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Since then, the partnership has grown from strength-to-strength. With the latest round of water industry investment programmes coinciding with increased emphasis on renewable energy, which can be generated using methane gas (a natural by-product of the sludge digestion process), Galglass has seen the demand for digester tanks increase dramatically since 2009.

To date Freyssinet have supplied and installed post tensioning systems at four Galglass project sites in the UK and Ireland:
• Ringsend WwTW Tank 4, Dublin, 2009
• Afan Sludge Digester Tank, Port Talbot, 2010
• Five Fords WwTW, Wrexham, 2011
• Howdon Digester Tanks, Newcastle, 2011

Historically, tanks of this type were designed and constructed traditionally with very thick and heavily reinforced concrete wall sections. Even then, tanks designed and constructed in this way would frequently suffer wall cracking and leakage, leading to a reduced operational life and client dissatisfaction; in addition, construction of such tanks was costly and slow, and the carbon footprint of structures of this type was very large. The key benefit of the innovative Galglass Post Tensioning approach to digester design is that it ensures that the tank walls are maintained in permanent horizontal compression under all load cases and for the whole design life (typically 40 – 60 years) of the structure, thereby guaranteeing leak-free construction. The use of post tensioning also allows much more economical wall thicknesses and reinforcement quantities, so that costs and build times are significantly reduced and the associated carbon footprint is dramatically lowered.

Freyssinet’s in-house design team consists of suitably qualified experienced engineers and technical personnel with many years of experience in post-tensioned tank design and construction.
They are responsible for:
1. Deciding on the suitable post-tensioning system to suit to the range of stress resultants provided by Galglass analysis
2. Estimation of post tensioning losses for the selected post tensioning system
3. Calculation of required number of tendons
4. Providing effective tendon layouts that can easily be adopted on site
5. Providing technical assistance during the design development and construction

All in all, the partnership with Freyssinet presents Galglass with a “win/win” situation in promoting its market-leading PT digester product – Galglass Engineering Director Lindsay Powell says:

“The credibility that the Freyssinet name and reputation brings to our highly successful PT digester system is clearly recognised by ourselves and our clients. The quality and high performance levels of the finished product speak for themselves, and it is reassuring to know that we can rely on the skills, experience and technical/site services support offered by Freyssinet for projects of this type. The highly successful track record of the partnership and the corresponding high levels of customer satisfaction are a credit to both Galglass and Freyssinet, and with a number of high-profile digester projects currently ongoing and more in the pipeline, it is a partnership which we feel will continue grow and develop in the future to the continued benefit of both parties”.

Freyssinet and Galglass are currently in negotiations for further works at Blackburn Meadows WwTW, Sheffield, Woodhouse Mill WwTW, Sheffield and Bellozanne WwTW, Jersey.

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We offer a full service from conception through detailed design and site installation utilising our in-house design team and experienced site managers and operatives.

Post-tensioning provides a great many advantages, including:
• Increasing spans and load carrying capacity;
• Reducing slab thickness;
• Eliminating beam downstands;
• Reducing self weight, quantities of materials and loads on foundations;
• Considerably reducing and simplifying passive reinforcement;
• Reducing the number of expansion joints and columns;
• Better punching shear characteristics;
• Outstanding behaviour in seismic zones;
• Increased cracking resistance;
• Increased waterproofing due to concrete compression;
• Reduced excavation in basements;
• Deflection control;
• Removal of the formwork within 3 days;
• Environmental benefits, less concrete, less steel, fewer lorry journeys.

The environmental credentials of post-tensioned construction are one of the major selling points when the client’s team are trying to determine the construction material. Typically, post-tensioned slabs save about 25% of the slab depth and hence 25% of the concrete volume, when compared to the Reinforced Concrete (RC) equivalent. The steel content (reinforcement and post-tensioned combined) is often reduced by 65%.

Vinci Construction recently appointed Freyssinet to design post-tensioned floor slabs for UPP at Byron House student accommodation in Nottingham. Freyssinet were involved with Vinci’s bid from tender stage, which contributed to them winning the contract. Frame contractor David Ashley Construction then contracted Freyssinet to complete installation works.

Freyssinet also assisted Vinci, and frame contractor Getjar, with their bid to construct the mixed use Mosaic development in Cambridge. Freyssinet’s early involvement and assistance with value engineering helped to give Vinci an edge. Construction of the superstructure will commence in July 2012.

A further post-tensioned floor slab contract recently awarded to Freyssinet is the Eldon Theatre at Portsmouth University. Again, Freyssinet’s input at tender stage assisted the Main Contractor Morgan Sindall in securing the project. Morgan Sindall then recommended Freyssinet to frame contractor Stephenson Construction and superstructure construction is due to start in mid June 2012.

Freyssinet are close to completing post-tensioned floor slab works on site at St Peters School in Stoke on Trent for frame contractor Metropolitan Developer.

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Offering a full service package, their in-house design team can support clients from conception through detailed design and site installation utilising experienced site managers and operatives. Freyssinet sets high and specified performance criteria positioned above the usual industry standards.

