Research at the LMDC
Research at the LMDC
The LMDC offers scientific solutions for the sustainable development and eco-responsible management of buildings, civil engineering infrastructure and housing. To this end, it develops innovative materials for civil engineering, improves understanding of the physico-chemical phenomena that can affect the durability of construction materials, and develops methodologies and techniques for the requalification, diagnosis and maintenance of existing structures. Therefore, the research is organised into 3 thematic areas, supported by 2 cross-disciplinary areas associated with societal issues and 1 cross-disciplinary methodological area.
Leader: Jean-Emmanuel AUBERT
Area 1: Innovative multiphase materials
The aim of Area 1 is to formulate construction materials to achieve optimum performance while seeking to reduce their environmental impact as far as possible. In this area, the assessment of properties is carried out at the material level in two main areas: hygrothermal performance and mechanical performance. Microstructure studies at the finest material scales are systematically carried out in order to improve understanding of the phenomena that occur on a macroscopic scale and also to predict the behaviour of materials. Area 1 is divided into three themes to achieve these objectives:
- Microstructure and physicochemical interactions of materials containing mineral and organic phases (Coordinators: C. Patapy and A. Laborel)
- Hygrothermal behaviour and thermochemistry of multiphase materials (Coordinators: S. Gallego and C. Roosz)
- Rheological and mechanical behaviour of multiphase materials (Moderators: A. Papon and A. Abou-Chakra)
Leader: Laurie LACARRIERE
Area 2: Reactivity, transfer and coupling for the durability of materials and structures
The activities of the team focus on understanding the evolution of materials and structures in their environment, and predicting their behaviour in the interests of environmental protection, safety and security, and maintaining process efficiency. They cover in particular the durability of materials, especially cementitious materials, and civil engineering structures under complex and/or coupled stresses (THCBM). Scientific developments are based on a common approach, starting with a detailed understanding of phenomena on a microscopic scale (chemical reactivity, physical and mechanical properties under severe conditions), then proceeding to the scales of the material and the structure.
- Reactivity of materials in complex physico-chemical environments (Coordinators: T. de Larrard and F. Cassagnabère)
- Mass and heat transfer in reactive porous media (Coordinators: J. Verdier and S. Multon)
- Thermo-Hydro-Chemo-Bio-Mechanical Behaviour of materials and structures (Coordinators: T. Vidal et V. Sabathier)
Leader: Frédéric DUPRAT
Area 3: Analysis and monitoring of buildings in their environment
Activities in the Thematic Area 3 focus on existing buildings. Firstly, this involves improving the non-destructive evaluation of the properties and condition state of materials within structures and buildings. Then, it is needed to assess their performance in terms of structure and/or energy, from a deterministic or probabilistic point of view, and at different scales by integrating the potential effect of the surrounding building. Finally, it is necessary to improve the monitoring over time of the performance of structures and buildings after repair or rehabilitation.
- Non-destructive evaluation of heterogeneous environments and data learning (Supporters: F. Deby and N. Ranaivomanana)
- Multicriteria energy requalification from buildings to neighbourhoods (Supporters: M. Bonhomme and J. Hot)
- Structural requalification in an uncertain context and maintenance optimisation (Supporters: N. Domède and A. Turatsinze)
Societal issues and methodology organised into 3 cross-disciplinary
The aim of these themes is to coordinate activities common to several divisions, either in terms of societal issues (sustainable development, energy), or in terms of global methodology (multi-scale, multi-physics, probabilistic approach).
The research carried out at LMDC, in each of its three scientific areas, contributes to the transition of activities in the construction and public works sector towards a circular economy approach.
- Eco-design and eco-construction
- Formulation of materials with low environmental impact (low-carbon binders, bio-based and raw materials)
- Improving energy performance at building, district and city level
- Extending the service life of materials and constructions
- Understanding degradation mechanisms (chemistry, mechanics) and taking environmental parameters into account
- Optimizing maintenance of existing structures (physics for non-destructive testing, maintenance decision support)
- Global rehabilitation techniques (Analysis and calculation of partially degraded structures, Thermal retrofitting of buildings)
- Recycling
- Characterization of agricultural, construction site and industrial by-products (agricultural and agro-industrial co-products, furniture wastes, demolition concrete, concrete returns, etc.)
- Optimization of valorization scenarios to avoid décyclage: adaptation of strategies, formulations and possible treatments according to the by-product considered.
- Studies of the use, environmental, health and durability properties of products formulated from recycled raw materials.
These activities are coupled with environmental evaluation using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) carried out internally or in collaboration with partner laboratories.
Membres permanents ECC :
- Amiel Guillaume
- Bonhomme Marion
- Chouillou Delphine
- Claude Sophie
- Escadeillas Gilles
- Fourtanet Dorian
- Gallego Sandra
- Ginestet Stéphane
- Labat Matthieu
- Lartigue Bérangère
- Marc Moisson
- Oms Multon Claire
Leader: Stéphane GINESTET
ECC theme: Energy, Construction, Comfort
The Energy, Construction and Comfort theme brings together LMDC researchers whose activities aim to develop innovative solutions at different scales (system, building, city) to improve energy efficiency and propose smart energy management, analyze occupant behavior and guarantee optimal comfort, and finally reduce the environmental footprint.
Thanks to its multi-disciplinary approach, the Energy, Construction and Comfort theme combines skills in Civil Engineering, HVAC Engineering, Materials and Architecture. This work is carried out in collaboration with industrial players (VINCI Energies), public institutions (Toulouse Métropole, ADEME) and standardization bodies (CSTB) to promote the implementation of research results and thus contribute to the transition towards more sustainable, energy-efficient buildings.
RECENT PROJECTS (click for more info)
Main activities of the ECC theme
Energy Renovation
- Energy rehabilitation
- Decision support
- Comfort, summer comfort
- Energy efficiency
- Dynamic thermal simulation
Urban Climate and Urban Heat Island
- Urban microclimate
- Urban heat islands
- Multi-scale modeling and GIS
- Climate adaptation
Thermal System
- Thermochemical heat storage
- Prototypes
- Optimization of heat and mass transfer
- Intelligent control of HVAC systems
Low Environmental
- Footprint Materials for Hygrothermal
- Performance of Buildings
- Heat and mass transfer
- Bio-sourced and geo-sourced materials
- Energy rehabilitation
- Old and historic buildings
In-situ instrumentation of wall elements
Connected Buildings
- Sensors
- Internet of things (IoT)
- Big data
- Artificial
- Intelligence (AI)
- BIM
- Data enhancement
- Building energy performance
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