ACS
Actividades de Construcción y Servicios

Innovation

In 2005 various activities aimed at the obtainment of new and technologically improved production products and processes. Noteworthy are the following:

1. Vibration absorption system for slender structures.
   
   
2. Moulded glass plates for skylights.
   
   
3. Steel mirror façades.
   
   
4. New bridge shifting techniques.
   
   
5. Optimization of the modulation of façade panels most in line with the pre-existing building and which follow the correct prefabrication techniques.
   
   
6. Optimal GRC panel solutions, for the purpose of achieving maximum thermal isolation.
   
   
7. Definition and design of a new model of railway sleepers.
   
   
8. Application of increased reality to the creation of virtual models.
   
   
9. Improvement of the total railway dismantling process.
   
   
10. System for the unloading and positioning of tracks on railways.
    
    
11. Application of light concrete with fibres in the construction of viaducts.
    
    
12. New joint system for bridge floors.
    
    
13. High quality concrete for slender structural items.
    
    
14. New products for the manufacturing of higher quality concrete.
    
    

ACS also participates in several of the most innovative domestic and international scientific and technical forums, where experts from the ACS Group, and particularly Dragados, have an active role. Worthy of mention are the following:

• ENCORD – European Network for Organizations for Research and Development which is chaired by Dragados.
  
  
• ECTP-European Construction Technological Platform, in which DRAGADOS led the Strategic Area of Underground Works in 2004 and 2005.
  
  
• Plataforma Tecnológica Española de la Construcción (Spanish Technological Construction Platform, (PTEC – Construcción 2030) in which Dragados is an active member of the Strategy Committee, of the Permanent Commission, and is coordinator of the strategic line of Underground Works.
  
  
• COTEC Foundation for Innovation, of which ACS is a sponsor.
  
  
• AENOR standardization committees and the groups that develop the European standards or Eurocodes.
  
  
• Technology and R&D&I Commissions together with SEOPAN, or the Teaching and Research Commission of the School of Civil Engineering.
  
  
• Collaboration with various organizations in Spain and other EU. countries, such as University Carlos III of Madrid and the University of Cantabria; Industrial Engineering and Civil Engineering Schools of Madrid; Instituto Eduardo Torroja of CSIC; and the Center of the technological network of the autonomous government of the Basque country (EUVE).
  
  
• Several European forum thematic networks: inter alia, E-CORE, GEOTECHNET, DIFI and SAMCO.