Building Chemistry
Laboratory Exercises
FOREWORD 6
THE RULES OF WORKING IN THE BUILDING CHEMISTRY LABORATORY . 7
1. Safety and hygiene of work 7
2. Basic operations conducted in the laboratory and the laboratory equipment
10
2.1. Conducting of chemical reactions . 10
2.2. Weighing 11
2.3. Measuring volume . 12
2.4. Titration . 13
2.5. Stirring . 18
2.6. Filtration 19
2.7. Drying, heating and roasting 20
3. General rules of preparation of results of tasks . 23
EXERCISES MADE IN BUILDING CHEMISTRY LABORATORY 24
4. Elements of chemical analysis 24
Theoretical background 24
Use of chemical analysis in building engineering . 24
Methods of separating mixtures . 24
Chemical methods of analysis 25
Detection of cations and anions . 27
Gravimetric methods of quantitative analysis 28
Volumetric analysis 29
Use of instrumental methods of chemical analysis 29
Spectroscopic methods . 30
Electrochemical methods . 33
Thermal analysis 33
Microscopic analysis 35
Practical task 1. Identification of chosen cations 35
practical task 2. Identification of chosen anions and chemical compounds . 37
practical task 3. Determining the content of sodium hydroxide in aqueous solution . 38
5. Rate of chemical reactions . 39
Theoretical background 39
The concept of rate of chemical reaction . 39
Relation of rate of reaction to concentration of reactants . 41
Relation of reaction rate to temperature 41
Relation of reaction rate to the presence of catalysts 42
Reactions in multiphase systems 43
Practical task. Determining the influence of concentration of reagents and temperature on
the rate of a chemical reaction . 43
6. Water in building 46
Theoretical background 46
Basic properties of water . 46
Influence of water contamination on the quality of concrete 47
Classification and requirements for the mixing water . 49
Practical task. Evaluation of usefulness of water for building purposes 51
7. Cement binders . 56
Theoretical background 56
Production and composition of Portland cement . 56
Portland cement setting and hardening processes . 58
Mineral additives to concrete . 61
Practical task 1. Computer simulation of cement hydration . 62
Practical task 2. Determination of soluble hydroxides in the fluid phase of cement paste .
67
Practical task 3. Determination of concrete contents 69
8. Lime binders . 73
Theoretical background . 73
Types of lime binders 73
Lime burning 73
Lime slaking . 75
Setting and hardening of lime mortar 75
Hydraulic lime 75
Requirements for building lime 76
Practical task 1. Determination of active calcium oxide content in quicklime 78
Practical task 2. Determination of non-decomposed calcium carbonate content in quicklime
79
9. Gypsum and anhydrite binders . 82
Theoretical background 82
Classification of gypsum and anhydrite binders 82
Production 82
Setting and hardening of gypsum binders 84
Modification of gypsum setting rate . 85
Practical task 1. Examination of influence of gypsum roasting conditions on Structure
and setting properties of gypsum binders . 87
Practical task 2. Examination of influence of admixtures on setting time of gypsum binders
. 89
10. Silicate binders 92
Theoretical background . 92
Production and chemical constitution of water glass 92
Water glass setting process 92
Properties and applications . 94
Practical task. Determination of water glass modulus 95
11. Resin binders . 97
Theoretical background 97
Practical task 1. Examining the course of the hardening process of resin binders . 101
12. Chemical modification of concrete 104
Theoretical background 104
Classification of chemical modifiers of concrete . 104
Concretes with admixtures . 104
Plasticizing and fluidizing admixtures . 105
Air-entraining admixtures 108
Admixtures controlling the setting time of a binder . 108
Concretes modified by mineral additives . 109
Polymer-cement concretes . 110
Polymer impregnated concrete 110
Practical task 1. Assessment of plasticizing properties of concrete admixtures . 111
Practical task 2. Effectiveness assessment of concrete surface hydrophobization . 112
13. Corrosion of construction materials . 114
Theoretical background 114
Definitions 114
Concrete corrosion . 114
Metal corrosion 118
Protection of metals against corrosion 121
Reinforced concrete corrosion . 122
Concrete carbonation and contamination 124
Corrosion of other construction materials . 125
Practical task 1. Studying the course of acid corrosion in cement concrete . 125
Practical task 2. Assessment of depth of neutralization and contamination of concrete 127
Practical task 3. Determination of probability of corrosion of the reinforcing steel
129
APPENDIX
Examples of calculations in building chemistry 132
138 pages, Papreback
