Search results for "Geomaterial"
showing 6 items of 6 documents
Antifouling Mortars for Underwater Restoration
2022
This research has focused on the assessment of the compositional features and mechanical and antifouling performances of two different mortars formulated for an underwater setting, and which contain Mg(OH)2 as an antifouling agent. Regarding the mechanical characterization, the uniaxial compressive strength and flexural strength were measured. The composition of the materials was explored by differential thermal/thermogravimetric analysis (DTA-TG), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRPD), and scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) coupled with EDS microanalysis. The assessment of the biological colonization was evaluated with colorimetric analysis and image analysis. The results suggest that both m…
Geomaterials in green building practices: comparative characterization of commercially available clay-based plasters
2013
Three pre-mixed powdered clay-based (earthen) plasters produced in Europe and specifically designed for wall undercoating were analyzed in this paper. These materials are commercially available and successfully employed in green building practices all over the world. Their compositional and textural characteristics, as well as plastic behaviour were investigated through a multi-analytical approach: X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), polarized light microscopy (PLM), X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRFS), scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (SEM-EDS), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), grain-size distribution (GSD) and semi-empirical tests (Atterberg…
Sources of geomaterials in the Sicani Mountains during the Early Middle Ages: A case study of Contrada Castro, central western Sicily
2022
From 2017, an unknown rural settlement in Contrada Castro at Corleone (Palermo Province, western Sicily) was investigated as part of the `Harvesting Memories Project¿. The stratigraphic sequence, supported by radiocarbon dating, has demonstrated a reoccupation of a pre-Roman site during the transition between the Byzantine and Islamic periods. In particular, the main occupation occurred in the late 8th¿9th century when pottery kilns and a probable warehouse were constructed. During the 10th¿11th century, a new structure with different orientations replaced the previous buildings that had already collapsed. Specifically focusing on a perspective of the household production and its relationsh…
Effects of compositional and textural characteristics of clay based plasters on the control of indoor relative humidity
2015
Air humidity in contained spaces has a significant impact on health of inhabitants. The control capability of indoor relative humidity (RH) of clay-based plasters was tested on a series of commercially available products specifically designed for wall undercoating and on a natural earth collected in the surrounding area of Palermo. The innovative practice of ‘‘green building’’, since several years, led the interest of research to recyclable and reusable traditional materials that, in several cases, are a sustainable alternative to concrete and lime mortars. Earthen plasters, in general, have the ability to balance indoor humidity like no other classic building materials. The studied samples…
Geological and cultural heritage: Dissemination experiences in Tuscany
2019
We report on some recent experiences of scientific dissemination activities on geomaterials carried out by a network of scientific organizations in Tuscany (Italy). The primary message we want to disseminate is that even the most "insignificant" rock (e.g., those constituting the bar or kitchen counter-tops) stores in their interior very useful information beyond the beautiful colors and their aesthetic appearance. These rocks can tell stories of very old geological periods on how they were formed. Their structures, texture and shape, as well as their chemistry and mineralogy provide clues to the reconstruction of geological events. Moreover, the rocks used in urban architecture and monumen…
New experimental tools for the characterization of highly overconsolidated clayey materials in unsaturated conditions
2010
This chapter presents some of the experimental facilities that have recently been developed at the EPFL Soil Mechanics Group. Three apparatuses operating in non-isothermal conditions are described in detail: a sorption bench for determining water retention curves, an oedometric cell for analyzing volumetric responses under high vertical loads, and a triaxial cell designed for extreme loading conditions.