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Department of laboratory research on geomaterials


Research workers
  • Doc. Ing. Jiri Scucka, Ph.D.
    head of the department
  • Ing. Eva Plevova, Ph.D.
    deputy head of the department
  • Ing. Pavel Konecny, Dr.
  • Ing. Alena Kozusnikova, CSc.
  • Prof. Ing. Petr Martinec, CSc.
  • Ing. Bozena Schejbalova, CSc.
  • Ing. Lenka Vaculikova, Ph.D.
  • Ing. Vera Valovicova, Ph.D.
  • Prof. Ing. Zdenek Vasicek, DrSc.
  • Ing. Leona Vavro
  • Bc. Lucie Ruppenthalova

  • Ing. Romana Mazacova
  • Ing. Helena Vicarova
Research assistants
  • Ing. Katerina Mareckova
Technical staff
  • Anezka Duskova
  • Milan Kraus
  • Lukas Kubina
  • Renata Papcunova
  • Jan Sleboda
Main research topics

  • Geology of coal basins

    Geological documentation of boreholes and mining works. Sedimentological and lithological analysis. Analysis of rock failure. Correlation horizons in coal basins (coal tonsteins, tuffites). The relation of geological structure to the location of gas outbursts and coal and gas accumulation). The anomalous structure of massifs (red beds, tectonic zones, contact metamorphism, hypergenous zones).

  • Mineralogy and petrography

    Sedimentary rocks (mineralogical composition, grain size, sorting coefficient, angularity and roundness of clasts, identification of carbonates and clay minerals, coal matter in sediments, petrographic classification of rocks). Other rock types (grain size, identification of minerals, alteration of rock-forming minerals, crystallochemistry, petrochemical recalculation and geochemistry, petrographic classification of rocks). Industrial materials (abrasive materials, micro-particles, silicate building materials – texture, structure, composition, grain size, identification of components and minerals, type and intensity of corrosion and alteration). Coal petrology (maceral analysis, mineralization of coal, failure analysis before and after loading tests, micro-hardness).

  • Image processing and analysis of geomaterials and building materials

    Digital imaging of geomaterials and building materials at microscopic and macroscopic level. Reconstruction imaging methods for visualization of microscopic objects. Quantitative image analysis of structures and textures. Analysis of shape, size and orientation of particles. Determination of porosity and pore size distribution. Quantification of line objects (intensity and orientation of micro-fracturing, fibre reinforcement, etc.). Quantification of geological documentation in photographs of underground working faces and rock profiles (proportional repre-sentation of rock types, discontinuities, tectonic zones, etc.).

  • Study of physical properties of geomaterials

    Basic: water content, porosity, mass and volume density, ultrasonic wave velocity, water absorption and related properties. Thermal conductivity, specific thermal capacity, thermal expansion. Permeability in a triaxial state of stress. Compression and tensile strength, the Young modulus, the Poisson ratio in uniaxial and triaxial state of stress. Measurement of permeability and ultrasonic wave velocity changes in processes of deformation.

  • Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of geomaterials

    The application of molecular spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region (4000 - 400 cm-1) to characterise various kinds of geomaterials (identification of individual minerals and mineral components in mixtures, determination of specific functional groups and the study of physicochemical changes in the structure of materials). The infrared spectra can be collected from the solid or liquid form of samples by means of selected measuring techniques: KBr disc, nujol suspension, single reflection ATR (diamond or ZnSe crystal).

  • Thermal and thermo-mechanical analysis

    Measuring simultaneous TGA/DTA curves of various kinds of organic and inorganic materials. The application of thermal analysis, especially in carbon materials, coal, rock and mineral research. The characterization of materials and changes in masses associated with the reactions at the final temperature of 1200°C and studying the thermodynamics of various processes.

    Based on dilatometry, studying dimensional changes as a function of the temperature of various geomaterials during heating and/or cooling process at a certain rate, usually 3 – 30 K/min. Measurements can be carried out in various gases or air atmosphere.

