Course detail

Experimental Laboratory Methods

FAST-BJA011Acad. year: 2021/2022

The course is a review of routine and special laboratory methods and instrumentation used in the silicate industry, with a focus on the fields of ceramics, refractories and mortars and the field of technology in the evaluation of materials in terms of their suitability in the process and the assessment of performance of finished products and degradation construction materials.
Students will improve their knowledge in the implementation of physical-mechanical laboratory tests and become familiar with special methods such as high pressure mercury porosimetry, X-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Discusses the principles and methods of measuring the rheology of suspensions and tests, viscosity measurements of heat capacity and heat of reaction calorimetry, peculiarities of measuring pH in the hydrating cements, as well as the different nature of glass stability in acidic and alkaline environments, corrosion processes, the protection of steel reinforcement in concrete.
Lectures are supplemented by measurements on these laboratory and testing facilities in the exercise.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

4

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Guarantor

Ing. Amos Dufka, Ph.D.

Department

Institute of Technology of Building Materials and Components (THD)

Learning outcomes of the course unit

The student would manage the goal of the subject by acquiring knowledge and overview of common and special laboratory methods and equipment used in silicate industry, mainly in the production of construction substances and components.

Prerequisites

Theoretical fundamentals of silicates structure and chemistry, fundamentals of production technology and properties of building materials based on silicates, such as binders, ceramics, concrete etc.

Co-requisites

Not applicable.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Not applicable.

Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes

Not applicable.

Course curriculum

1. Familiarization with the subject content, survey of laboratory methods in the branch of silicates.
2. Sampling, preparation and treatment of samples for individual methods.
3. X-ray diffraction analysis, apparatuses, principle and utilization.
4. Microscopy in the range of the visible spectrum, apparatuses, principle and preparations.
5. Electron transmission microscopy, principle, apparatuses, utilization.
6. Scanning electron microscopy, principle, apparatuses, utilization.
7. Methods of grain size and specific surface determination.
8. Methods of density, volume mass and absorption determination.
9. High pressure mercury porozimetry, principle, apparatuses, utilization.
10. Differential thermal analysis, principle apparatuses, utilization.
11. Gravimetric thermal analysis, principle, utilization.
12. Contraction dilatometric thermal analysis, principle, utilization.
13. Principles of building materials testing, quality control, harmonization of 13standards and regulations.

Work placements

Not applicable.

Aims

Obtaining knowledge concerning common and special laboratory methods and measuring, instruments used in silicate industry and especially in production of building materials and components, utilization of these methods for evaluation of raw materials suitability for building materials production and for determination of physico-mechanical and technological properties of readymade products

Specification of controlled education, way of implementation and compensation for absences

Extent and forms are specified by guarantor’s regulation updated for every academic year.

Recommended optional programme components

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Not applicable.

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme BPC-SI Bachelor's

    specialization M , 3 year of study, summer semester, compulsory

Type of course unit

 

Lecture

26 hod., optionally

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Amos Dufka, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Familiarization with the subject content, survey of laboratory methods in the branch of silicates. 2. Sampling, preparation and treatment of samples for individual methods. 3. X-ray diffraction analysis, apparatuses, principle and utilization. 4. Microscopy in the range of the visible spectrum, apparatuses, principle and preparations. 5. Electron transmission microscopy, principle, apparatuses, utilization. 6. Scanning electron microscopy, principle, apparatuses, utilization. 7. Methods of grain size and specific surface determination. 8. Methods of density, volume mass and absorption determination. 9. High pressure mercury porozimetry, principle, apparatuses, utilization. 10. Differential thermal analysis, principle apparatuses, utilization. 11. Gravimetric thermal analysis, principle, utilization. 12. Contraction dilatometric thermal analysis, principle, utilization. 13. Principles of building materials testing, quality control, harmonization of 13standards and regulations.

Exercise

26 hod., compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Ing. Amos Dufka, Ph.D.

Syllabus

1. Introduction exercise. Students are introduced with the laboratory procedure and safety. They are introduced with filling exercise and the conditions for obtaining the credit, 2. The methods used for thermal analysis – typical model (sample) for differential thermal analysis, 3. The use of differential thermal analysis in the evaluation of specific building materials, 4. The practical example of the use of dilatation contraction thermal analysis, 5. X-ray diffraction analysis - a case study, 6. Use of X-ray diffraction analysis in the evaluation of specific building materials, 7. Methods for determining the porosity of the material. A practical example of high-pressure porosimetry interpretation of the results, a sample calculation of method BET, 8. Utilization X-ray fluorescence methods in the analysis of silicate materials, 9. Excursion to the workplace equipped with sophisticated laboratory equipment, 10. Utilization infrared absorption spectrography methods in the evaluation of building materials, 11. Utilization methods for determining particle size - sedimentation methods, using the laser beam, etc., 12. The comprehensive assessment of the state respectively. rate of degradation of a particular building material, 13. Credit test, grant of the credit.