Germany: professor Siegbert Sprung wins fifth Klaus Dyckerhoff Prize

At the VDZ Annual Cement Conference 2016 in Düsseldorf, Germany, the fifth Klaus Dyckerhoff Prize was awarded to Professor Dr-Ing Siegbert Sprung for his exceptional achievements with respect to the development of cement and its production and application in mortar and concrete.

Siegbert Sprung spent his entire professional career at VDZ and the Research Institute of the Cement Industry in Düsseldorf. He worked as a senior engineer, deputy head of the cement chemistry department and head of the department of cement technology before being appointed divisional director of VDZ in 1988. From 1998 to 2000 he was spokesman of the executive management of VDZ and director of the Research Institute.

The jury emphasised that Dr Siegbert Sprung's remarkable research work includes not only the problems of environmental protection but also specific issues concerning the durability of concrete, in particular "process-related findings", "cement properties – setting of cement" and "Portland limestone cement". His deep knowledge and broad experience have been reflected in many commentaries and lectures as well as in numerous publications.

In 1982 Siegbert Sprung compiled the diverse knowledge which he had obtained during his work in the outstanding monograph “Technical problems during the burning of cement clinker”, with which he qualified as a lecturer at the RWTH Aachen University. Subsequently he regularly held lectures on the technology of inorganic binders. In 1987 he was appointed associate professor.

The Klaus Dyckerhoff Prize is endowed with EUR30,000 and is awarded every two years in appreciation of pioneering contributions to research or professional achievements in the invention and/or development of application or manufacturing processes in the field of hydraulic binders.