Technical equipment
  • Confocal laser scanning microscope Olympus LEXT OLS 3100, resolution 0.12 µm
  • ThermoNicolet Avatar 320 FTIR Spectrometer
  • Optical polarization and fluorescence microscope Nikon Eclipse 80i with motorized scanning stage Märzhäuser Scan-24-410; optical polarization and fluorescence microscope Olympus BX 50
  • Image processing and analysis system LUCIA DI (Laboratory Imaging, Ltd.)
  • Complete Micro Hardness Tester 240V 50 - 60 Hz by CSM Instruments
  • Colour stationary CCD cameras Nikon DS-5M (5 Mpx) and DVC 1310 (1,3 Mpx)
  • Stereomicroscope NIKON SMZ-2T
  • Multi-modular thermal analyser SETSYS 1200 fy SETARAM with two measurement heads (TG-ATD 1600°C rod for the simultaneous measurement of TG and DTA curves and the head TMA – Quartz for the simultaneous measurement of thermal dilatation)
  • Mechanical press Zwick 1494 (max. force 600 kN)
  • Karman’s triaxial cell KTK 100 with confining pressure up to 100 MPa and possibility of permeability measurement in deformation process
  • Apparatus for measurement of ultrasonic wave velocity in the process of loading
  • Izomet 2104 for measurement of thermal conductivity and specific thermal capacity
  • Gas chromatograph DANI 1000 DPC: (C1 - C4), H2, range of content: 0 - 5000 ppm; hydrocarbons C1 - C4 are determined by the column Rt Alumina Plot with FID detection, gas chromatography with µTCD detection is used for analysis of hydrogen
  • Stationary gas analysers for CH4, CO, CO2, O2, range of content: vol. %
Solved projects
  • Project No. 105/08/1398 Qualitative and quantitative analysis of minerals in sedimentary rocks by means of FTIR spectroscopy and multivariate statistical methods (Grant agency CR, 2008 - 2010, responsible investigator Lenka Vaculikova).
  • Project No. 106/09/0588 Influence of phase composition and microstructure on function properties of geopolymer systems from industry pozzolans (Grant agency CR, 2009 – 2011, responsible investigator Petr Martinec).
  • Project No. 104/07/P512 Study of pulsating water jet morphology and its effects on materials by image processing and analysis methods (Grant agency CR, 2007 - 2009, responsible investigator Jiri Scucka).
  • Project No. 105/07/P416 The effect of anisotropy and mineral composition on phase transformations and thermal expansion (Grant agency CR, 2007 - 2009, responsible investigator Eva Plevova).
  • Project No 205/05/0871 Sorption properties of microparticles of clay minerals (Grant agency CR, 2005 - 2007, responsible investigator Zuzana Navrátilova).
  • Project No. 105/04/1019 Influence of temperature on permeability changes of rocks in triaxial state of stress (Grant agency CR, 2004 - 2006, responsible investigator Alena Kozusnikova).
  • Project No. 105/03/D079 New posssibilities of identification of clay minerals and micas in sedimentary rocks using infrared spectroscopy (Grant agency CR, 2003 – 2006, responsible investigator Lenka Vaculikova).
  • Publication project No. E300860601 Influence of finishing deep coal mining on surface and environment (Grant agency ASCR, 2006, responsible investigator Petr Martinec).
Selected publications
  • S. Holesova, M. Valaskova, E. Plevova, E. Pazdziora, K. Matejova: Preparation of novel organovermiculites with antibacterial activity using chlorhexidine diacetate. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2010, Vo. 342, No 2, pp. 593-597.
  • V. Matejka, M. Supova, V. Klemm, D. Rafaja, M. Valaskova, J. Tokarsky, J. Leskova, E. Plevova: Vermiculite interlayer as a reactor for CdS ultrafine particles preparation. Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 2010, Vol. 129, 1/2, pp. 118-125.
  • E. Plevova: Vliv anizotropie a mineralniho slozeni na fazove premeny a tepelnou roztaznost hornin. The final report of postdoc grant project GA CR, Ostrava, 2010, 51 pages, GP 105/07/P416.
  • P. Martinec, M. Vavro, J. Scucka, M. Maslan: Properties and durability assessment of glauconitic sandstone: A case study on Zamel sandstone from the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin (Czech Republic). Engineering Geology, doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2009.08.005.
  • J. Foldyna, L. Sitek, J. Scucka, P. Martinec, J. Valicek, K. Palenikova: Effects of pulsating water jet impact on aluminium surface. Journal of Materials Processing Technology, 2009, Vol. 209, No. 20, pp. 6174-6180.
  • K. Holub, P. Konecny, J. Knejzlik: Investigation of the mechanical and physical properties of greywacke specimens. International Journal of Rock Mechanics and Mining Sciences, 2009, Vol. 46, No. 1, pp. 188-193.
  • S. Jiang, L. Jansa, P. Skupien, J. Yang, Z. Vasicek, X. Hu, K. Zhao: Geochemistry of intercalated red and gray pelagic shales from the Mazak Formation of Cenomanian age in Czech Republic. Episodes, 2009, Vol. 32, No. 1, pp. 3-12.