Last year Freyssinet successfully completed a number of post-tensioned slab contracts for the construction of schools and colleges throughout the UK. These included:
• The Learning Centre, Ebbw Vale Campus, Wales
• Bourneville College, Birmingham
• The Big Build, Rutland
• Orminston Academy, Birmingham
• Sir Robert Woodard Academy, Lancing

Freyssinet have recently been awarded further post-tensioned floor slab contracts for Wade Deacon High School in Widnes and the Learning Resource Centre at Stafford College. Freyssinet first got involved with the Wade Deacon project over a year before it was finally let, working with VINCI Construction to give cost advice on a concrete alternative to the then conforming steel framed structure with precast concrete flooring units. The post-tensioned alternative saved significantly on the build cost and the flat soffits assisted the architectural planning and services layout.
The structure consists of a spine block running the full length of the 106m long historic façade. Springing from the spine are three teaching wings, each comprising an atrium bounded by classrooms on either side. The three storey structure has 9,750m2 of suspended PT slabs, all being 230mm deep, each floor will be concreted in six pours.
The post-tensioning system selected by Freyssinet’s in-house design team is the 4B13 bonded system. At level 1, two 1000x350mm deep PT beams have been used to span up to 13.7m to allow a pair of columns to be omitted thus creating a feature access way. And on the roof level the same sized PT beams cantilever 3.3m thus avoiding having to run columns down through teaching space below.

Post-tensioned concrete is an ideal choice for academic building construction. It reduces the depth of the structural members meaning the floor to floor height is reduced. Post-tensioned concrete also has excellent deflection control due to the inbuilt parabolic profiles of the tendons, which directly counter deflection effects.

There is plenty of experience within Freyssinet of building post-tensioned concrete academic buildings. The majority of these have been designed and detailed by our in-house team of qualified and experienced engineers and technicians.

Post-tensioning provides a great many advantages, including:
• Increasing spans and load carrying capacity;
• Reducing slab thickness;
• Eliminating beam downstands;
• Reducing self weight, quantities of materials and loads on foundations;
• Considerably reducing and simplifying passive reinforcement;
• Reducing the number of expansion joints and columns;
• Better punching shear characteristics;
• Outstanding behaviour in seismic zones;
• Increased cracking resistance;
• Increased waterproofing due to concrete compression;
• Reduced excavation in basements;
• Deflection control;
• Removal of the formwork within 3 days;
• Environmental benefits, less concrete, less steel, fewer lorry journeys.

The environmental credentials of post-tensioned construction are one of the major selling points when the client’s team are trying to determine the construction material. Typically, post-tensioned slabs save about 25% of the slab depth and hence 25% of the concrete volume, when compared to the Reinforced Concrete (RC) equivalent. The steel content (reinforcement and post-tensioned combined) is often reduced by 65%.

In addition to academic buildings, post-tensioning also suits a wide variety of projects, such as:
• Offices
• Retail developments
• Underground car parks and multi-storey car parks
• Hospitals
• Business centres
• Industrial buildings
• Sports buildings
• Residential towers

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Freyssinet are pleased to announce that they have been short listed in the ‘Concrete’ category of the 2012 Specialists Awards.

The Awards look to commend the work of specialist contractors in the construction industry, recognising the valuable role that they play in projects large and small.

Freyssinet was asked to reflect on the company’s performance between November 2010 and 2011, providing examples of notable successfully completed contracts, demonstrating client satisfaction, and describing how the company has grown and developed within this time.

Freyssinet was keen to highlight the unrivalled diverse offering and range of technical skills that they provide to their clients, along with their commitment to further developing the company through the acquisition of an in-house hydrodemolition team and the launch of their site-based apprenticeship scheme. In particular Freyssinet have experienced growth within their concrete repair activities, demonstrating innovation and versatility.

Making the shortlist is a huge achievement and Freyssinet look forward to attending the Awards ceremony in London on March 20th 2012.

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The Sustainability Award went to the Bulgari Hotel and Residences (formerly the Knightsbridge Palace Hotel) in London, where Freyssinet Limited undertook the design, supply and installation of a post-tensioned floor slab system.

Appointed by Byrne Bros in early 2010, the installation works were carried out by Freyssinet between August and December 2010.

The building consists of high-quality residences overlooking Hyde Park, a luxury hotel, restaurant, ballroom and a swimming pool.

The use of post-tensioned floor slabs in the structure contributed to meeting the client’s aspirations for a ‘green’ building, utilising approximately 25% less concrete and 65% less steel reinforcement compared to a traditionally reinforced structure.

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The team’s product comprises a Gravity Based Foundation to be slip formed on land. The tower and turbine will be installed in the construction yard in a continuation of the base production line – economies of scale and a slick methodology will ensure the complete assemblies are produced economically. The completed units will be deployed and installed on the seabed with the assistance of a Transportation & Installation Barge (TIB). The TIB is a low cost, low maintenance dumb barge, built specifically for this process.

Based on UK Government commitments, a six-fold increase in output from wind will be required by 2020. The VINCI Construction UK – Freyssinet JV will construct and deploy the GBF® concept which is set to change the economics of offshore wind farms suitable for gravity bases The JV believes that its methods will enable deployment of turbines in rougher seas and deeper waters than conventional alternatives. A further key advantage is that a completely different supply chain is called upon compared to the better known monopile or jacket solutions.

VINCI Construction UK and Freyssinet International will jointly develop the innovative solution. Close partnerships and collaboration will be critical to the success of the project, and the JV will be working with developers, turbine manufacturers and others, including other companies from the wider VINCI Group to ensure the right arrangements and skills are in place.

There are also considerable environmental benefits to the proposed offshore scheme. The foundations themselves can be made from recycled materials, and the environmental impact throughout the lifecycle of the structures will be minimal. The foundations are designed such as that they can be completely removed at the end of their useful life and hence will have minimal long term impact on the environment once they’ve been decommissioned. While providing local employment opportunities, the projects will also, of course, help the UK to meet its renewable energy targets and deliver sustainable energy in the years ahead.

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