Having worked on several schools in and around London, Croft Structural + Civil is well placed to help building owners with this process. Below is a basic 4 step process that we would follow initially should you wish us to complete a RAAC plank survey.
If you are worried your building may contain RAAC material, we can visit your site and provide expert guidance on the existing structural composition and potential presence of any RAAC elements.
If RAAC is present, we would complete a structural assessment and where necessary arrange for opening up works and for samples to be sent off for testing.
After identifying the structural issues, we would then provide a plan for any required remedial works.
If required we can set up regular survey visits to site, providing ongoing accurate and reliable monitoring data on the performance of the RAAC planks, to establish whether the condition of the planks has worsened over time.
RAAC is Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, a lightweight building material used mainly in flat roofs, floors, and walls in the UK from the 1950s to the 1990s, particularly in schools and hospitals. It is known for being cheap and lightweight due to air bubbles, but has a limited lifespan and can pose a risk of sudden structural failure, especially the roof panels. RAAC is identifiable by its white or light grey, "bubbly" appearance, and often has a distinctive V-shaped groove between panels where they meet.