ABSTRACT
In the past standardisation for building and construction products has often been based on experience of the relevant polymer technology, with the major objectives the achievement of adequate material quality and quality control in the manufacturing process.
International standardisation is now firmly based on performance specifications, and test methods are now being developed to support this approach. Perhaps the most difficult task is to predict durability from the results of laboratory tests.
The work of ISO Technical Committee TC59/SC8 has reached the stage of considering durability assessment, and a Working Group (WG6) has been set up to undertake the task of developing a suitable test method.
This paper reviews the contribution that research has made, and continues to make, to the development of performance-related test methods for assessing the potential performance of building sealants, with particular reference to their movement capability and durability. It draws on experience of research in the United Kingdom and Europe which supports standardisation and the harmonisation of standards, and considers the prospects for inclusion of a “durability” test within the corpus of test methods which has been developed by ISO and adopted by CEN as part of the European standardisation of building and construction products.
