Consultancy & Support
Concrete technology expertise from the people who test it every day.
EXPERT ADVICE, BACKED BY EVIDENCE
Test results only have value when they are understood. PACT’s consultancy service puts our concrete technologists alongside your team — from specification and mix design through to site problems, non-conformances and disputes.
Because we run our own UKAS-accredited laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025:2017) and on-airport laboratories, our advice is grounded in real data from live projects across airfields, highways and major infrastructure. We tell you what the results mean, why they happened, and what to do next.
HOW WE CAN HELP
Specification & Mix Design Concrete mix design using the British Standards or site specific specification, laboratory trial mixes and strength-development curves for pavement quality concrete, structural, rapid-set, permeable and low-carbon mixes, plus screeds and specialist repair materials.
Defect & Failure Investigation Root-cause investigation of cracking, low strength, surface defects, efflorescence and durability concerns, combining site survey, coring, in-situ testing and laboratory analysis into a clear, defensible report.
Non-Conformance Support When cubes fail or materials fall outside specification, we help you respond quickly: in-situ strength assessment to BS EN 13791, core programmes, data review and a reasoned technical case for the engineer or client.
Product & Material Approvals Technical dossiers and testing programmes for new products seeking approval — including SROH, DIO and client-specific specifications.
Batching Plant & Volumetric Calibration Calibration and verification of volumetric mixer trucks and batching equipment, so what arrives on site matches the design.
Quality Systems & Accreditation Support Support for producers, contractors and site laboratories with QA procedures, ISO 9001 systems, audit readiness and ISO/IEC 17025 implementation, led by a qualified ISO 9001 Lead Auditor.
LOWER-CARBON CONCRETE, PROPERLY PROVEN
Clients are under pressure to cut embodied carbon without compromising performance. We help you get there with evidence rather than assumptions.
Our sustainability consultancy covers
- Embodied carbon comparisons of CEM I, GGBS and blended cement mixes
- Mix optimisation to reduce cement content while meeting strength and durability targets
- Trial and development work on alternative binders, including geopolymer and CSA rapid-set systems
- Permeable and no-fines concrete for sustainable drainage
- Durability assessment so low-carbon mixes perform for the full design life
A CLEAR PROCESS FROM QUESTION TO ANSWER
- Tell us the problem – Share the specification, test results or site photos. We’ll give an initial view, usually within one working day.
- Agree the scope – A fixed, written scope and fee before any work starts, so there are no surprises.
- Investigate & test – Site survey, sampling and laboratory testing, carried out under our UKAS-accredited procedures where the test is within our schedule.
- Report & recommend – A clear technical report with conclusions, recommendations and, where needed, attendance at meetings with engineers, clients or regulators.
TRUSTED ACROSS AIRFIELDS, HIGHWAYS & INFRASTRUCTURE
We support airport operators, main contractors, concrete producers, specialist subcontractors, designers and highway authorities. Our team has delivered on schemes at Manchester, Leeds Bradford, Birmingham and Glasgow airports, alongside major highway and infrastructure works, and understands the specifications that govern them. These include DIO specifications, the Specification for Highway Works (SHW, now the MCHW CC series), the Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways (SROH) and the BS EN concrete standards.
Why PACT
- Specialist-led – Advice from Experts
- Evidence-based – Direct access to our own UKAS-accredited laboratory and airside site labs.
- Practical – Recommendations that work on live sites and inside tight airside possessions.
- Independent – Impartial technical opinion you can put in front of your client or engineer.
Accreditation note :
Consultancy advice, opinions and interpretations are not within PACT’s UKAS scope of accreditation. Testing carried out as part of a consultancy commission is reported under UKAS accreditation only where the test appears on our current Schedule of Accreditation (No. 9893).