Materials Flashcards
Ceramics (Properties)
Properties: -BRITTLE
-resistant to corrosion/environmental degradation = long lifespan,
- hard, strong in compression:
- high stiffness (Young’s mod)
- high melting temp
- thermally and electrically insulating
- low thermal shock resistance
- resistant to vibrations
good for CIVIL STRUCTURES
Ceramics: What are they?
Compounds of: Metals and non-metals thru ionic bonding, non-metals via COVALENT bonding
Ceramics: common types
Stone
Clay ceramics
Cement
Glass
Stone types
Igneous: volcanic prosses (e.g. Basalt for asphalt and road bases, Granite for masonry)
Metamorphic: High pressure (e.g. slate in roofing, Marble for decoration)
Sedimentary: Deposition (e.g. Limestone for cement, Sandstone for masonry)
Stone properties
Weak in tension, strong in compression, low toughness (brittle)
- easy to chisel/hand carve (masonry)
Usually rough finish
Clay ceramics:
KAOLINITE: plate-like structure: absorbs water well: plastic and slippery (easy to form)
- can have other additives e.g. quartz to reduce shrinkage, alter plasticity, reduce firing temp
Clay firing:
DrDeOV
Drying (>150): evaporation of water between platelets, loss of plasticity
Dehydration: (400-600) Dehydration of kaolinite
Oxidation:(300-700)
Vitrification (>900) Formation of mullite clusters with a glassy matrix: severe shrinkage
Cement (definition, composition and 2 types)
A binding agent made of limestone and clay, good adhesive properties yet weaker than cement and prone to cracking (Romans, not used widely until 19th century)
Alumina, soda and lime are reacted at high temperatures.
Non-hydraulic: set when exposed to air
Hydraulic: set due to a chemical reaction with water (can be used underwater)
setting is EXOTHERMIC
Cement properties
Strong in compression, weak in tension and low toughness. similar to stone with properties by is able to be cast
Cement powder formation
- Limestone and shale mixed together and ground
- Heated in kiln to fuse and form clinker
- ground clinker mixed with gypsum (slows setting time)
4.Reground and mixed
Lime Mortar (and making process)
Non-hydraulic,
- made by mixing limestone and silica, alumina and iron
- Firing at 1000 (LASI)
- adding water makes hydrated/slaked lime
- This mixed with sand is lime mortar: used historically in brick and stone buildings.
Gypsum
Non-hydraulic: when made by hydrating calcium sulphate to form a semi hydrate, it is PLASTER of Paris
- soft, porous, water-soluble
- USES: art and building lining
OR when heating cal. sulf. to form anhydrate: Keene’s cement
- hard, strong, insoluble
- used in exposed surfaces, imitation marble
Pozzolana
Siliceous material used in making Roman Hydraulic cement
- naturally occurring (volcanic)
Made from silica, alumina and iron oxide
- Cement is made with pozzolana, lime and water (heated and ground into powder)
- mixed with water and aggregate to make concrete
Glass (structure and how to make)
AMORPHOUS structure silica: made by adding a network modifier, e.g. soda and lime to quartz-based sand
Glass properties
Transparent due to loose structure, crystallized glasses are TOUGHER but less optical clarity.
Unfavourable to machining due to lack of slip planes: must be done at high temperatures where viscosity is reduced
- brittle, low toughness, weak in tension
Types of Glass modification:
- Chemically: addition of oxides e.g. boron, coloured pigments, modifiers e.g. lead
- Mechanically: lamination with polyvinyl butyl (laminated glass has an interlayer of polymer to prevent penetration, breaks on impact, keep shards intact etc.): CARS
- Heat treatment: soften and releases internal stresses to produce toughened glass: outside cooled, inside cools slower and thus shrinks, leaving the outside in compression.
Types of glass
annealed glass, breaks easily in long, sharp shards: soaked at 470 then cooled slowly
Heat strengthened glass: resistant breakage ~2x stronger
Fully tempered glass: resistant to breakage, ~4x as strong as tempered, shatters in small pieces
lamination with polyvinyl butyl (laminated glass has an interlayer of polymer to prevent penetration, breaks on impact, keep shards intact etc.)
Composites (Defininition)
Consists of two or more materials joined mechanically: creates properties unattainable from the original materials.
Composites classifications:
Natural (timber, some stone)
Fibre-reinforces (fibreglass, carbon fibre and geotextiles)
Particle reinforced (concrete)
Dispersion-strengthened: (precipitation hardened, sintered metals)
Laminated (wood products with metal/plastic laminates)
Concrete composition
Composite of cement, sand, aggregate
Role of aggregate (sand + Water) is to:
- Resist applied loads and abrasion
- Provide a filler for cement to bind
- Reduce volume changes when setting
Role of cement-water paster:
- lubricate concrete mix
- fill voids between aggregate
- strengthen the concrete
Dry concrete mix in a 4:2:1 ration
Concrete MACROSTUCURE
heterogeneous microstructure:
BIG grey: angular coarse aggregate
Small grey: angular fine aggregate
Fine sand particles within cement paste
Concrete characteristics:
Advantages:
- high compressive strength
- moldable
- durable against corrosion and rot
- fire resistance
- heat + noise insulating
- low cost
- can be reinforces
- can be precast or formed on site
Disadvantages:
- heavy
- labour intensive
- slow to set and cure
- can spall, crack or experiences chemical deterioration
- Low toughness and tensile strength
Crack formation and growth
Higher Strain energy = more chance for crack formation (cracks release strain energy which concentrates the bottom of the tip: thus crack growth accelerates with time
- method of brittle failure
Critical Crack length
Once this length is achieved, the crack will continue until failure.