UNB Concrete Materials Group

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UNB Concrete Materials Group
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Group Photo May 2007
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Research
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Repair of Concrete Structures Affected by ASR and
DEF
Research
A number of research projects are currently being
funded to develop methodologies for repairing
structures suffering from deterioration due to
alkali-silica reaction, delayed ettringite
formation, or both processes occurring
simultaneously. Methods being investigated
include
Facilities
Faculty
Students

• Use of carbon-fiber reinforced polymer wraps
• Use of coatings and sealants
• Use of lithium

Sponsors
The research includes field and laboratory
studies. The various projects are being funded by
Texas DOT (through collaboration with the
University of Texas at Austin) and the U.S.
Federal Highways Administration).
Publications
Courses
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Research
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Preventing ASR in the Reconstruction of Mactaquac
G.S.
Research
The concrete structures at Mactaquac Generating
Station in New Brunswick are suffering from
alkali-silica reaction (ASR) and will likely have
to be replaced sometime around 2030. A research
project is currently underway at UNB to determine
methods for preventing ASR in the new structures.
Preventive measures being investigated include
Facilities
Faculty
Students

• Use of supplementary cementing materials
  (particularly fly ash from Belledune Generating
  Station in New Brunswick)
• Use of low-alkali cement
• Use of lithium

Sponsors
Publications
The research includes field and laboratory
studies. The project is being funded by New
Brunswick Power
Courses
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Research
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Effect of Fly Ash on the Sulfate Resistance of
Concrete
Research
Concrete containing high-calcium fly ash is
vulnerable to sulfate attack, but in some regions
this type of fly ash is abundantly available and
represents a valuable resource to the
construction industry. This research is aimed at
improving the sulfate resistance of concrete
containing high-calcium fly ash and elucidating
the mechanisms control the performance of fly ash
concrete exposed to sulfates. The project
includes the following studies
Facilities
Faculty
Students

• Monitoring performance of concrete in cyclic
  (wet/dry) and static sulfate exposure tests
• Chemical and mineralogical study of a wise range
  of fly ashes
• Mechanistic studies using scanning electron
  microscopy and x-ray diffraction to determine the
  quantity and nature of reaction products

Sponsors
Publications
Courses
This project is being funded by Texas DOT
(through collaboration with the University of
Texas at Austin).
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Research
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Durability of Concrete Containing Calcium
Aluminate Cement
Research
One of the applications for calcium aluminate
cement (CAC) is in the production of fast track
repair materials. A study is currently underway
at UNB to determine the durability of CAC
concrete under aggessive conditions including
marine exposure. The study includes the following
activities
Facilities
Faculty
Students

• Measuring chloride transport rates and
  permeability
• Determining chloride binding isotherms of CAC
• Monitoring performance of CAC on UNB Exposure
  Site and Treat Island Marine Exposure Site
• Microstructural study of CAC with and without
  siliceous admixtures

Sponsors
Publications
Courses
This project is being funded by Kerneos
(manufacturers of CAC)
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Research
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Research
Other projects
Use of lithium to control ASR mechanisms of
action
Facilities
Durability of concrete with high-calcium fly ash
Faculty
Durability of concrete with limestone cements
Students
Development of rapid tests to evaluate ASR
preventive measures
Development of rapid permeability tests for
concrete
Sponsors
Using reclaimed fly ash from landfills
Publications
Optimizing high-volume SCM systems for concrete
Courses
Use of MRI to study cement and concrete materials
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Facilities
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The UNB Concrete Materials group has facilities
to conduct most CSA and ASTM standard test
methods for cement concrete, and to carry out
advanced research in this field. Theses
facilities include
Research
Facilities
Faculty

• Mortar and concrete mixers
• Wide range of testing machines and load frames
  for determining compressive, tensile and flexural
  strength, modulus of elasticity, creep
• Temperature and humidity controlled rooms
• Two ASTM C 666 freeze-thaw chambers
• De-icer salt scaling testing
• Accelerated
• Natural field exposure
• Drying shrinkage testing

