Questions mount about aerated concrete used in schools and public buildings since the 1950s.
With just days to go before the start of the new school year, more than 100 schools in England have been told to shut buildings made with a certain type of concrete unless they put in place safety measures.Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete is a lightweight material that was used mostly in flat roofing, but also in floors and walls, between the 1950s and 1990s.It is aerated, or "bubbly", like an Aero chocolate bar.
According to Loughborough University, there are tens of thousands of these structural panels already in use and "many are showing signs of wear and tear and deterioration". The report found that short-term exposure to moisture reduced strength by about 13%, while long-term exposure to "polluted air" reduced it by 40%.
It said that while there were no immediate safety risks, any RAAC panels in visually poor condition should be inspected every year.A report by the same body in 2002 came to three new conclusions: The government has known since 1994 that some public sector buildings contain potentially compromised RAAC - and has been monitoring their condition since 2018.
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