Technology of Construction Materials
Division 7.4
In the Technology of Construction Materials division, we work on safe technologies for mineral cements, mortars and concretes. In addition to the environmentally compatible use of recycled products, we also examine new cement technologies and additives. The focus of our work is the development, testing and safe use and processing of these materials. We also assess the suitability of the primary and secondary raw materials and construction products in terms of their chemical & physical properties for construction and for the environment.
We conduct technical evaluations and develop maintenance strategies for infrastructure such as buildings and objects of architectural heritage. We also advise the government, enterprises and the society on matters of safe construction engineering. Furthermore, we participate in standardisation and regulatory committees as well as national and international research projects in close partnership with industrial partners, business associations and other research institutions.
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Fields of expertise
- Development and testing of new concrete and mortar mix designs and cementitious systems
- Development and testing of aggregates in concrete and repair techniques
- Chemical, physical and environmental assessment of building materials and residues
- Evaluation of performance, reliability and durability of building materials
- Use of secondary raw materials for mineral-based building materials
- Numerical modelling of fresh cementitious materials
- Sustainability measures for the building industry
- Knowledge and technology transfer
- Organisation of round robin tests and international conferences, particularly in Africa
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Main activities
- Quality and durability of concretes, mortars and concrete repair systems
- Rheology of cementitious materials and mineral-based systems
- Consulting services and development of solutions in the preservation of cultural heritage
- Material and component behaviour of ultra-high-performance concretes
- Alkali-activated inorganic binders based on siliceous raw materials (one-part geopolymers)
- Conservation of resources by means of waste recycling
- Aggregates from secondary raw materials
- Waste materials as admixtures in mineral-based systems
- Sustainability and environmental compatibility of building materials
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Range of services/technical equipment
- Sieving apparatus
- Mixers up to 500 l
- Testing methods for mortars and concretes
- Slab test
- Differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis
- Automatic Vicat apparatus
- Concrete rheometer
- Mortar/paste rheometer
- Concrete calorimeter
- Heat balance calorimetry
- Zeta potential analysis
- Dynamic light scattering
- Shrinkage measurement methods
- Rapid carbonation
- Chloride migration (RCM)
- Sulphuric acid corrosion
- Surface roughness tester (laser-based)
- Shotcrete station
- Temperature fluctuation resistance tests
- Sample preparation for chemical analysis
- Batch testand tank leaching test
- Measurement apparatus for pH value, conductivity, turbidity, moisture and solid content, loss on ignition
- Optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES)
- Coulometer and TOC analyser
- Volumetric and gravimetric analysis
- Flame and graphite furnace AAS
- Ion chromatography
- Helium and powder pycnometer
- Laser granulometry
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Publications of the division
In the database PUBLICA you will find publications by BAM employees.
Publications of the division Technology of Construction Materials in PUBLICA
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Dr.-Ing. Hans-Carsten Kühne
