The research work is dedicated to the improvement and further development of the building material concrete. Based on experimental characterization on the one hand and model-based recording of the relevant chemical and physical processes on the other hand, application-oriented basic knowledge in the field of cement and concrete technology is expanded for the development of innovative solutions.
Since a very broad spectrum of binders and additives is available in the context of concrete production, there are many possibilities in the development of new types of concrete with regard to processability, durability and the mechanical properties that can be achieved. However, this requires a detailed knowledge of the properties of the concrete components, the material structure and the processes taking place. A hybrid research approach complements the experimental characterization of the properties of the material components by modeling the processes taking place. For this purpose, an experimentally validated multiscale model is used, which establishes the relationship between the concrete properties and the material composition. Building on this, sensitivities of the material behavior with regard to a change in the composition and / or the components used can be identified and finally the concrete can be optimized in a target-oriented manner.
Application-specific optimizations include e.g. B. improved heat resistance and durability of concrete, improved mechanical properties and optimized processes in concrete production taking into account the interaction between concrete and formwork. In addition, the multi-scale approach enables alternative aggregates and additives to be taken into account, whereby their effect on the physical properties of the concrete is examined. Attention is also paid to the hydration kinetics and their control using the composition of the binder.
Thanks to the new methods for mapping the concrete behavior, knowledge is gained that is used to develop new types of cement-bound building materials. With regard to targeted optimization, it should be possible in the future to find the optimal composition and the best possible combination of concrete components for specific applications.
