In addition to applied research into areas specific to the region, the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory (LREC) also has certain overall responsibilities defined in the Regional Implementing Decree no. 12/98/A, namely to provide technical support for civil engineering projects and quality control for construction materials. It is also responsible for the dissemination of scientific and technical developments within the field of civil engineering. Its work essentially consists of providing laboratory services – testing, studies and expert opinions – to public and private entities on request. It may therefore be said that the LREC is a Regional Government of the Azores/Regional Secretariat for Housing and Infrastructures body which serves as a mechanism for evaluating and controlling quality in construction on a regional level.

The LREC was created in 1980 and has always been attached to Regional Directorate, despite the fact that Regional Implementing Decree no. 12/98/A states that “the LREC will be subject to gradual operational restructuring, providing with increasing autonomy in order to transform it into a body which has administrative and financial independence”. Its current organisational structure encompasses two directorates: the Geotechnical and Surveying Directorate (DSGP) and the Construction Materials and Structures Directorate (DSEMC).

The LREC operates in the areas of geotechnical engineering, structural engineering, materials engineering, seismic engineering, road engineering and engineering geology.

Specifically, in the field of engineering geology it carries out geological and geotechnical studies, surveys and (rotary and percussion) drilling. Additionally, in terms of geotechnology, it provides physical and mechanical classifications of soils and other natural materials, controls the construction and compacting of landfill sites and evaluates land support capacity.

In relation to road paving, the LREC provides (physical and mechanical) classifications of the various constituent materials – granulate, aggregate and binding materials and bitumen mixtures – and controls their application. It also determines the surface characteristics of paving and examines them to assess the behaviour of materials applied for design purposes or as renovation or reinforcement.

A particularly important aspect of its work in construction materials concerns control of the manufacture and application of concrete, including studies on the composition of cement and the control of manufacture and delivery.

Work on structures has been developed both in terms of observation of structures that have already been constructed in order to assess performance and safety, and the analysis of structural stability, reinforcement and/or renovation projects. In all the situations analysed in this area, special attention has been paid to the design of earthquake resistant structures, given the specific seismic features of the Azores Archipelago.

In accordance with the Quality System implemented by the LREC, which complies strictly with NP EN ISO/IEC 17025 – “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories”, laboratory work is divided amongst six separate laboratory units - Geotechnical (ULG), Bitumens (ULMB), Surveying (ULP), Construction Materials (ULMC), Structures and Seismic (ULES) and Metrology (ULM) – each of which is supervised by a head technician.

In addition to Portuguese standards (NP) and European standards (EN), during testing American standards (ASTM), British standards (BS) and LNEC specifications are also applied.

It is the policy of the Regional Civil Engineering Laboratory (LREC) to achieve and maintain high quality standards for all its work and to evaluate the goods and services provided by others in an impartial and unbiased manner.

The LREC policy on quality has the approval, assistance and full support of the Regional Secretariat for Housing and Infrastructures (SRHE), which thus aims to contribute towards civil construction and public works sectors in the Autonomous Region of the Azores in which the LREC is involved by making available a range of laboratory and quality control services which guarantee competence and impartiality and aspire to excellence.

Extract from Regional Implementing Decree no. 12/98/A

Article 26

Definition and powers

1 - The LREC is a research service providing support for civil engineering projects, quality control for construction materials, the dissemination of new techniques, assistance in the training of various levels of technical staff, the promotion of seminars, conferences, symposiums and traineeships and, finally, the dissemination of scientific and technical developments within the field of civil engineering.

2 - Within the context of the responsibilities described in the previous point, the LREC is specifically responsible for:

a) Research work, studies and testing for the SRHE or at the request of other public or private entities operating in the region;

b) Proposals for studies, research and testing by other entities that are relevant to SRHE programmes;

c) Maintaining contacts with other similar scientific organisations;

d) Collaborating in the training of technicians;

e) Disseminating the knowledge and results obtained from its work, or the work of others, particularly by means of courses, conferences, congresses and other forms of meetings, exhibitions, audio-visual documentary material and publications;

f) Studying and observing the performance of building work, with a view to gathering information on safety and durability;

g) Maintaining close contact with companies associated with civil construction and the production of materials, in order to encourage the use of regional materials and equipment and to increase productivity by standardising and rationalising building components;

h) Collaborating with the appropriate authorities on granting approvals for regional building materials, components and processes and contributing towards production quality control;

i) Supporting the appropriate regional authorities in the supervision of the civil construction industry by means of studies and testing of construction materials produced and sold in the region.