Students
Sponsors
Publications
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Facilities
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• Testing for alkali-aggregate reaction
• Accelerated mortar bar test
• Concrete prism test
• Exposure block testing
• Pore solution extraction and analysis
• Testing for delayed ettringite formation
• Testing for sulfate attack
• Mortar bar expansion tests
• Cyclic wet-dry tests (physical sulfate attack)
• Testing to evaluate performance of concrete
  exposed to other aggressive chemicals

Research
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Students
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Facilities
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• Rapid chloride permeability test (ASTM C 1012)
• Chloride diffusion testing
• Migration testing
• Chloride profiling
• Chloride analysis
• Corrosion measurements
• Potential half-cell
• Galvapulse linear polarization
• Gamry 3-LP corrosion system
• Service-life predictions
• Evaluation of corrosion inhibitors (ASTM G 109
  test)
• Electrochemical chloride extraction
• Marine tidal simulators
• Carbonation testing (accelerated and natural
  exposure)

Research
Facilities
Faculty
Students
Sponsors
Publications
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Facilities
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• Self-consolidating concrete mixes
• L-box
• J-ring
• Segregation column
• Viscosity measurements
• Roller-compacted concrete mixes
• High-performance and concrete
• High-strength concrete
• Low-shrinkage concrete
• Restrained shrinkage test
• Plastic shrinkage test
• Flowable fill

Research
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Facilities
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Access to the following facilities at UNB
Research

• Microscopy (link to UNB Microscopy Centre)
• Scanning electron microscope
• Microprobe
• Transmission electron microscope
• Laser confocal microscope
• Wide range of optical, metallurgical and
  petrographic microscopes
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (link to UNB MRI
  Centre)
• Micro-CT scanning
• X-ray diffraction
• Complete chemical analysis
• Fully-equipped machine shop for fabricating
  specialized equipments

Facilities
Faculty
Students
Sponsors
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Facilities
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Research

• UNB outdoor exposure site for studies of
• Salt scaling
• Corrosion
• Carbonation
• Alkali-aggregate reaction
• Access to marine exposure site at Treat Island,
  Maine (the UNB Concrete Materials Group maintains
  this site for the US Corps of Engineers)
• Foosball Table

Facilities
Faculty
Students
Sponsors
Publications
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Faculty
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Research
Facilities
Faculty
Students
Michael Thomas
Theodore Bremner
Sponsors
Publications
Links to individual web pages
Courses
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Students
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Research
Xuiping Feng Full-Time PhD Candidate Thesis Use
of lithium as an admixture to control ASR
mechanistic studies Email k488i_at_unb.ca
Facilities
Could you list all the graduate students and
undergraduate summer students
Faculty
Students
Needs updating with current students
Sponsors
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Students
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Research
Facilities
Faculty
Attending conference on Concrete and
Sustainability
Monitoring steel corrosion on Confederation Bridge
Students
Sponsors
Publications
Courses
Monitoring samples at the marine exposure site on
Treat Island, Maine
UNB Concrete Laboratory
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Students
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Research
Facilities
Faculty
Casting concrete specimens on UNB Exposure Site
Attending conference in China
Students
Sponsors
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Courses
Its not all work - Materials Group ( friends) at
Fenway Park
PCA Fellowship Recipient
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Students
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Research
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Faculty
Students
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More PCA Fellowships for UNB Students!
Publications
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Sponsors
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Research
Current Sources of Funding
Facilities

• NSERC
• Federal Highways Administration
• New Brunswick Power
• New Brunswick DOT
• University of Texas at Austin
• Texas DOT
• Lafarge North America
• Portland Cement Association
• Kerneos
• Natural Resources Canada - CANMET

Faculty
Students
Sponsors
Publications
Courses
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Sponsors
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Research
Previous Sources of Funding
Facilities

• New Brunswick Innovation Fund
• EcoSmart
• Boral
• FMC Corporation
• Matrix
• Michigan Technical University
• Texas AM
• International Center for Aggregates Research

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Students
Sponsors
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Publications
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Link to publications page
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UNB Concrete Materials Group Courses
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UNB Courses
Industry Courses
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