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Design & Engineering

Get The Edge with Mekina’s Expertise in CAD, Structural Design, and Composites Material Science

Mekina’s GRP formwork sets the benchmark for sustainability, offering the most environmentally friendly solution in the industry. Fully recyclable at the end of its lifecycle, our formwork reduces embodied carbon by up to 35% compared to alternative solutions.

Our panels are engineered to deliver consistent, high-performance results, with a proven lifespan up to three times longer than competitor products. Our combined expertise in Computer-Aided Design (CAD), structural design, and material science means we have unrivalled understanding of how our products perform in the real world. We can support the entire lifecycle of your design projects—from initial CAD conceptualisation, through to optimal product selection from our Mek-Dek range, to rigorous structural analysis—ensuring each project achieves maximum performance and sustainability.

Our Engineering Capabilities

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) provides a fundamental validation pathway to assessing the performance and reliability of sacrificial Glass Reinforced Polymer (GRP) permanent formworks in bridge construction.

Mekina’s Mek-Dek GRP formwork products are designed to support the concrete during pouring and remain in place for the lifespan of the structure. Through FEA, we can simulate the stresses, strains, and potential failure modes that the GRP formwork may face under load, environmental conditions, and over time.

CD359 is a UK National Highways standard, primarily focused on design, materials, and construction requirements for structures in the UK’s highway network. When it comes to permanent formwork, CD359 provides guidelines for ensuring structural safety, durability, and compliance with environmental and construction standards as well as relevant Eurocodes. CD359 sets out specific load calculations and safety factors and emphasises that permanent formwork should be capable of supporting loads without compromising the overall structure’s safety and performance (and should meet all load-bearing requirements specified by the design).

With bridges subjected to continuous traffic loads and environmental factors such as temperature fluctuations, FEA enables us to predict how the Mek-Dek material will respond under these conditions. This predictive capability is essential for ensuring that our GRP formwork will not degrade prematurely or compromise the bridge’s long-term durability.

In conclusion, by using FEA, it allows us to optimise the formwork design, reducing material usage and costs without sacrificing safety.

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  • SSIP Accredited