Glossary

Mechanical stress that wears away the primary and all subsequent layers, until they are completely removed from the substrate.

A chemical that has a pH of less than 7

They are somehow aggressive products showing an acid behaviour generally used to remove lime scale or cement, and to dissolve salt crystallization. Therefore, they can only be used on surfaces that are resistant to this attack, or where such aggression does not lead to damage of the surface. They should not be used on polished marble, limestone absorbent surfaces, on non -acid resistant porcelain enamels. Given the wide substrates variety and the often present uncertainty as to their nature, it is always good to make a preliminary test.

A natural or artificial something (such as a chemical) that is added in pre-set precise amounts to a substance to confer special features (e.g.: appearance, durability, performance, durability, hardness, elasticity, malleability, volume, or to eliminate) or reduce some of its defects, before, during and after ‘application.

A thing that causes something to happen

Aluminous cement also known as ‘high-alumina cement’ or HAC or “ciment fondu” is made by heating limestone and bauxite: it is a cement that reaches very high mechanical strength within a very short time. It is well-adapted for use in refractory material for high-chemical resistant artifacts, for low temperature environments, etc.. One of the problem with this cement is that it undergoes a crystalline re-arrangement known as conversion which leads to a loss in mechanical strength. The higher the water/cement ratio, the greater the loss.

Anhydrous Calcium sulfate (CaSO4)

Additive that prevents the formation of foam and consequently also any possible density change.

Antifreezes are chemical compounds added to reduce the freezing point of a cementitious mixture at temperatures below 0 ° C by acting on both cement setting speed and heat of hydration development during the casting phase. It is very effective when added to thick casting, but almost ineffective if added to a plaster or a thin casting, in which cases the surface area exposed to low temperatures would be very large.

A substance to be added during the production of paints, plastics and adhesives to reduce and / or delay the normal oxidation process and thus maintaining the physicochemical characteristics of the product.

Treatment or coating that can be applied to any walkable surface to prevent slipping.

Material not capable of retaining an electrostatic charge when it is placed in contact with the earth.

A general technical term indicating / that stands for a resistant structure positioned side by side to an artefact or incorporated into it, to constitute an element resistant against weight and / or external forces.

Fibrous and flexible aggregate composed of silicates that is highly resistant to fire, heat and chemical attacks (particularly acids attack). It is easily workable and very strong. In the past it was especially used as an acoustic insulator, thermal insulator and reinforcement for cement (asbestos cement), as well as in paints, varnishes, flooring materials and textiles. When asbestos was at its peak, some medical studies showed that a long exposure to high concentrations of asbestos fibers is more likely to cause health problems. Since the ’80s, the World Health Organization recommends not to use it as it is considered a potential health hazard. In Italy the law has banned all use of asbestos and extraction, manufacture and processing of asbestos products. The remediation of several tons of Asbestos (asbestos cement and different types of insulation materials) remains so far an unsolved problem.

Particular type of fiber cement consisting of a mixture of cement and asbestos with very high tensile, flexural and compressive strength, but low impact strength. In the past it was widely used to make either corrugated sheets or roofing for both covering and coating of commercial or industrial buildings or for the construction of tanks, pipes and ducts.

Are base or alkaline behaviour products, usually used for removing oil, grease, smog or air pollution deposits. Are used to clean facades suspended from floor slabs made of marble, limestone, sandstone. They must not be used on polished marble and metals like aluminum or galvanized surfaces. Given the wide variety of and the often present uncertainty as to their nature, it is always good to make a preliminary test.

solutions with a pH greater than 7 are basic.

A substance composed mainly of a mixture of natural hydrocarbons derived from distillation of petroleum, characterized by remarkable binding properties. The are two types of bitumen: petroleum based bitumen and natural bitumen.

Phenomenon caused by the concrete natural aging because the Calcium Hydroxide Ca (OH) 2 is attacked by Carbon Dioxide of the air and converted to Calcium Carbonate CaCO3. Therefore, the lowering of the pH value from 12 ÷13 to approx. 9 results in a power loss of the protective reinforcement.

A substance that speeds (positive catalysis) or slows (negative catalysis) the rate of a chemical reaction without affecting in any way the final reaction outcome.

Capable of corroding a material or a substance and causing burns ulcers or simple irritation to people skin, eyes, throat etc..

It is produced by the addition of cement paste mixed with foam liquids that in turn are diluted in water in percentages varying from 2 to 3% . Then while the cement sets and over the time, the water slowly evaporates leaving all the micro cavities formed by the foam empty, consequently tiny air bubble are created inside the micro cavities this conferring insulating properties to concrete.

This term which, according to use, has two distinct meanings: 1) material that is obtained by mixing and then pulverizing some substances made from limestone and clay. It is the main component of Portland cement. 2) Klinker tiles are an extruded tile which is very dense and fired at very high temperatures mainly used as a cladding material for walls and floors.

Set of raw materials that under certain conditions of temperature are used to produce a compound with special properties useful for the construction of prefabricated waterproofing membranes. This word stands for “Bitumen Compound”.

Is a composite construction material, obtained by mixing water with cementitious materials (especially lime or cement resulting from processes that do not use foreign substances or industrial waste) and clean not radioactive aggregate (sand, gravel, brick dust) which are widely used in construction. The main concrete features are its ability to resist the attacks of weathering action and its mechanical strength. To achieve a clean release after removal of the formwork, the shutter faces should be treated with natural oils prior to casting concrete.

It is the ability of an artifact to keep intact the structural and architectural features for which it was designed, built and used.

