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This work deals with the underlying physical mechanisms and processes that dominate the fracture of cement based materials and their electrical properties. Electric current emissions were recorded when hardened cement pastes and cement mortars suffered mechanical loading in various modes. Such electric current emissions are known as Pressure Stimulated Currents (PSC) when the applied loading is compressional while they are mentioned as Bending Stimulated Currents (BSC) when the material suffers bending loadings. The physical mechanism responsible for the PSC and BSC emissions can be interpreted in terms of the Moving Charged Dislocations model that correlates mechanical deformation and electric charge distortions in the sample bulk. Laboratory experiments were designed based on the mechanical and physical properties of cement. To conduct the experiments all the background material concerning cement fracture mechanics, the microstructure of the hardened cement paste and the Interfacial Transition Zone of cement mortar were taken into consideration. Additionally, the experience of the PSC technique when it was applied on marble samples was used to guide the experimental procedures and compare qualitatively and quantitatively the experimental results. The relationship between the emitted PSC and the strain was established for the very first time for cement based materials in the present work. When the material was stressed within the range where stress and strain are linearly related a linear relation between PSC and stress rate (d/dt) was observed. Deviation from this linearity appeared when the applied stress was in the range where the applied stress and the yielded strain were not linearly related. Slightly before fracture, intense, non-linear PSC emissions were detected. The damage of the sample structure due to excessive loading in the plastic region significantly affected the recorded phenomena. Bending tests proved that similar electric current emissions are detected when a sample beam suffers 3 Point Bending Tests. The dependence of the emitted electric current on the way of fracture (i.e. compressional or tensional) was proved. It was also shown that the magnitude of the emitted electric current is directly related to the magnitude of damage due to the external loading. Thus, as it was expected, the electric current emitted from the tensed zone is significantly greater than the corresponding emitted from the compressed zone.

The first recorded use of hydraulic lime in construction can be traced back to at least two thousand years ago. Hydraulic lime, produced through either adding pozzolanic materials or calcining clay containing limestone, unlike air lime, can set and harden under water, developing strength through initial hydration reaction and subsequent carbonation. After WWII Portland cement mortars had almost completely replaced lime based mortars in modern construction. However, through conservation and specialist construction the benefits of hydraulic lime are becoming increasingly recognised. To support wider usage of these mortars there is a need for systematic study on the mortar properties and structural performance of lime mortared masonry. This thesis presents findings from a research programme conducted to develop understanding of the mechanical properties of natural hydraulic lime (NHL) mortared brickwork. The work focussed on the flexural strength of NHL mortared brickwork. A variety of material and environmental factors, including lime grade and supplier, mix proportion, sand type and age, have been investigated. In addition the research has completed an in-depth study on the influence of brick absorption characteristics on bond development. The two methods of flexural wall panel and bond wrench testing to establish flexural strength have been compared. In addition to flexural strength, initial shear strength and compressive strength of brickwork has also been investigated. A greater understanding of NHL mortared brickwork performance has been developed through this work. Performance of the brickwork has been related to properties of constituent materials and environmental factors. Recommendations for design performance of materials have been provided.

Dans le contexte actuel d’accroissement de la population mondiale, il est nécessaire de construire d’avantage d’infrastructures pour répondre à la pression industrielle grandissante. Ces constructions se font principalement sur la mer comme les ports, les îles artificielles ou encore les logements touristiques. Le béton est le matériau majoritairement utilisé en raison de son faible coût de production mais aussi de sa résistance à l’eau de mer. Comme tout matériau immergé en milieu marin, le béton est colonisé par les organismes vivants, devenant ainsi support de leur développement. Cependant, l’eau de mer est un milieu particulièrement agressif vis-à-vis des matériaux cimentaires ; des dégradations physiques, chimiques et biologiques sont observées dans le temps. Les deux premiers types de dégradation sont particulièrement bien documentés par la communauté scientifique. En revanche, les dégradations biologiques sont peu étudiées. L’objectif de cette thèse est donc de tout d’abord mettre en place un dispositif expérimental en laboratoire, permettant la colonisation d’un matériau cimentaire par des microorganismes. Des outils pertinents pour caractériser le biofilm sur le matériau ont été choisis après une étude bibliographique, dans le but de mieux comprendre la cinétique de colonisation. Des analyses chimiques du matériau ainsi que de l’eau de mer artificielle ont été effectuées à échéances régulières pour évaluer les actions du biofilm sur le matériau cimentaire. Différents matériaux ont été formulés pour étudier l’impact de la formulation sur la colonisation. / In the current context of increased world population, it is necessary to built more infrastructures to meet the increasing industrial pressure. These constructions are erected on the sea as harbors, artificial islands or tourist accommodation. Concrete is mainly used because of its low-cost and durability in the marine environment. Like any material immersed in seawater, concrete is colonized by living organisms, becoming an habitat for their development. However, seawater is a very aggressive environment towards cementitious materials; physical, chemical and biological degradations are observed with time. Nowadays, physical and chemical degradations are well understood and reported in the literature but there is a lack of knowledge concerning biological effects. The aim of this thesis is first develop an experimental device in laboratory, allowing the colonization of cementitious material by microorganisms. Relevant tools to characterize the biofilm on the material were chosen to better understand colonisation’s kinetic. Chemical analysis of material and seawater were made to evaluate the actions of the biofilm on cementitious material. Different materials were produced to study the impact of the formulation on the colonization.

