Concrete and Cement Laboratory - Chemical Testing
The Concrete and Cement Laboratory - Chemical Testing (UBC - AEQ) is part of the Concrete, Stone and Ceramic Unit of the Materials Department of LNEC and has been created in 1997 to support the construction sector in relation to the assignment of cement conformity marking.
The activity carried out at UBC - AEQ falls within the LNEC strategy for Research, Development and Innovation (R&D&I), in particular with regard to the Built Heritage and Natural Resources.
Activity areas
The UBC - AEQ develops accredited activity in the chemical characterization of the following materials:
- cements;
- coal fly ashes.
The area of activity of the UBC - AEQ extends to other materials among which aggregates, chemical admixtures, water, mortars and concretes are highlighted.
Testing
UBC - AEQ carries out more than 100 laboratorial tests, of which 9 are accredited by the Portuguese Institute for Accreditation (IPAC), and holds Certificate No. L0454. The tests performed include the following:
Cements
- determination of loss on ignition;
- determination of pozzolanicity for pozzolanic cement;
- determination of potassium oxide content;
- determination of sodium oxide content;
- determination of residue insoluble – sodium carbonate method;
- determination of chloride content;
- determination of sulfate content;
- determination of heat of hydration – semiadiabatic method strength;
Coal fly ashes
- determination of free calcium oxide content by volumetry
Other services
Featuring a qualified staff and a well-equipped laboratory, UBC - AEQ, always giving priority to the quality of information provided and close cooperation with customers, also develops the following activities:
- conduct research studies for the development of building materials incorporating waste and industrial by products;
- carry out studies and provide technical advice in the context of internal expansive reactions of concrete–alkali aggregate reaction and internal sulphate reaction;
- perform chemical characterization of construction materials and their constituents by qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis, using gravimetric, volumetric and instrumental methods (including wd-xrf, icp-aes and gf-aas), according to standard procedures or internal methods;
- assess the release of dangerous substances through leaching tests on inorganic matrix materials to check the feasibility of its use in an environmental sustainability perspective;
- carry out consultancy about building materials, especially cements, mortars and concretes;
- collaborate in the elaboration of normative documents;
- disseminate of knowledge through publications, namely reports and technical specifications.