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Research skills

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.


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