Media kit
Cerib (Centre d'études et de recherches de l'industrie du béton) inaugurated its new Kairos laboratory dedicated to the durability of structures as part of the 8th...e edition of the Expertise & Construction Day, held on July 6 in Épernon*.
The ecological transition is at the heart of the building and civil engineering sector, and all its players are committed to reducing the environmental footprint of their structures. In this context, concrete industry professionals need to be able to draw on a range of tools and solutions to reduce CO2 concrete structures.
Controlling the durability of concrete structures helps reduce their carbon footprint:
- for existing structures, where extending service life and maintaining continuity of service are major challenges for all building and infrastructure asset managers,
- for new structures, for which it is now necessary to validate the lifespan of structures based on low-carbon solutions.
The performance-based approach to sustainability for the development of decarbonated concretes, for example, makes it possible to increase the value of concretes using binders with a lower clinker content, and to reduce minimum coating values by justifying the good performance of concretes.
Against this backdrop, Cerib is expanding its global Kairos service offering, created in 2021, based on a proactive approach to extending the service life of structures, and is setting up its new Kairos laboratory to support construction players in assessing the durability of concretes and the operational implementation of the performance-based approach to :
- The development of innovative material solutions that meet the requirements of long-life structures;
- Optimization of the entire construction system (coatings, concrete characteristics, etc.), taking into account socio-economic and environmental contexts;
- Carrying out design, suitability, control and characterization tests on durability properties as part of operational projects under Cofrac Essais accreditation (Accreditation no. 1-0001 - Scope available at www.cofrac.fr)
This new laboratory doubles our durability testing capacity for the following durability and performance indicators: water-accessible porosity, chloride ion diffusion coefficient, natural or accelerated carbonation test, electrical resistivity, gas permeability, frost test on hardened concrete, spalling test on hardened concrete surfaces exposed to frost in the presence of a saline solution, resistance to chemically aggressive environments (pH, sulfates), etc.
Kairos laboratory equipment :
- Accelerated carbonation chambers
- Chemistry hood
- Ovens and climatic chambers
- Scale equipped for hydrostatic weighing
- Dryers
- Vacuum pumps
- Chloride ion migration cells with electric generators
- Device - system with RLC bridge for electrical resistivity measurements
- The Resipod - a device for measuring surface electrical resistivity
- Equipment for RAG (alkali-aggregate reaction), RSI (internal sulfate reaction) and RSE (external sulfate reaction) tests
- Surround speakers and deformeter
- Constant pH leaching test cells
- Devices for electrochemical laboratory measurements
- Equipment for on-site electrochemical measurements - non-destructive testing
- Gas permeability cell
- Pressurized water permeability measuring equipment
* Expertise & Construction Day, Cerib's annual benchmark event for all construction players since 2015, provides an opportunity to share Cerib's technical and scientific knowledge with the entire sector ecosystem, and to exchange views on the major issues driving the sector. On the theme of "Major construction transitions... at the heart of our commitment", the 2023 edition brought together 300 professionals around a program of conferences, exhibitions, visits and the Exhibitors' Village featuring 40 stands run by Cerib experts and the companies and organizations in its professional environment.
