Division of Building Materials

For many years, two main areas of research have been durability of concrete and moisture problems related to construction materials. We also work in other fields, for example building biology, durability of wood, rendered façades, polymer degradation and thermal properties of materials. A large part of our research concerns the quantification of advanced material properties and our understanding of them.

We have unique laboratories for sorption and transport of water vapor in materials, and for thermal measurements (isothermal calorimetry). In these areas we collaborate with researchers in other fields, and do not only work with construction materials.

We teach civil engineering students, architect students and fire engineering students. In our basic courses we give an overview of the most relevant material properties, the materials used in the construction sector and which properties these materials have. In our advanced courses the focus is on a deeper understanding of processes in materials, for example through the use of phase diagrams and kinetic models.