Author

Tina Wyeth

A new generation of engineers

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by Tina Wyeth

On Monday, Andy and Harrison attended the careers fair at Kingsbridge Community College in a bid to inspire the next generation of engineers and technicians. We distributed information from both the ICE and the IStructE on routes into engineering as well as the vast number of different roles and career paths a degree in engineering can lead to.

Almost half of PCA staff were educated at Kingsbridge Community College and we were pleased to give our time to speak to the engineers and technicians of the future.

Continuing professional development

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by Tina Wyeth

The staff at PCA regularly attend and host CPD workshops to ensure we keep up to date with the latest technologies and to refresh existing knowledge.

Recently, engineers attended a course held by The Fell Partnership who are the local distributor of NUDURA insulated concrete forms (ICF). An alternative to traditional build methods which is quick to install and sustainable.

We have a number of projects utilising NUDURA ICF in the detailed design stage at present as well several completed projects and look forward to seeing it used increasingly in the future.

For more information and if you are considering using NUDURA ICF on a build contact PCA or visit www.thefellpartnership.co.uk.

Going up!

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by Tina Wyeth

First floor steels being positioned ready for the beam and block first floor to be laid in Thurlestone.

Spire repair works going well

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by Tina Wyeth

Repair works to remove the corroding wrought iron embedded in the stone spire at Christ Church, Weston Super Mare are going well.

PCA are working with Jonathan Rhind Architects and Wells Cathedral Stonemasons, with repair works hopefully completed by the end of June 2018.

The project has been made possible by Heritage Lottery Funding together with a tremendous fundraising effort by the local community.

Engineering solution for difficult to access site

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by Tina Wyeth

PCA recently designed a piled crane base strong enough to allow a large crane to lower and retrieve the plant and materials required for repair works to a jetty in Salcombe. The pictures show the plant being expertly and safely lowered into place.

Wear Red for RedR 2018

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by Tina Wyeth

On Friday staff donned their best red outfits and took park in the annual Wear Red for RedR Day. Freshly baked cakes and raffle tickets were available by donation. The highlight was a lunchtime construction challenge. Using only spaghetti and marshmallows teams competed to build the tallest tower with Ross & Dafydd clear winners!

Over £100 was raised for RedR – take a look at their website to see the fantastic work they do to give NGOs, aid workers and communities the skills to prepare for, respond to and recover from major disasters like earthquakes, floods, conflict and drought. www.redr.org.uk 

 

 

Wear It Pink 2017

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by Tina Wyeth

On Friday, PCA took part in Wear It Pink for Breast Cancer Now.

Our team of CAD technicians went further than the standard tie or pair of socks and donned electric pink outfits to raise funds enabling life-saving research to happen.

We ate cakes and bought raffle tickets throughout the day, raising £110 in total! Well done to everyone who took part and congratulations to Dafydd who won the star prize – a voucher for Herring Shoes.

To find out more about Breast Cancer Now or to donate to this very worthy cause please visit: http://breastcancernow.org/

PCA Highly Commended in RICS South West Awards

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by Tina Wyeth

 

PCA Consulting Engineers, in conjunction with Jonathan Rhind Architects, were highly commended by RICS for their repairs to the Bell Tower at St Mary’s Church, High Bickington.

Director Paul Carpenter worked closely with Jonathan Rhind Associates to provide structural solutions to the crumbling Bell Tower. St. Mary’s Church is a Grade I Listed building with the carved rounded arches of the south doorway dating back to the 12th Century and intricate wood carvings from the 15th and 16th Century found on the bench ends.

The Church sits high up in the landscape leaving the 15th Century Bell Tower exposed to the harsh elements. Quinquennial reports over the last 15 years had identified loose stones and cracks opening up on the tower buttresses, allowing rainwater to penetrate through the missing stonework. The area beneath the tower was cordoned off for over 5 years and bell ringing in the tower ceased due to falling stones and the vibrations loosening the stonework.

The Parish were granted EH/HLF funding to repair the tower and work began in earnest. A cherry picker was used to access the tower to carry out a close inspection before a detailed method of repair was drawn up by JRA.

The buttresses were taken apart stone by stone, each one carefully mapped to ensure they went back in the correct place. Any fractured and delaminated stones were replaced with ones of a similar size and shape from a local quarry.

PCA specified both traditional and discreet modern techniques to repair the tower. Seven different repair types were used including Heli-ties to ensure the buttresses and principal walls are now sufficiently tied together.

 

New-look PCA

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by Tina Wyeth

New-look PCA is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year and is looking to the future. The Kingsbridge-based structural, civil and conservation engineering company has appointed two new directors and has a new company name – PCA Consulting Engineers.

Director Paul Carpenter said: ‘During the last 35 years that we have been in business, I feel we are dedicated to covering a full range of commissions from small domestic projects to large-scale commercial and residential developments, including historic buildings.’ The PCA Consulting Engineers team sees Paul continue to work alongside Colin Souch and Andrew Horton in their new roles as directors to consolidate 90 years of senior engineering experience.

PCA Consulting Engineers will continue its tradition as a family business with Paul’s son Ross an integral part of the engineering team that boasts a core of young and talented professionals. The practice has been situated at the top of Fore Street for more than 30 years and has always collaborated closely with local architects and builders to produce the best results for its clients.

Colin said: “We believe we have the flexibility and adaptability to provide a truly bespoke service that offers pragmatic and well-engineered solutions. We are all dedicated to meeting and exceeding our clients’ needs both locally and further afield.”

PCA Consulting Engineers offers structural, civil and conservation engineering services, plus structural and party wall surveying, principal designer duties and CDM advice, project management, construction legal services, and temporary works design. PCA works with clients across the South Hams, Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, the south of England and London.

“The launch of PCA Consulting Engineers celebrates the culmination of 35 successful years in our field of expertise but also marks a new chapter in our history,” said Andrew. “We have strong foundations in terms of experience and links with architects, clients and contractors throughout the South of England, but are also more than prepared for the future with an enthusiastic and skilled team of young engineers at the heart of the practice. Together, we enjoy seeing the results of our combined efforts come to fruition in a variety of home, work space and conservation projects.”

Click the menu icon top left to explore the services PCA offers and view projects its engineers have worked on.