Alkali activated materials, especially when activated with waterglass, are subjected to substantial drying shrinkage that hinders their broader industrial application. The effect of shrinkage reducing admixtures (SRA), based on poly(propylene glycol), on drying shrinkage of alkali activated blast furnace slag (BFS) mortars was studied. The aim of this thesis is to determine the efficiency of SRA as well as the influence of different type of alkali activator with varying silicate modulus on drying shrinkage characteristics. It was observed that the high amount of alkalis positively influenced the effect of SRA. The higher the amount of alkalis, the lower the drying shrinkage was. It also caused more water to be incorporated in the alkali activated structure and prevent it from evaporation. Thus, the weight change of such mortars was the lowest. Reduced effect of SRA on mechanical strength properties was observed in mortars with low amount of alkalis which was connected with delayed hydration resulting in insufficient amount of created C-S-H gel. The presented thesis further discussed and underlines the role of different kinds of alkali ions as well as their amount on the properties of alkali activated BFS systems.

Das Cold-Top-Schmelzen alkalifreier Borosilikatgläser hat im Vergleich zu angepassten Gas-Sauerstoff-beheizten Schmelzaggregaten nach dem Hot-Top-Prinzip wesentliche Vorteile, wie minimale Verdampfung von borsäurehaltigen Komponenten, hohe flächenspezifische Schmelzleistungen und niedrige Betriebskosten. Als Schlüsseltechnologie gilt der neu entwickelte Mo-Heizstrahler, welcher trotz der extrem schlechten elektrischen Leitfähigkeit der Schmelze eine aus Sicht der Schmelze indirekte elektrische Beheizung realisieren lässt. Mit Hilfe dieser Heizstrahler-Technologie lässt sich die Schmelze auf > 1450 °C erhitzen, was die Voraussetzung für eine direkt elektrische Beheizung ist. Diese weltweit einzigartige Technologie ermöglicht die Herstellung von alkalifreien technischen Gläsern nach dem Cold-Top-Verfahren.

A functional nanometer-scale hybrid coating layer with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and/or nanoclays, as mechanical enhancement to ‘heal’ surface microcracks and environmental barrier layer is applied to alkaliresistant glass (ARG) fibres. The nanostructured and functionalised traditional glass fibres show both significantly improved mechanical properties and environmental corrosion resistance. Early warning material damage can be achieved by carbon nanotubes concentrated interphases in the composites. / Eine funktionale nanometerskalige Hybridbeschichtung mit multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) und/oder Nanoclay wurde als mechanische Verbesserung des „Ausheilens“ von Oberflächen-Mikrorissen und Barriereschicht gegenüber Umwelteinflüssen auf alkaliresistente Glasfasern (ARG) appliziert. Die nanostrukturierten und funktionalisierten traditionellen Glasfasern zeigen signifikant verbesserte mechanische Eigenschaften und Korrosionsbeständigkeit. Die Frühwarnung des Materialversagens kann durch Carbon Nanotubes, konzentriert in der Grenzschicht der Composites, erreicht werden.

