ACOUSTICS AND VIBRATIONS
The activities performed at CICC include fundamental and applied research in the field of Acoustics and vibrations. Studies being performed include the acoustic characterization of spaces, equipment, and building elements (new and existing), the development of dynamic simulation methods for noise and vibration reduction, and wave propagation studies.
HYGROTHERMICS
In recent years we have witnessed an improvement of the quality of building envelopes to increase energy performance of buildings. However, in recently constructed buildings, low air ventilation rates and the presence of low performance building components often leads to the occurrence of building pathologies. Hygrothermics research at the CICC is mainly focused on determining the hygrothermal properties of (new and existing) building materials and on simulating the hygrothermal behaviour of construction solutions aimed at assessing the risk of (surface and interstitial) condensation, which leads to the occurrence of building pathologies.
REFURBISHMENT
In recent years, the concern for heritage conservation and the sustainable refurbishment of the built environment has grown. CICC is conducting several research studies on the development, definition and characterization of materials, building systems, construction solutions and processes intended for refurbishment and improvement works.
NEW CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
Research studies on the development, definition, and characterization of new construction materials are carried out at CICC.
EXPLOITATION OF WASTE
CICC aims to contribute to improved sustainability in construction works and the built environment. CICC is involved in numerous studies to assess the potential of incorporating waste into construction materials and elements (concrete, mortar, etc.) from a technical, cost and environmental perspective. These studies are aimed not only at developing sustainable construction solutions, but also at contributing to the rationalization of resources and reduction of construction waste.
TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS
The gradual increase of the performance requirements demanded by agents in the sector has led to a search for optimized construction solutions with the emphasis on sustainability combined with good mechanical, hygrothermal and acoustic performance. In these studies CICC intends to develop, define and characterize new engineering and construction solutions, and also to characterize existing ones.
WOOD CONSTRUCTION
Wood is one of the earliest construction materials. It has great potential as a construction material and has numerous benefits for construction since it is a natural and sustainable product with high thermal performance. Hence, its use as a construction material deserves researchers’ attention. At CICC studies are carried out to characterize the performance of construction solutions using wood and wood based products and to develop new wood based construction solutions.
ENERGY PERFORMANCE
The buildings sector is currently responsible for about 40% of final energy consumption in the European Union and thus for a large amount of total CO2 emissions. This percentage has been growing in recent years and has overtaken the industry and transport sectors. There is now a more pressing need to conduct studies that expand our knowledge about how energy is used in buildings. Such studies should focus on evaluating energy performance in buildings and characterizing the thermal performance of construction solutions and construction elements, the objective being to find optimal solutions and so help to increase the energy efficiency of the building envelope. Carbon emissions also depend on the systems installed in buildings, hence, at CICC studies are performed to evaluate the energy performance of equipment and to find alternative and renewable energy sources, such as forest biomass.
INSPECTION TECHNIQUES
The ability to assess the condition or the damage of building elements or systems is essential in areas such as building rehabilitation and the treatment of constructive pathologies. The CICC will use numerical and experimental approaches to study the application of techniques, including those based on ultrasound, thermography and photogrammetry, for the inspection of these elements and systems. Our purpose is not only to increase our knowledge of existing techniques, but also to propose new strategies and/or variants which will yield more reliable results.
