Bright sparks

Two Paisley researchers made a major breakthrough, we reported in December 1980.

Physics teacher Frank Placido and civil engineer Leslie Smith, both of Paisley College of Technology, discovered a new technique for assessing the amount of fire damage done to a building.

And they believed they were the only people in the world working on this theory, which would have meant damaged buildings being rebuilt instead of being demolished.

Dr Placido had been using a special technique called thermoluminescence to discover the date on an ancient pottery in Glasgow’s Burrell Collection.

In another department, Mr Smith had been investigating fire-damaged concrete as a postgraduate research project.

Dr Placido offered his help and a new test was developed.

This measured the damage done to a building. They had been working on the idea for more than a year.