3 - The work of the LREC is based on an annual programme approved by the Regional Secretary, which is subject to quarterly reviews.

Article 27

Structure

1 - The LREC is comparable to a regional directorate and includes the following services:

a) Geotechnical and Surveying Directorate (DSGP);

b) Construction Materials and Structures Directorate (DSEMC);

c) Building Department;

d) Maintenance Department;

e) Administrative Department.

2 - The LREC will be subject to gradual operational restructuring that will provide it with increasing autonomy in order to transform it into a body that has administrative and financial independence.

3 - The LREC is headed by a director, who is equivalent to a regional director.

4 - The LREC director has the delegated authority to represent the Autonomous Region of the Azores in any contracts which are associated with the service in question and may be substituted in the exercise of this delegated duty, when absent or indisposed, by a legally appointed substitute or any other regional director or equivalent within the SRHE appointed for this purpose in an Order issued by the Regional Secretary.

5 - The Building and Maintenance Departments will cease to exist when the secondment of the respective heads comes to an end.

Article 28

Geotechnical and Surveying Directorate

1 - Within the geotechnical sphere, the DSGP is responsible, in general, for testing, studies, research, training and the dissemination of geotechnical developments applied to transport infrastructure foundations and road paving.

2 - Within the domain of geotechnical developments applied to foundations, the DSGP is responsible for:

a) Studies, testing and observation to support planning, construction and estimated performance, developing methods and techniques for analysis, checking, structural design, observation and testing;

b) Research and development of techniques for the classification and application of materials and/or soils used in the construction of landfill sites and the foundations of buildings and works of art, with the aim of controlling and improving quality.

3 - Within the domain of transport infrastructures and paving, the DSGP is responsible for:

a) Studies, testing and observation to support planning, construction and estimated performance in road and aerodrome construction projects, developing methods and techniques for structural design, analysis, checking, observation and testing;

b) Research and development of techniques for materials used in the construction of levelled ground and paving for roads and aerodromes, with the aim of controlling and improving quality;

c) Supporting the appropriate authorities in the supervision of road and aerodrome building, by means of studies and testing of construction materials, particularly those used for paving.

4 - With regard to surveying, the DSGP is responsible, in general, for testing, studies, research, training and the dissemination of developments in the field of surveying and engineering geology, specifically:

a) Research and development of techniques for surveying and geological engineering, with the aim of providing support for the resolution of specific civil engineering problems, acquisition of construction materials and preservation of the environment;

b) Studies, testing, drilling and observation to support planning, construction and observation of works in use, developing methods and techniques for identification, surveying, observation and testing.

5 - No future provisions will be made for the DSGP whilst the Maintenance Department still functions.

Article 29

Construction Materials and Structures Directorate

1 - The DSEMC is responsible, in general, for research, studies, training, dissemination and testing in the area of building and bridge structures and construction materials.

2 - In terms of structures, the DSEMC is specifically responsible for:

a) Studies, testing and observation to support planning, construction and estimated performance of structures, developing methods and techniques for structural design, analysis, checking, safety, observation and testing;

b) Research into structural analysis problems and development of calculation methods, exploiting the potential of information technology resources.

3 - In terms of construction materials, the DSEMC is specifically responsible for:

a) Research and development into techniques for cement, concrete and other binding agents, metals, ceramic products and other construction materials, with the aim of controlling and improving quality;

b) Carrying out studies, tests and observations to support standardisation and approval procedures for planning, construction and estimated performance of structures;

c) Supporting the appropriate authorities in supervisory work by means of studies and the testing of construction materials produced and sold in the region.

4 - No future provisions will be made for the DSEMC whilst the Building Department still functions.

Article 30

Administrative Department

1 - The Administrative Department is responsible for providing administrative and secretarial services to the LREC.

2 - The Administrative Department operates in conjunction with the RSA in the SDCF.