Research themes
Theoretical
Liquid movement in porous media: fundamental studies of liquid movement
in porous construction materials; mathematical modelling of unsaturated
flow processes.
Analytical Techniques
Development of test methods: analytically based water absorption tests
for material characterisation; laboratory test methods for permeability
measurement.
Tomographic studies
Use of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, neutron
radiography and positron emission tomography to monitor water movement
processes. Use of energy dispersive synchrotron diffraction techniques
to examine reactive processes in cement-based materials.
Chromatographic studies
Use of ion chromatography to monitor reactive
transport processes in cement and stone materials.
Moisture adsorption and expansion in clay brick
Studies of adsorption
and expansive strain mechanisms in fired clay ceramics.
Permeability of high performance concretes
Development of instrumentation.
Materials
Mortars: characterisation of cement and hydraulic lime mortars, investigation
of setting mechanism and carbonation using energy dispersive synchrotron
diffraction; effects of compositional and physical characteristics on the
dewatering of lime mortars.
Cements, concrete and natural stone
Deterioration processes.
Practical Outcomes
Contribution towards testing standards: identifying shortcomings of
existing testing standards and the development of new test methods to develop
standards that are more appropriate to the use of materials in practice.