Les ciments sulfoalumineux sont des liants hydrauliques qui, jusqu’aujourd’hui ne sont pas normalisés et ne possèdent donc pas une composition fixe. La teneur en ye’elimite – la phase principale de ce ciment- peut varier de 5 à 70 %. Or la composition du ciment sulfoalumineux (la composition du clinker ainsi que le pourcentage de gypse ajouté) est un paramètre critique qui contrôle sa réactivité, ses performances mécaniques, ainsi que sa durabilité. L’objectif principal de cette thèse est donc l’étude de l’influence de la composition des ciments sulfoalumineux sur leurs propriétés techniques, telles que les performances mécaniques et durabilité. Trois axes principaux ont été abordés. Tout d’abord une étude de l’influence de la composition du ciment sulfoalumineux (25-75 % en masse de ye’elimite) sur ses propriétés hydrauliques et mécaniques ainsi que sur la valeur limite en élément trace (Zn) a été menée. Dans ce but trois ciment sulfoalumineux (25, 50 et 75 % en masse de ye’elimite) ont été synthétisés. Ensuite l’effet de la variabilité de ce ciment sur sa durabilité dans l’eau pure et sulfatée a été investigué par rapport à un ciment sulfoalumineux commercial. Enfin, une étude des potentialités du ciment sulfoalumineux commercial à inhiber la réaction alcali silice dans les mortiers, lors de l’utilisation d’un granulat réactif (Silex), a été conduite. Il en résulte de cette étude qu’une augmentation de taux de ye’elimite dans le ciment sulfoalumineux engendre une augmentation des performances mécaniques. La valeur limite en Zn est de 0,3 % indépendamment de la composition du ciment sulfoalumineux. Par contre cette dernière influence la durabilité de ces ciments. Les résultats révèlent que même si la formulation contenant 75 % en ye’elimite confère les meilleures performances mécaniques, sa durabilité était la plus faible due à l’absence de stratlingite dans sa matrice cimentaire. Enfin, l’utilisation du ciment sulfoalumineux présente des bonnes potentialités à inhiber la réaction alcali silice. / Sulfoaluminate cements are hydraulic binders that, until today, are not standardized and therefore do not have a fixed composition. The content of ye'elimite - the main compound of this cement - can vary from 5 to 70 %. However, the composition of sulfoaluminate cement (clinker composition as well as the percentage of added gypsum) is a critical parameter that controls its reactivity, mechanical performance, as well as its durability. The main objective of this thesis is to study the influence of sulfoaluminate cements composition on their technical properties, such as mechanical performances and durability. Three main axes were discussed in this work. First, the influence of the sulfoaluminate cement composition (25-75 wt. % of ye'elimite) on its hydraulic and mechanical properties, as well as on the threshold limit of Zn, was studied. For this purpose three sulfoaluminate cements (25, 50 and 75 wt. % of ye'elimite) were synthesized. Then the effect of the variability of this cement on its durability in pure and sulphated water was investigated compared to a commercial sulfoaluminate cement. Finally, a study of the potentialities of commercial sulfoaluminate cement to inhibit the alkali silica reaction in mortars, when using a reactive aggregate (flint), was conducted. This study reveals that an increase in ye'elimite content in the sulfoaluminate cement increases the mechanical performance. The threshold limit of Zn is 0.3 % independently of the sulfoaluminate cement composition. Contrariwise, the sulfoaluminate cement composition influences the durability of these cements. Although the formulation containing 75 % of ye’elimite gives the best mechanical performances, its durability was lowest due to the absence of stratlingite in its cement matrix. Finally, the use of sulfoaluminate cement has good potential towards the inhibition of the alkali silica reaction.

This thesis deals with deterioration observed in cement-concrete cover (CBK) for three selected road sections of highways in the Czech Republic. The main objective was to determine whether concrete failure arose due to alkali-silica reaction, or other mechanism. The deterioration of concrete failure was observed in the macroscopic and microscopic scale. The mostly macroscopically observed deterioration of the concrete were cracks breaking the surface and inner parts of concrete. In micro- scale the microcracks and alcali-silica gels were observed. The CBK deterioration was quantitatively determined by three main parameters: specific length of microcracks on the CBK surface, specific length of microcracks in the drill cores and volume of alcali-silica gels and microcracks in thin sections. According to these indicators it was possible to distinguish two different types of CBK deteriorations. (1) Degradation mainly associated by alkali-silica reaction (observed on highways D11 - Vrbová Lhota and D1) and (2) degradation connected with another mechanism (cycles of freezing and thawing, mechanical degradation) was observed on the highway D5.

No description available.