  • M. Valaskova, G. Simha Martynkova, V. Matejka, K. Barabaszova, E. Plevova, D. Merinska: Organovermiculite nanofillers in polypropylene. Applied Clay Science, 2009, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 108-112.
  • Z. Vasicek, D. Rabrenović, V. Radulović, B. Radulović: Late Valanginian-Hauterivian cephalopod fauna from the Stara Planina Mountain (eastern Serbia). Neues Jahrbuch fur Geologie Und Paläontologie-Abhandlungen, 2009, Vol. 251, No. 2, pp. 129-145.
  • M. Maslan, H. Bartonkova, D. Jancik, J. Tucek, P. Martinec: Iron oxide modified minerals. Hyperfine Interactions, 2009, Vol. 191, 1-3, pp. 151-157.
  • R. Mikulas, P. Skupien, M. Bubik, Z. Vasicek: Ichnology of the Cretaceous Oceanic Red Beds (Outer Western Carpathians, Czech Republic). Geologica Carpathica, 2009, Vol. 60, No. 3, pp. 233-250.
  • P. Martinec: Landek a geologie hornoslezske panve. Vesmir, 2009, Vol. 88, No. 6, pp. 396-397.
  • P. Martinec, J. Scucka, M. Vavro, J. Safrata: Granodiorite aggregates from East Bohemia for high-performance and high-strength concretes. Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology, 2008, Vol. 41, No. 4, pp. 451-458.
  • A. Kozusnikova, V. Fialova, A. Duskova: Tepelna vodivost karbonskych sedimentu hornoslezske panve a vztah k dalsim fyzikalnim vlastnostem testovanych hornin. Uhli, rudy, geologicky pruzkum, 2008, Vol. 56, No. 4, pp. 31-33.
  • M. Vavro, L. Vavro, J. Petru, P. Martinec, J. Scucka: Belohradsky piskovec z lomu Javorka. Kamen, 2008, Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 17-25.
  • L. Sitek, P. Martinec, J. Foldyna, J. Scucka, L. Bodnarova, R. Hela: Povrchova desintegrace cementoveho betonu plochymi vodnimi paprsky. Materialy pro stavbu, 2008, Vol. 14, No. 9, pp. 38-42.
  • P. Konecny: Zmeny statickych a dynamickych modulu piskovcu v prubehu zatezovani. Uhli, rudy, geologicky pruzkum, 2008, Vol. 2008, No. 7, pp. 34-37.
  • B. Obara, A. Kozusnikova: Utilisation of the image analysis method for the detection of the morphological anisotropy of calcite grains in marble. Computational Geosciences, 2007, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 275-281.
  • Z. Navratilova, P. Wojtowicz, L. Vaculikova, V. Sugarkova: Sorption of alkylammonium cations on montmorillonite. Acta geodynamica et geomaterialia, 2007, Vol. 4, 3/147, pp. 59-65.
  • J. Scucka, K. Soucek: Stavba a vlastnosti geokompozitnich materialu s polyuretanovymi pojivy. Documenta geonica 2007/1. Ostrava: Akademie ved Ceske republiky, Ustav geoniky, 2007. pp. 1-247.
  • A. Kozusnikova, V. Fialova, P. Konecny, P. Martinec, E. Plevova, Z. Rambousky, J. Scucka: Vliv teploty na zmeny plynopropustnosti hornin za trojoseho stavu napjatosti. The final report of grant project GA CR, Ostrava, 2007, 37 pages, GP 105/04/1019.
  • Z. Navratilova, L. Vaculikova: Electrodeposition of mercury film on electrodes modified with clay minerals. Chemical Papers, 2006, Vol. 60, No. 5, pp. 348-352.
  • J. Scucka, P. Martinec, R. Snuparek, V. Vesely: Image Processing and Analysis in Geotechnical Investigation. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology: Special Issue Safety in the Underground Space, 2006, Vol. 21, No. 3-4, pp. 1-6.
  • P. Martinec: Vliv ukonceni hlubinne tezby uhli na zivotni prostredi. Anagram, Ostrava, 2006, 128 pages.
  • A. Kozusnikova, K. Pivodova, P. Konecny: Vliv teploty a rezimu temperace na zmeny fyzikalnich vlastnosti granitu a piskovce. Acta Mechanica Slovaka, 2006, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 283-288.
  • L. Vaculikova: Nove moznosti identifikace jilovych mineralu a slid v sedimentarnich horninach metodou infracervene spektroskopie s Fourierovou transformaci. The final report of postdoc grant project GA CR, Ostrava, 2006, 36 + 96 pages, GP105/03/D079.
  • M. Caslavsky, M. Dopita, P. Dvorak, V. Homola, J. Jirasek, A. Kozusnikova, P. Martinec, P. Panek, J. Pegrimocova, E. Plevova, M. Sivek, P. Straka, L. Vaculikova, J. Vasek: Atlas uhli ceske casti hornoslezske panve. Vydavatelstvi Anagram, Ostrava, 2005, 60 pages and CD.
  • J. Jureczka, M. Galka, W. Krieger, Kwarczynski, P. Martinec, M. Dopita: Atlas map geologiczno-złoźowych polskiej i czeskiej częśti Gornosląskiego Zagłębia Węglowego (1:200 000). Panstwowy Institut geologiczny, Ministerstvo Środowiska, Warzsawa, 2005, 31 pages, 14 maps.
  • L. Vaculikova, E. Plevova: Identification of clay minerals and micas in sedimentary rocks. Acta geodynamica et geomaterialia, 2005, No 2, pp. 163-171.
  • H. Bartonkova, M. Maslan, R. Zboril, J. Pechousek, O. Schneeweiss, P. Martinec: Moessbauer study of iron oxide modified montmorillonite. Hyperfine Interactions, 2005, Vol. 165, No. 1-4, pp. 221-225.