Characterization of concrete components

• Cement, admixtures, ultrafine particles, aggregates, fibers, ...
• Determination of a material's organic matter content by weight (granulometric analysis by sieving and granulolaser).

Small- and large-scale measurements on fresh concrete

These measurements can be carried out on small or large volumes of 600L:

• Superplasticizer vs. cement compatibility,
• Rheological measurements with a Rheometer for cement paste and concrete.
• Rheology of 3D printed mortars
• Measurement of the percentage of occluded air,
• Consistency tests,
• Endogenous shrinkage measurement,
• Strength measurements,
• Water requirement and consistency control,
• Determination of setting times,
• Calorimeter

Measurement on hardened concrete

These measurements can be carried out on small or large volumes of 600L:

• Shrinkage and swelling measurements,
• Mechanical strength measurements: compression, bending and splitting,
• Determination of static modulus of elasticity in compression and Poisson's ratio,
• Measurement of water-accessible porosity and real and apparent densities,
• Direct tensile adhesion test,
• Sound absorption measurement,
• Analysis of crack openings using an HD camera.

Tests on traditional and new concretes BAP, BFUP, biosourced concretes, draining pavers...).

• Chemical, mineralogical and environmental characterization 
• Determination of penetration profiles for aggressive chemical agents: free and total chlorides, sulfates, nitrates, etc,
• Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for measurement of bound water, quantification of portlandite and carbonates,
• Optical microscopy,
• Determination of cement dosage by the soluble silica and/or inert method (GranDuBé method) and estimation of the water/cement weight ratio,Re-calculation of binder mineralogical composition and concrete mix design using Calcul Minéraux® LCPC,Leaching and percolation tests at variable pH on materials (concrete, earth, etc.),
• Analysis of micropollutants (anions and cations, trace metals, organic pollutants, etc.).

Concrete durability testing

• Performance tests on materials: porosity, gas permeability, etc.Accelerated aging (radiation, acid rain, etc.),
• Accelerated carbonation, chloride migration, freeze-thaw, spalling, leaching...
• Freeze/thaw tests,Leaching and percolation tests at variable pH on materials (concrete, earth, etc.),
• Abrasion on road products,
• Dimensional variations on products (wet/dry cycles).

Characterization and thermal simulation

• Assessment of the thermal performance of a product/system (wall, connections) using full-scale climate chambers,
• Measurement of the thermal conductivity of materials using the "guarded hot plate" method,
• Measurement of thermal capacity Cp
• Modeling renewable energy systems for thermal comfort and energy storage (TRNSYS, PLEIADE COMFIE),

Prediction of building thermal behavior using the DATA DRIVEN method (MATLAB).

• Geotechnical characterizationTri-axial test,
• Variable load permeability,
• Dry and wet sieving,
• Blue value,Atterberg limit,
• Oedometer,
• Direct shear,
• Dynamic vapor sorption.

For further information, please contact : 

• Nassim SEBAIBI, Research Unit Manager: nassim.sebaibi@builders-ingenieurs.fr / 02 31 46 23 54