With specialisations in failure investigation and mineralogical testing services, Thomas Baggs is a keen problem solver who enjoys a challenge. Get to know Tom, Co-Director and Scientific Officer (Finishes Evaluation Services) at Stone Initiatives.
What inspired you to work in stone and materials testing?
I have always had an interest in rocks and geology, so I studied it at university and found a keen interest specifically in the geology sub-field of petrography and mineralogy.
I love the atmosphere of working in our materials testing laboratory. While testing processes are ordered, the nature of the work and natural stone itself means that every day is different and presents unique challenges. These challenges are what makes it so enjoyable to work in this field; we take initiative to find answers, and solve problems in new ways to meet the needs of our clients, and this is very rewarding.
Could you tell us about your area of specialisation at Stone Initiatives ?
I specialise in the failure investigation and mineralogical testing services, particularly petrographic analysis and compositional analysis, which involves examination searching for higher-risk minerals that can occasionally exist in stone. My other area of specialisation is project management for physical testing and finishes evaluation projects (under Kate Tonkin’s leadership), and I handle queries related to other construction materials such as ceramics, porcelains, clay bricks, pedestal systems and other unique building materials.
I have a relatively broad scope of specialisation and like to keep tabs on all the testing services and areas we provide – this is essential in my role as Quality Systems Manager, in which I ensure the results and reports we are providing are accurate, traceable and informative.
What’s a typical day at work like for you?
A typical day starts with responding to client enquiries, and prioritising the report writing and testing that needs to be carried out for the day. I then complete any urgent tasks, and continue with other required laboratory work, research and report writing.
Due to the nature of my areas of specialisation, most of my day consists of solving problems, customising test methods, report writing or supervising. When performing testing, it is usually carried out in the laboratory. Due to my specialisations, I use instruments such as a petrographic microscope to determine stone mineralogy, or the universal testing machine (UTM) to test the flexural or point load strength of a material.
Do you have a favourite type of stone or material?
I think ‘granite’ category stones and similar stone types are the perfect ‘goldilocks zone’ dimension stones, as they strike a great balance between performance, consistency and aesthetic value to provide the most reliable product in terms of visual appeal and in-service performance. They typically tend to be strong, durable and consistent in performance characteristics, which are all highly desirable traits from a design and engineering standpoint where safety factors and the like must be incorporated into everything.
The draw-back is stones that are consistent in performance tend to also be consistent in appearance, and tend not to exhibit intricate and beautiful veining patterns that are typical of stone types like marble and some limestones. But I think there are some granites that, despite this consistency, are stunning in the right setting. Think Balmoral Green with its forest-green colouration, or Adelaide Black with its deep black colour. Some stones products falling in the ‘granite’ category can also be patterned with metamorphic textures (often gneiss), which can appear similarly striking to veining structures – stones such as Austral Juperana exhibit a stunning red-orange-grey gneissic texture.
What’s one interesting or surprising fact about stone testing or the industry?
Dimension stone is unique. It is often variable and plays by different rules to manufactured building products. But this is what makes dimension stone such an attractive and premium luxury product – no two pieces of stone are the same.
Some stone types are formed under immense temperatures and pressures, over extremely long periods of time – some of the stone types we have tested are more than 1 billion years old. Every dimension stone tile is a truly unique piece of the Earth’s history.