After successful completion of the course, students are able to put the teaching content into practice:
- Understand basics of matter and what control their mechanical/physical properties.
- Understand energy involved in manufacturing/transporting main construction materials, be sensitive to material sourcing and sustainability, understand main foreseeable challenges about sourcing construction materials.
- Be educated on the history of construction materials, and how economics often drives the choice.
- Be able to list and differentiate main construction material types. Understand their properties, their main use and manufacturing methods/sourcing, their limitation, durability.
- Understand how the mechanical properties of the materials impact their load-bearing capabilities.
- Understand available technics to assess materials in existing aging structures.
Introduction to the course and labs (free choice with admission limit)
Fundamentals - Introduction to the structure of matter: atomic structure and chemical bonding
Basics - Introduction to the structures of materials: crystalline body, metals, ceramics, polymers
Basics - Mechanical properties: stress, strain, elastic properties, plastic deformation, fracture
Basics - Physical properties of materials: Diffusion, thermal, optical and acoustic properties
Basics - Binding materials: technological evolution, production processes and associated sourcing of raw materials, engineering and environmental issues. Challenges for future development
Basics - History of construction materials
Hardened concrete: concrete types, properties, aging & durability, lightweight concrete, ultra-high strength concrete
Fresh concrete: aggregate, fibers, admixtures and additives, mixing of the fresh concrete
Concrete in structures
Plastics and insulating materials
Metallic materials 1 & 2
Durability in concrete
Ceramic, glass
Wood
(1) written examinations, (2) lab attendance and participation, (3) lab protocol, (4) 5 minute lab presentation per group
