Laboratory research on geomaterials

Provided services

  • Analysis of composition, structure, thermal stability, corrosion states and physico-chemical changes in geomaterials and building materials (optical and IR microscopy, image processing and analysis, IR and Raman spectroscopy, TG-DTA/DSC thermal analysis).
  • Technical mineralogy and petrography.
  • Measurement of thermal properties of geomaterials (specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity, TMA).
  • Measurement of specific surface area and pore size distribution in materials by gas physisorption methods.
  • Measurement of He-density of materials
  • Analysis of tendency of metallurgical by-products towards volume changes.
  • Analysis of condition and probable origin of historical building materials.
  • Determination of strength and deformation parameters of rocks and other geomaterials under uniaxial and triaxial states of stress.
    Uniaxial compression or tension tests, Brazilian test (indirect tension), bending and shear tests.
    Triaxial tests: standard triaxial testing (including determination of failure envelope), special multiaxial tests (specific conditions and evolution of loading including axial extension tests), creep and relaxation tests, cyclic loading tests (separation of plastic and elastic strains), analysis of limit states (strain driven tests).
  • Analysis of stress-strain characteristics, determination of standard mechanical moduli (Young modulus, Poisson ratio, bulk modulus, compressibility etc.) or special parameters for particular constitutive models.
  • Determination of fracture toughness of rocks.
  • Measurements of microhardness and micro-indentation Young's modulus.
  • Measurements of gas permeability of rocks under triaxial state of stress.
  • Assessment of physical interactions between rocks and water (dynamics of water absorption and evaporation).
  • Preparation of geomaterial test specimens by drilling and cutting.
  • Professional consultation and expertise.