• Element-Analyses
  • Material Testing
  • Material Analysis Clays
  • Material Analysis Powder

Materials Analysis and Testing

Down to the Tiniest Detail

An essential requirement for material development is the knowledge of chemical and mineralogical composition of raw materials and final products. From this it is possible to draw conclusions about ongoing reactions and resulting material formation processes.

Analytical Methods

Element-Analysis

  • X-ray fluorescence analysis (RFA)
  • Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX analysis, mapping)
  • Laser-induced plasma spectroscopy (LIPS)
  • Carbon / sulfur analyzer (C / S analyzer)

Grain size/shape analysis

  • Grain size distribution by means of
    - Dry / wet sieving according to DIN 66165-1 and -2
    - Sedigraph (accredited in-house procedure)
    - Laser granulometer (Coulter)
    - Optical particle measurements (Camsizer)

Mineral Phase-/Structural analysis

  • Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR Spectroscopy)
  • X-ray diffractometry (XRD) according to DIN EN 13925-2 (accredited)
  • Determination of water-soluble salts
  • Microscopy (scanning electron, digital, stereo)

Thermal Analysis

  • Loss on ignition based on DIN 51081
  • Thermogravimetry (TG according to DIN 51006) (accredited)
  • Differtial thermal analysis (DTA according to DIN 51007) (accredited)
  • Dynamic differential calorimetry (DDK according to DIN EN ISO 11357-1)
  • Dynamic Multi-Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (DMSTA)
  • Dilatometry (low temperature up to 1440 °C)

Ultrasonic transmission method

  • Determination of the propagation velocity of the compression wave (P)
  • Point sequence measurement, e.g. for the determination of damage/sedimentation gradients

Determination of hydration kinetics

  • Ultrasonic transmission method depending on the hydration time hardening systems, mortars or concretes:
    - Continuous determination of the propagation velocity of the compression wave (relative measurement of the velocity of sound vP)
    - Continuous determination of the propagation velocity of the compression and shear wave with continuous calculation of the elastic properties (dynamic G & K modulus)

Measurement of natural frequencies (pulse excitation method)

  • on samples of defined geometry with calculation of the dynamic elastic properties (Edyn, Gdyn)

Test Methods

Determination of rheological properties

  • Viscosity by means of rotational viscometer
  • Yield point by means of rotational viscometer
  • Pumpability with Sliper method
  • Consistency by means of
    - Flow table according to DIN EN 1015-3 (Hägermann table)
    - Flow table according to DIN EN 12350-5
    - Slump-flow according to DIN EN 12350-8
    - V-funnel test according to DIN EN 12350-9
    - L-box test according to DIN EN 12350-10
    - J-ring test according to DIN EN 12350-12

Determination of strength properties

  • Compressive strength according to
    - DIN 18555-3
    - DIN EN 772-1 (accredited)
    - DIN EN 1354
    - DIN EN 12190
    - DIN EN 12390-3
    - DIN EN 12504-1
  • Bending tensile strength (Four-point, three-point test) according to
    - DIN 18555-3
    - DIN EN 772-6 (accredited)
    - DIN EN 993-6 (accredited)
    - DIN EN 12390-5
    - Dry bending tensile strength of unfired products according to DIN 51030
    - Ultimate bending tensile strength according to DAfStb-RiLi „Stahlfaserbeton“ (accredited)
  • Tensile strength
    - max 250 kN tensile force depending on the sample geometry
  • Adhesive and adhesive shear strength according to
    - DIN 18555-6
    - DIN EN 1015-12 (accredited)
    - DIN EN 1542 (accredited)
    - DIN EN 12618-2
    - DIN EN 13892-8
  • Surface hardness (clay slabs) according to TM 07 by DVL
  • Abrasion resistance according to
    - DIN 18947 (Clay plasters)
    - DIN EN 14157 – Method  B (Böhme)
  • Crushing strength according to
    - DIN EN 295-3
    - DIN EN 1916
    - DIN EN 1917
  • Determination of modulus of elasticity
    - static E-modulus
    - dynamic E-modulus

Determination of chemical properties

  • Chemical resistance by means of
    - IAB in-house procedure media test stand
    - Acid testing according to DIN 19573: Annex A (accredited) / Annex B
    Acid test, various purposes
  • Determination of sulphate resistance e.g. according to DIN 19573: Appendix C
  • Determination of the potential pozzolanity
    - Chapelle test according to standard NF P 18-513 (rapid test)
  • Determination of water-soluble salts
  • pH in aqueous solutions

Determination of thermal and physical properties

  • Thermal conductivity of building materials up to 2.0 W / (m * K):
    - Thermal conductivity according to DIN 52612-1 (accredited)
    - Thermal resistance according to DIN EN 12664, DIN EN 12667 (accredited)
  • Sound absorption/reflection by means of impedance tube according to DIN EN ISO 10534-2 (accredited)
  • Airborne sound insulation of elements in the test frame according to DIN EN ISO 10140-2 (accredited)
  • Coefficient of thermal expansion
  • Heat Reaction development of inorganic building materials by calorimetry
  • Creation of bigot curves
  • Water vapor diffusion resistance factor
    - DIN EN 1015-19
    - DIN EN ISO 12572
  • Determination of moisture content
  • Water absorption according to DIN EN 993-1 or DIN EN ISO 10545-3 (cooking and vacuum method, impregnation, water storage)
  • Determination of the water permeability coefficient kf according to DIN 18130-1

Determination of microstructure properties

  • Density requirements (pure, raw and bulk density requirements)
    - bulk density, open porosity and total porosity according to DIN EN 993-1; (accredited)
    - Bulk density of granular substances by GeoPyc
    - Pure density with the pycnometer according to DIN EN 993-2 A1; by helium pycnometer (Accupyc)
    - Bulk density according to DIN EN 1097-3
  • Mercury porosimetry - Determination of pore size volume and pore size distribution
  • Investigation of shrinkage behavior
    - Drying, burning, total shrinkage of ceramic masses by means of dilatometric measurements over entire firing temperature range
    - Mortar and concrete by means of shrinkage channel gauge