitchell concrete sculpture in the 1960s Demonstration.  Placing patch repairs, part 2 Students’ projects.  Those who wish to, to do 5 minutes presentations. 
Demonstration.  Surface finishes, Elephant House, use of acid 
Dinner- 19.00- 19.45
20.00- Evening  Film Show.  Locke.  (Optional)

Day 4   
Lecture.  The chemistry and composition of architectural concrete.  The theory behind cathodic protection Demonstration/Practical Session.  Surface finishes, part 2:  Bush hammering Lecture.  Cleaning and surface preparation methods Demonstration of cleaning and surface preparation techniques Lecture.  Conclusion:  Considerations for the development and implementation of a philosophy of concrete repair
15.30  Issue of certificates and depart.
 

Timetable

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

Course Materials

What students need to bring

Please remember to bring work clothes/overalls and shoes/boots for practical sessions outdoors.  An umbrella may be useful on the short walk to the Auditorium and Ruinette.  If you have a high-vis jacket please bring for the site visit.