Certification in accordance with RAP Stra 15 for the testing of alternative building materials

GBU expands its service portfolio; Carl Hamm Geotechnik advises on the procurement of equipment to meet the standard

Today’s construction industry is characterised by significant legal and organisational changes in the production and use of alternative building materials. GBU GmbH Geology, Construction & Umweltconsult GmbH is a traditional geotechnical and environmental engineering firm with 26 geoscientists, engineers and geotechnical engineers based in Alfter, North Rhine-Westphalia, near Bonn, and works for both private and public clients. GBU recognised the challenges posed by the increasing use of recycled building materials at an early stage and, with the introduction of the Substitute Building Materials Ordinance in 2023, applied to the   Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia.

As early as 2012, GBU had obtained approval as a testing laboratory for the testing of, for example, base and frost protection layers in accordance with RAP Stra 15 (specialist areas A3 and I3), and was also able to gain initial experience with the certification process. The necessary equipment, such as equipment for plate load tests and laboratory sieve analyses, was acquired, a quality management system was introduced, and employees were appropriately trained. Following certification, GBU was able to operate as an accredited testing laboratory for public-sector and private clients in road construction and civil engineering. Increasingly, however, the company was also commissioned to carry out construction material testing and laboratory analyses, particularly of mineral substitute construction materials, which are increasingly used for backfilling or installation in technical structures.

With the introduction of the German Substitute Building Materials Ordinance, GBU ultimately decided to pursue certification for the testing of recycled substitute construction materials in accordance with RAP Stra 15 and to further expand its range of services. Carl Hamm Geotechnik, GBU’s long-standing supplier of geotechnical equipment, was involved in the certification process as a suitable partner for selecting and procuring the required equipment. Meeting the requirements involved significant investments, for example in a freeze-thaw testing chamber for testing the frost resistance of road construction materials, a Los Angeles testing machine for determining the resistance of construction materials to fragmentation, and a new drying oven. In addition to investments in laboratory and field equipment, GBU had to provide evidence of employee qualifications and demonstrate compliance with fire protection and occupational safety requirements during inspections by the responsible ministry. The authority also checks the regular calibration of equipment such as scales, ovens and plate load testing devices.

Conclusion: With the additional certification, GBU was able to significantly expand its services as an accredited testing laboratory in accordance with RAP Stra 15. As a result, the company can now handle comprehensive tenders covering both suitability and control testing as well as the sampling and analysis of substitute construction materials. Carl Hamm Geotechnik supported GBU in selecting economically viable investments for its equipment portfolio and will continue to provide calibration and repair services in the future. This helps to preserve the long-term value of the equipment investments and is an important prerequisite for the profitability of this business area.

Contact

GBU Geologie-, Bau- & Umweltconsult GmbH
Marco Fürstenberg
Auf dem Schurweßel 11
53347 Alfter

Tel.: +49 170 5746415
Email: fuerstenberg@gbu-consult.de
Web: www.gbu-consult.de

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