Laboratory of Construction Materials (LMC)
The Laboratory of Construction Materials (LMC) supports the research related to the characterization of construction materials in general. It has a wide range of equipment for characterization of the physical and mechanical properties of construction materials, including a universal testing machine, vibrating screens, concrete mixer, manual presses, ovens, several sets of dynamometer rings, humid chamber, scales of different capacities, 15 type K thermocouples for testing materials at high temperatures, among other various equipment. In the area of paints develops studies in the production and evaluation of paint performance. This Laboratory has infrastructure for paint production (featuring a benchtop mechanical agitator with agitation capacity of up to 20 liters of water or 7.2 liters of paint and variable rotation from 50 to 3600 rpm); assessment of fluid viscosity (having available the Ford Cup kinematic viscometer with orifice number 4 – ABNT NBR 5849:2015, ASTM 1200 and MB 1117; and the rotational viscometer model 35 Fann with six speeds: 600, 300, 200, 100, 6 and 3 rpm – API 13B:2012 ); determination of the pH of the solution (using a bench pH meter, with a pH range between 0 and 14); determination of the covering power of the dry paint (using a methodology adapted from ABNT NBR 14942:2016, where the paint is applied to an opacity card with a sheep’s wool roller – and the reflectance is determined by reading the factor B (Brightness) of the HSB color standard, using Photoshop® software); determination of resistance to wet abrasion without abrasive paste (using a methodology adapted from ABNT NBR 15078:2006, where the paint is spread on a PVC card and the abrasion is done using a manual washable machine built from a model created by the “Cores da Terra” Project). In the area of Material Durability, develops studies on the durability and useful life of various types of materials, in addition to the development of new construction materials, repair systems, surface treatments, non-destructive tests for concrete, among other topics. Its infrastructure makes it possible to carry out tests such as sclerometry, core extraction, pH determination, ultrasound, electrical resistivity, migration of chloride ions, water absorption by immersion and capillarity, monitoring of internal temperature in concrete blocks, carbonation test, pozzolanic activity from mineral additions, sulfate attack, two carbonation chambers, a salt mist chamber enhanced with attack by UV rays, in addition to equipment for panel performance, such as the tightness and thermal shock chamber, in accordance with ABNT NBR 15575:2021. In the area of Mortars and Concretes, dosing and rheology of cementitious materials, in addition to the incorporation of industrial waste. This laboratory has infrastructure for carrying out tests on adhesion resistance, sliding on adhesive mortars, SqueezeFlow, compressive and flexural resistance and modulus of elasticity of mortars, water retention, specific surface of powdered materials, viscosity, shrinkage analysis in fresh and hardened state, among others. In the area of metals, in addition to having two durometers, it develops studies on corrosion in metals, its infrastructure makes it possible to carry out tests such as corrosion potential readings. In the area of alkali-activation, production studies and performance evaluations of these materials are developed. In the absence of specific standards, the tests commonly carried out are adaptations of those carried out for cement, aggregates, pastes, mortars and concretes. In the ceramics area, has its own structure and equipment for the study and development of ceramic materials (red ceramics) with the addition of solid waste. The LMC structure makes it possible to manufacture ceramic parts through two distinct processes: pressing and extrusion. In the case of extrusion, the laboratory has a mini-extruder with two different nozzles, allowing the production of cylindrical-shaped parts or reduced-sized perforated blocks, as well as ovens, two large and one small electric ovens, and an appropriate scale. The LMC also has a chemistry laboratory, incorporated into its structure, assisting in tests mainly preparing the solutions used in research, determining pH, insoluble residue in Portland cement, pozzolanicity, free lime, soluble salts in concrete aggregates and sulfates in aggregates . For the convenience of postgraduate students, in addition to a large space for carrying out their activities, a study room, three technicians and a bricklayer.
It is also noteworthy that LMC operates integrated with the areas of Geotechnics and Sanitary and Environmental Engineering, including research into the development of new composites and reuse of industrial waste.