Introduction to Materials

Abstract

In this introductory lecture, students gain basic knowledge on building materials like cement, concrete, metals, glass, wood, polymers, and bitumen, their manufacturing and processing, important properties and their application. Fundamental mechanical, thermal and optical properties are discussed and experimental ways for measuring, as well as numerical methods for predicting them, are depicted.

Objective

Students become acquainted with the spectrum of building materials and their characteristic properties. They will learn about the most important mechanical properties, as well as factors affecting durability. In particular, structures and properties of mineral binders, cement, concrete, bitumen and asphalt, wood, metals, glass, and polymers are presented. Students learn about the fundamental behavior of materials, experimental measurement of characteristic properties, as well as means for their numerical prediction and optimization.

Content

-Fundamental behavior of building materials: mechanical, thermal and optical properties; strength and fracture; material testing and parameter identification; porosity and moisture transport; -Mineral binders: production and hydration -Concrete: Mechanics and rheology, durability, freezing, shrinkage, and carbonation. -Metals: Introduction and physical properties, alloying and iron-carbon alloys, processing and applications in civil engineering. -Corrosion: Atmospheric corrosion and durability of steel-reinforced concrete. -Wood: Structure and chemism, mechanical properties, wood protection, and wood materials. -Glass: Introduction on glass and physical properties, processing and applications in civil engineering. -Polymers: Foundations, properties, and processing, applications in civil engineering. -Asphalt and bitumen. -Material modeling: Basics of material modeling, micro-mechanics and case studies for building materials.

Resources