The EFFC Executive Committee met in London on 21-22 March 2024to discuss the future direction of the Federation. During the meetings we held a workshop where we discussed the purpose, mission and values of the organisation. It has been nine years since these were looked at in great detail and it was felt necessary to revisit them in the face of sustainability and digitisation transforming the industry. The results from the workshop shall be reviewed by the Officers so that they can bring a recommendation to the AGM in October for consideration.

During the meeting we also updated on the progress of our work streams:

Working Platforms

Professor Moormann of the University of Stuttgart is progressing with his analysis of the sensitivity of the values used in the design of working platforms. Currently working platforms, which are essential to the stability of piling rigs, can vary enormously in dimension depending on what values are used in the various designs. The research it is hoped shall help designers to achieve a more uniform result across the different design methods that are used in the industry.

In parallel work is ongoing on testing methods where a comparative exercise is being carried out to establish which are the best testing methods to use in any given situation to ensure the ongoing quality of the platform. Typically platforms deteriorate over time owing to weather and construction activity on site. They need to be maintained properly and testing can help determine how well the platform is maintaining its integrity over time.

Ultimately we are seeking to define more closely the regime by which a platform is designed, built and maintained to support the work our Federations are doing to ensure principal contractors and clients meet their obligations.

Tremie and Support Fluids Guide

The Task Groups for these projects are moving towards releasing the drafts of the next editions of the these guides for review. The Support Fluids Guide shall incorporate the findings of the field research study into different testing methods, while the Tremie Guide shall bring in academic studies and eventually technical recommendations relating to lower carbon concretes.

Additional sponsorship is due to be sought to fund more numerical modelling work for support fluids and concrete guides. This work should help to further understand the behaviour of concrete within a pile excavation and aid us to reduce defects and imperfections in the workmanship.

Carbon reporting

Luke Deamer, Sustainability WG Chair presented the first data to come out of our carbon reporting project. Already it is possible to see the impact of national efforts to decarbonise grid energy in the Scope 1 emissions of Contractors. However there is a lot of work to be done at a macro level to collect and benchmark scope 3 emissions – that is site/project emissions where geotechnical contractors have their major impact on carbon intensity owing to the materials necessary on site.

Our next meeting is in Rome for the AGM – 3-4 October. Thank you to everyone who attended in London.