The Concrete Durability group (mCD – Materiali Cementizi e Durabilità) is part of the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “Giulio Natta” of Politecnico di Milano and was founded and directed by Prof. Luca Bertolini. It deals with the study and characterization of traditional and innovative cement materials and the durability of reinforced and prestressed concrete structures.
The main research topics concern:
– the phenomena of degradation of reinforced concrete works and the mechanisms of corrosion of reinforcement in concrete;
– the durability of reinforced concrete structures, design methods and protection techniques;
– inspection, diagnosis and monitoring of the degradation of reinforced concrete structures;
– restoration of reinforced concrete structures using conventional and electrochemical techniques;
– the development of new cementitious materials;
– the study of alternative raw materials and the reuse of civil and industrial residues for the production of durable and sustainable concrete;
– the study and characterization of cementitious materials for cultural heritage and restoration techniques.
mCD group also carries out consultancy activities in the above mentioned fields. The laboratory carries out tests on commission for the characterization of concretes and raw materials and for the evaluation of resistance to different forms of degradation. The group’s lecturers hold courses on building materials and the durability of materials in the bachelor and master degrees on Civil and Building Engineering and Architecture.
The group collaborates with universities and international institutions, among them: University of Miami, TNO – Netherlands organization for applied scientific research, Shenzhen University and Zhejiang University. It participates in the Interdepartmental University Laboratory for Diagnostics and Structural Monitoring (PoliNDT).