Building materials – fundamentals and use in a scientific focus
Around 600 participants from twenty-nine countries discussed building materials, their properties, potentials for improvement and future challenges in Weimar from 16 to 18 September, with great attention devoted to the examination of fundamental research discoveries. The triennial ibausil was organised by the well-proven team of employees from the F. A. Finger-Institute for Building Materials Science of the Faculty of Civil Engineering at the Bauhaus University of Weimar. The 19th International Building Materials Conference in 2015 again provided the scientists with a platform for the presentation of their research results.
The plenary meeting was opened by Karen Scrivener, who spoke on the “Sulphate resistance of concrete and testing”. Horst-Michael Ludwig then examined “CO2 reduced binders”, after which Johann Plank gave an address on the subject of “Concrete admixtures – Where are we now and what do we expect in the future?”. There were reports both on fundamental research, practical application and also on measuring methods, predominantly for cement, concrete and gypsum, in a number of plenary sessions. Several practically orientated topics were discussed, in addition to the examination of university research results, by the scientists. Representatives of companies such as BASF SE, Knauf Gips KG, Schwenk Zement KG, HeidelbergCement Group and Holcim AG, and of the Research Institute of the Cement Industry, reported on focal topics important to producers. These included “Value-added drywall products”, “Application of nano markers as product characterization for building materials”, “High-reactivity cement components from steelmaking slags” and “Low-shrinkage cement”. Participants had the choice of an extensive range of parallel series of papers on diverse subjects, thus often being confronted with difficult decisions. Scientists displayed the results of their research activities in two poster sessions. Several companies, from the analytical sector, in particular, took the opportunity of showing their range of products and services for the building materials industry in the context of a small exhibition.
The ibausil is traditionally a meeting point between Eastern and Western Europe, but scientists from other countries also enjoy the interchange of information at Weimar, where the next ibausil will be held in 2018.
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