Many Canadian cities are faced with the problem of an aging and deteriorating iron water distribution network - pipe breaks, leakage, and/or aesthetic water quality problems. Public confidence in municipalities’ ability to deliver safe, clean drinking water to customers has been eroded, especially in areas of water distribution networks receiving coloured water events that result from the internal corrosion of aging iron watermains. Cement mortar lining is one of the most widely used non-structural watermain rehabilitation methods for the prevention of coloured water events due to internal iron pipe corrosion; however, it is also thought/claimed to be a means of controlling corrosion pin-hole leakage. This thesis presents the results of a laboratory testing program designed to investigate the renewal of potable watermains via the use of cement mortar lining. The specific focus of this thesis is the ability of the cement mortar lining to bridge corrosion pin-holes and prevent water loss from the watermain, and the effects of mortar application on the corrosion protection provided to the iron watermain by cement mortar lining. The results of this study are based on short term testing and do not consider fatigue. The ability to bridge corrosion pin-holes / water loss prevention laboratory testing program found that pressure should not be returned to a newly lined watermain until the lining has cured for a period of at least four days to prevent failures from occurring prior to the lining achieving sufficient strength characteristics if the lining is to be used as a structural rehabilitation technique. The cure time corrected normalized thickness at failure data was found to be a Gumbel distributed data set. The Gumbel distribution can be used to predict the lining thickness required to bridge a known corrosion pin-hole diameter with a set degree of confidence that failure will not occur. A 3 mm thick cement mortar lining can bridge a pin-hole 12.0 mm in diameter while a 5mm thick cement mortar lining can bridge a pin-hole 19.9 mm in diameter with a 95% probability that failure will not occur Through the corrosion prevention testing program it was determined that the thickness of the cement mortar lining does not affect the ability of the lining to prevent corrosion from occurring. This was determined for cast iron pipes which have been lined for a period of one year. It is recommended that corrosion potential testing be performed on cement mortar lined watermains that have been in service for a longer period of time to determine if this consistent over the life cycle of the cement mortar lined watermain.

Many Canadian cities are faced with the problem of an aging and deteriorating iron water distribution network - pipe breaks, leakage, and/or aesthetic water quality problems. Public confidence in municipalities’ ability to deliver safe, clean drinking water to customers has been eroded, especially in areas of water distribution networks receiving coloured water events that result from the internal corrosion of aging iron watermains. Cement mortar lining is one of the most widely used non-structural watermain rehabilitation methods for the prevention of coloured water events due to internal iron pipe corrosion; however, it is also thought/claimed to be a means of controlling corrosion pin-hole leakage. This thesis presents the results of a laboratory testing program designed to investigate the renewal of potable watermains via the use of cement mortar lining. The specific focus of this thesis is the ability of the cement mortar lining to bridge corrosion pin-holes and prevent water loss from the watermain, and the effects of mortar application on the corrosion protection provided to the iron watermain by cement mortar lining. The results of this study are based on short term testing and do not consider fatigue. The ability to bridge corrosion pin-holes / water loss prevention laboratory testing program found that pressure should not be returned to a newly lined watermain until the lining has cured for a period of at least four days to prevent failures from occurring prior to the lining achieving sufficient strength characteristics if the lining is to be used as a structural rehabilitation technique. The cure time corrected normalized thickness at failure data was found to be a Gumbel distributed data set. The Gumbel distribution can be used to predict the lining thickness required to bridge a known corrosion pin-hole diameter with a set degree of confidence that failure will not occur. A 3 mm thick cement mortar lining can bridge a pin-hole 12.0 mm in diameter while a 5mm thick cement mortar lining can bridge a pin-hole 19.9 mm in diameter with a 95% probability that failure will not occur Through the corrosion prevention testing program it was determined that the thickness of the cement mortar lining does not affect the ability of the lining to prevent corrosion from occurring. This was determined for cast iron pipes which have been lined for a period of one year. It is recommended that corrosion potential testing be performed on cement mortar lined watermains that have been in service for a longer period of time to determine if this consistent over the life cycle of the cement mortar lined watermain.

No description available.