Cette étude constitue une contribution à la recherche de nouveau matériau composite originaire des ressources naturelles végétales. Elle vise alors à l’exploitation des fibres naturelles extraites de la plante d’Alfa avec une matrice biopolymère thermoplastique de type Mater-Bi® afin d’élaborer des biocomposites. Trois types de fibres courtes extraites de la plante d’Alfa sont préparés ; non traitées et traitées par un traitement alcalin à 1 et 5%. Les diverses techniques utilisées pour la caractérisation des fibres ont révélé une augmentation de la rugosité, du taux de cellulose, de l’indice de cristallinité ainsi de la stabilité thermique après le traitement alcalin. Les matériaux composites sont préparés par extrusion bivis suivi d’une opération d’injection en faisant varier le pourcentage des fibres de 0 à 25%. Les analyses thermiques des biocomposites ont montré un accroissement significatif de la vitesse de cristallisation suite à l'incorporation des fibres d’Alfa ainsi une amélioration de la stabilité thermique pour les matériaux à base de fibres traitées. La résistance à la traction et le module de Young des biocomposites ont augmenté alors que la ténacité et l’allongement à la rupture ont diminué avec l'augmentation du taux de fibres. Les micrographies MEB des surfaces fracturées indiquent une bonne adhésion entre la matrice et les fibres d’Alfa traitées ou non. L’étude de la cinétique de cristallisation des différents biocomposites a prouvé le fort effet nucléant des fibres d’Alfa traitées ou non / This study is a contribution to the search for new composite material from vegetable natural resources. It aims at the exploitation of natural fibers extracted from the Alfa plant with a bioplastic of the Mater-Bi® type in order to develop biocomposites. Three kinds of short fibers extracted from Alfa plant were prepared; untreated, 1% and 5% alkali treated. The various techniques used for fibers characterization showed an increase in the roughness, cellulose level, crystallinity index and thermal stability after the alkali treatment. The composite materials were prepared by twin screw extrusion flowed by an injection operation by varying the fiber contents of 0 to 25%. Thermal analysis showed significant increase of the crystallization rate with the incorporation of Alfa fibers and enhancement of thermal stability by alkali treatment. Modulus and tensile strength of biocomposites also improved whereas toughness and elongation at break decreased upon increasing the fibers fraction. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on fractured surfaces indicated good adhesion between the matrix and the treated or untreated Alfa fibers. The study of crystallization kinetics of biocomposites showed strong nucleating effect of treated or untreated Alfa fibers.

The work deals with the possibilities of lightening of the flooring system. Flooring system is solved by lightening the material. The surface layer is modified by lightweight fillers made from the waste materials, lightweight waste materials and fillers made from natural substances. Simultaneously is this work dealing with options of lightening the surface layer by microspheric fillers of separated waste fly ash.

Carbon fibers (CF) are a material with a composition of over 90% carbon, which has high mechanical properties and low density. This unique combination of properties makes it requirable in applications such as vehicles, aerospace, wind power, and space industries. Commercially made CF are made using the fossil raw material polyacrylonitrile (PAN). In order to make a more sustainable precursor fiber (PF), this project has focused on other raw materials; cellulose and lignin. The PFs were produced with a cellulose and lignin mixture (70:30 wt%). In order to make a more green production of PF, cold alkali system was used as the solution in conjunction with wet spinning with an acid:salt coagulation bath. The acid:salt baths used was the P system with phosphoric acid and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (ADHP), and the S system with sulphuric acid and sodium sulphate with varying concentrations of both acid and salt. The objectives for this thesis was to evaluate the effect of the acid:salt coagulation bath composition, as well as the spin finish. This was done using tensile tests where Young’s modulus, strain to failure, and tensile strength (TS) were determined. The spin finish was evaluated using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The results showed that the P system had a significantly higher Youngs modulus and tensile strength compared to the S system, whilst the S system had a higher strain to failure. For the different concentrations of the S system, the tensile tests showed no significant difference between the concentrations. The fibers contained more phosphorus when ADHP was added to the spin finish, making them more flame retardant.

No description available.