New reference guide on stone and slate performance

STATS announce publication of new Reference Guide on selection and in-service performance characteristics of stone and slate.

'Stone and Slate Technology at STATS' provides a one-stop-shop for a range of testing, consultancy and investigation services and STATS Director Andrew Grafton says "The new Guide is intended to provide anyone with an interest in stone and slate with important information on the performance characteristics of these materials coupled with an explanation of the most appropriate tests".

"A complex variety of tests are available, particularly following the introduction of new harmonised European Standards, and the guide will offer advice to designers, suppliers and specifiers on product selection and performance".

The new Reference Guide is co-written by Dr Ian Sims and Dr Ian Blanchard, both of whom are members of the STATS team of specialist consultants.

They are renowned experts in building materials such as stone and slate, both nationally and internationally.

The Guide will retail at GBP24.99 but for a short period a complimentary copy will be provided to anyone that completes the STATS Stone Testing Survey 2007 online.

The survey should only take a few minutes to complete.

Dr Ian Blanchard at ian.blanchard@stats.co.uk may be contacted if assistance is required.

In addition to expert advice on stone and slate, STATS on-site inspection teams are able to advise on a wide-range of structural and materials-related issues, including inspections involving abseil techniques.

Andrew Grafton warns that specialist consultants should be recruited at an early stage to avoid excessive costs and delays later in the project; "Too often, we are brought in to asses inappropriate materials that have either failed or not performed satisfactorily and the costs of rectifying such problems are enormous in comparison with what it would have cost for us to have been involved from the beginning".

"STATS holds UKAS accreditation for a range of site and laboratory tests covering site inspection, sampling and testing work and as a result, we are able to ensure that appropriate materials and techniques are employed".

"Our aim is to make the whole process as simple and problem free as possible and the publication of the Reference Guide is a significant step in that direction.".

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