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    Ecomaterials

    Construction Materials Laboratory

    Construction Materials Laboratory, created in 2002, is a unit of scientific research, technological development and service delivery to the community of the Department of Civil Engineering at University of Minho.

    The main objectives of Construction Materials Laboratory are as follows:

    •Participate in scientific research projects in the areas defined in the CTAC strategic program, namely in that who are framed in the Ecomaterials research area of competence;

    •Support pedagogically different teaching projects of the Department of Civil Engineering, namely the postgraduate studies (Doctoral Program in Civil Engineering and International Master in Sustainable Built Environment) and the Integrated Master on Civil Engineering in the area of construction materials;

    •Develop activities of consultancy and service delivery to the community.

    Main Equipments

    CompactRIO control/acquisition system

    The CompactRIO system (cRIO) is a DAQ system with an incorporated computer (with its own operating system) capable of dedicatedly running one single LabVIEW program at a time. The cRIO has standard memory and an integrated real-time processor for control, data logging, and analysis, and able to run the program at much higher speed than a laptop (which is multitasking). The cRIO uses Ethernet to connect to its peripherals which enables it to communicate data fast. The cRIO connects to the electronic hardware via reconfigurable I/O field-programmable gate array (FPGA) technology.

    Available NI modules:

    • NI cDAQ-9172: legacy NI CompactDAQ chassis (without an incorporated computer) 
    • NI cRIO-9074: integrated 400 MHz Real-Time Controller and 2M Gate FPGA 
    • NI 9205: 32 channels, ±10 V to ±200mV, 16-bit analog input 
    • NI 9234: 4 channels, ± 5 V, 24-bit, SW selectable IEPE & AC/DC 
    • NI 9237: 4 channels, 24-bit, half/full bridge analog input 
    • NI 9263: 4 channels, ±10 V, 16-bit analog output 
    • NI 9421: 8 channels, 24 V, sinking digital input 
    • NI 9472: 8 channels, 24 V, sourcing digital output

    These pieces of equipment were acquired with fund that result from specialized services carried out by this Research Group to the Centre for Waste Valorisation.

    Materials

    Construction Materials Laboratory covers destructive and non-destructive testing of construction materials such as fresh and hardened pastes, mortars and concretes and the assessment of their durability and mechanical properties. The equipment housed in Construction Materials Laboratory will allow the characterization, development and testing of high performance sustainable materials for a wide variety of applications in the construction industry.

    Mixtures and performance testing of specimens

    The Construction Materials Laboratory performs various tests in the following areas:

    •Admixtures for mortar and concrete

    •Aggregates;

    •Mortars and concretes;

    •Hydraulic and aerial lime;

    •Alkali-activated materials;

    •Earth based materials;

    •Injection pastes;

    •Cements and mineral additions;

    •Wood;

    •Ceramic materials;

    •Paints and varnishes.

    About CTAC

    The Centre for Territory, Environment and Construction (CTAC) is a research unit of the School of Engineering of University of Minho (UMinho), recognised by the “FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia” (Foundation for Science and Technology), associated to the Department of Civil Engineering (DEC), with whom it shares resources and namely human resources.

    Currently CTAC aggregates 25 researchers holding a PhD of which 20 are faculty professors of the Civil Engineering Department. Read more


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    Research Areas of Competence

    Construction Materials and Technologies
    Hydraulics and Environment
    Territory

    News

    Contact us

    Centro de Território, Ambiente e Construção
    Escola de Engenharia da Universidade do Minho
    Campus de Azurém
    4800-058 Guimarães, Portugal

    Phone: + 351 253 510 200 (517 206)
    Fax: + 351 253 510 217

    Email: geral@ctac.uminho.pt


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