When a sufficient load is applied to a metal or other structural material, it will cause the material to change shape. This change in shape is called deformation. A temporary shape change that is self-reversing after the force is removed, so that the object returns to its original shape, is called elastic deformation. In other words, elastic deformation is a change in shape of a material at low stress that is recoverable after the stress is removed. This type of deformation involves stretching of the bonds, but the atoms do not slip past each other. Strain is directly proportional to stress (Hooke’s law). To describe the elastic properties of a body, a convenient parameter is the ratio of the stress applied to a body to the strain that results in the body in response to it. This parameter is called the “Young’s modulus” or “Modulus of Elasticity” of the material and the greater the tenacity of the material, the greater is the modulus of elasticity.

Natural or synthetic polymer with elastic properties similar to rubber. At room temperature can be repeatedly deformed and return approximately to its initial size once the stress come to an end.

Substance capable of promoting the mixing of immiscible compounds with each other (e.g. Detergents to mix water and fat).

Heterogeneous system consisting of liquid particles (dispersed phase) evenly dispersed in a liquid immiscible with them (dispersing phase).

The gloss is measured on a scale ranging from 0 to 100. Some common names for levels of gloss include: normally opaque/matte if it has a gloss percentage ranging from 1 to 10, opaque/matte with gloss from 11 to 30, medium- opaque with gloss from 31 to 40, semi-opaque with gloss ranging from 41 to 50, semi-gloss with gloss from 51 to 80; brilliant with gloss greater than 80.

An instrument that measures the brightness of the surface of a product, according to the assessment of the reflection of such surface under certain angles of incidence.

Indicates the size of the grains that constitute a material. It is usually detected by sieving.

The term ‘heat of hydration’ is applied to the heat generated by the chemical reactions, which occur in setting concrete between the water and cement.

Amount of heat transferred or absorbed by a chemical reaction. The reactions that give off heat are called exothermic, endothermic those that absorb it.

It is obtained either by thermal decomposition of compact limestone that contains varying amounts of clay (natural hydraulic lime) or by mixtures of hydrated lime with pozzolana, clay or blast furnace slag (artificial hydraulic lime).

Is obtained by adding aggregate to the normal concrete mixture.

Also called “quicklime” or Calcium Oxide it refers to an earthy-looking, whitish and solid substance made by heating limestone. By treating it with water, lime swells, develops heat and becomes Calcium Hydroxide, namely “slaked lime”. By adding a quantity of water equal to two and a half times its weight to quicklime, the so called “slaked lime putty” is formed, that is the binder normally used to prepare the mortar. By mixing slaked lime together with excess water, a white liquid called “Milk of Lime ” is obtained, that is a slurry commonly used as a basis for dry paints. Lime is classified into fat (fat lime) and lean (lean lime), the first resulting from the heating of nearly pure limestone, while the second comes from magnesium limestone or clay (less pure).

Oxidised bitumen is obtained by blowing oxygen at 250 ° C to distilled liquid bitumen. Oxygen “hook up” with each other bitumen molecules and creates a kind of three-dimensional network in its mass.

Plastic deformation is the permanent and consequently not elastic deformation that a body undergoes under the action of a given applied load and thus is related to its value. It consists of an instantaneous deformation and a slow deformation which grows slowly with time until the load is maintained.

The Portland cement is one of the most important hydraulic binders and it is obtained by mixing clinker and dihydrate gypsum

Rising Damp occurs as a result of capillary suction of moisture from the ground into porous masonry building materials such as stone, brick, earth and mortar.

The ability of a material to evenly spread on its own over a laying surface, producing a perfectly flat surface, free of irregularities.

A peculiar characteristic of cement adhesives that allows the imprint of the notched trowel to be completely levelled under the weight of the tile by lightly pressing . Moreover, it allows to obtain a full contact surface between the substrate, the adhesive and the tile with minimum effort.

Treatment for façade materials that underwent degradation due to their high porosity and low or no water-repellency and that consecutively became flaky. Essentially, it is about hydrophobic materials capable of slightly binding disaggregated superficial layers with layers that are in good condition, so as to prevent their loss due to the persistence of atmospheric actions.

Finishing performed with a sponge float (satin finish) or plastic spatula (ribbed finish) on stricken off and smoothed products.

It is a waterproofing product primarily derived from coal distillation for the production of town gas.

It is the ability of a homogeneous and isotropic medium to transmit heat when heat exchange occurs exclusively by conduction.

Three-dimensional Increase in the volume of a material, as a result of temperature changes. This particular attitude of each body is indicated by the coefficient of expansion: the coefficient indicates the change in millimeters of a body for every meter of its length and for each degree of temperature change. The coefficient of expansion of the concrete for instance, is variable depending on the nature of the aggregates and the quality and quantity of cement, the average one does not differ very much from that of steel, which is either 1.2 x10-5 m / ° C or 0.012 mm / ° C, and this makes the steel-cement coupling possible in concrete.

To work marble using a bush hammer, namely a masonry tool used to texturize stone and concrete. Bush hammers exist in many forms and sizes, but the basic functional property of the tool is always the same – a grid of conical or pyramidal points at the end of a large metal slug. The repeated impact of these points into stone or concrete creates a rough, pockmarked texture that resembles naturally weathered rock.

System consisting of a usually waterproof continuous film with water vapour impermeability properties. It is used to prevent the passage of water vapour from the interior side of exterior roofs and walls to the outside. It must therefore be a material resistant to water vapour diffusion, in order to be able to monitor any possible phenomena of condensing steam and prevent this from occurring in the insulating layer.