Active thermography methods enable structural investigations of reinforced concrete elements taking into account many different testing problems. The goal of this review is to provide an overview on the state-of-the-art regarding the use of active infrared thermography (IRT) for detection and characterization of defects in reinforced concrete. The paper will provide the physical background, equipment being used, as well as post-processing methods that are used to analyse sequences of thermograms. This work also presents the fields of applicability of IRT with a focus on the aspects related to reinforced concrete structures, as well as the advantages, limitations and potential sources of errors of IRT employment. Additionally previous non-destructive testing (NDT) studies that employed thermography techniques with natural excitation are briefly presented. A review of the future trends of thermal imaging are also included in this work. It can be concluded that while IRT is a useful tool for the characterisation of defects in the building sector, there is great prospect for the development of more advanced, effective and accurate approaches that will employ a combination of thermography approaches.

Although using various innovative materials for ventilated facade systems positively contribute to the energy efficiency of buildings, the application of such materials can also pose a certain risk of fire propagation through the fac¸ade. In the last decade, medium and large-scale tests, as well as numerical analysis have been performed to assess the impact of fire barriers on fire propagation through ventilated fac¸ades. However, the number of fire barriers and their specific positions can also have an effect on the fire safety of facades, which has not been studied. Consequently, the question arises whether real fire exposure on a fac¸ade can be adequately simulated and analysed in sufficient detail, by using large-scale testing methods. This paper aims to conduct a parametric analysis on a broader range of large-scale samples by using the procedure given in the standard BS 8414-1:2015 + A1:2017. To understand better the impact of the number and position of cavity barriers for different types of insulation materials (stone wool/PIR/phenolic foam) used in modern fac¸ade systems with non-combustible cladding (ACM-A2). Seven tests were carried out in Croatia between October 2017 and April 2018. In the case of combustible insulation, two horizontal barriers were insufficient in preventing fire propagation. Temperatures accumulated above 600°C, reaching 840°C in PIR insulation and 979°C in phenolic foam insulation. For the same sample designed with non-combustible insulation, the maximum temperature measured was 133°C. Facades with combustible insulation passed the test only when four horizontal barriers were used. The existence of vertical barriers had a positive impact on preventing the fire propagation because the insulation on the left side of the chamber, behind the vertical barrier, remained undamaged. Vertical barriers on the right side of the chamber delayed the horizontal fire propagation from the main wall to the wing wall depending on the type of insulation. The results from these tests can serve as a basis for future research on the effects of fire barriers on fire propagation.

This paper presents a procedure for detecting and quantifying defects in reinforced concrete structures by us-ing the method of active infrared thermography (IRT). For quantitative analysis, a methodology of thermal stimulation of concrete specimens and post-processing of the gathered data was developed. Presented methodology uses principles of step heating (SH) thermography, pulsed phase (PPT) thermography, principal component thermography (PCT) and correlation operators technique. A short descriptions of the post-processing methods used in the research is also provided in the paper. All three post-processing methods i.e. PPT, PCT and correlation operators technique have shown the pos-sibility to enhance the defect detection in concrete structures in comparison to raw thermograms. According to the data accessible to the authors, in presented research, correlation operators and PCT post-processing techniques are being suc-cessfully used for the first time for defect detection within concrete structures. The results of the research clearly show the possibility of using active IRT for the detection and assessment of defect depth (quantification) in reinforced concrete structures with the measurement error within 10%.

This paper investigates the effectiveness of a specific crystalline waterproofing admixture (CWA) in concrete as a function of a water–binder ratio. Four concrete mixes with and without CWA were prepared; two of them with a water–binder ratio of 0.45 and two of them with a water–binder ratio of 0.55. Water permeability and compressive strength were tested on hardened concrete specimens and self-healing of cracks over time was observed. Cement paste and CWA paste were prepared to clarify the results obtained on the concrete specimens. SEM and EDS and XRD and FTIR were performed on the hardened pastes to explain the mechanism of CWA working. The results show that the addition of CWA had no significant effect on the compressive strength of the concrete, but reduced the water penetration depth in the concrete, and the reduction was more effective for mixes with lower water–binder ratio. Regarding the self-healing effect, it can be concluded that the addition of CWA improves the crack healing in concrete, but the efficiency of self-healing is highly dependent on the initial crack width. The mechanisms involved in the reduction of water penetration depth and crack healing in concrete can be explained by different mechanisms; one is creation of the CSH gel from unreacted clinker grains, then formation carbonate, and additional mechanism is gel formation (highly expansive Mg-rich hydro-carbonate) from magnesium based additives. The presence of sodium silicate, which would transform into carbonate/bicarbonate, also cannot be excluded.

Abstract. In today's modern society sustainability has become a key driver for innovation. Sustainability in buildings is, or at least it should be, strongly interconnected with energy efficiency and fire safety. Unfortunately, cases of fires in buildings all over the world are a wakeup call to start thinking of fire safety as an inevitable part of energy efficiency in buildings. Thermally enhanced building envelopes, due to materials used, can represent significantly increased fire load on façades. To determine their fire performance, it is necessary to move on from material level to the whole building level, i.e. full scale tests. This paper presents findings from comprehensive research on influence of fire barrier on fire performance of External Thermal Insulation Composite System -ETICS with combustible thermal insulation. To confirm findings, tests on identical ETICS systems were conducted in

No abstract

Rapid population growth and urbanisation has entailed a strong motivation to develop more sustainable construction solutions in line with the 7 th basic requirement for construction works-sustainable use of natural resources. One of the strategies is to use materials available in abundant quantities as partial replacement for cement, or to create alternative binders for concrete. The aim of the paper is to provide an overview of the current state of the art in the field of alternative binders for concrete, and to point to the opportunities and challenges for their more systematic application in engineering practice. The state of the art review is connected to scientific projects currently undertaken at the

This paper examines the possibility of using crushed brick and recycled concrete as a partial replacement of natural aggregates in a production of prefabricated wall panels used for constructing nearly zero-energy buildings.Replacement ratios of natural aggregates by 40%, 50% and 60% were investigated. Mechanical, durability and thermal properties of recycled aggregate concrete were tested. The test results indicate the possibility of manufacturing concrete with recycled concrete aggregates and recycled brick aggregates, which can find wide use in the building construction process. In addition, energy efficiency and sustainability parameters of recycled aggregate concrete can be coupled with an exigent need to improve energy performance of the building stock in the European Union and neighbouring countries. It is shown in this paper that around 46% of embodied energy and around 39% of embodied carbon per panel can be saved for a life span of 50 years, compared to conventional structural concrete insulated panels.