Frédéric Thévenet, IMT Lille Douai – Institut Mines-Télécom We spend 80% of our lives in enclosed spaces, whether at home, at work or in transit. We are therefore very exposed to this air, which is often more polluted than outdoor air. The issue of health in indoor environments is thus associated with chronic exposure to pollutants and to volatile organic …

Why is an old country farmhouse more pleasant in summer than a modern city building? Traditional building materials and natural stone provide old buildings with better thermal and hygrometric properties. Unfortunately, they often lack the technical characterizations they need to find their place in the construction industry. The European regional development project OEHM has set out to resolve this problem. …

This book is devoted to biocolonization, the biodeterioration of materials and possible improvements in their performance. Many materials age according to their use and their environment. The presence of microorganisms can then lead to biodeterioration. However, these can also help protect structures, provided their properties are used wisely. Christine LORS, researcher at IMT Lille Douai is co-author of this book …

Some microorganisms can seriously damage structures made of concrete or stone, leading to billions of euros in damage. Others, on the contrary, have a positive effect as they are able to heal micro-cracks.   They are microscopic, but can cause billions of euros in damage. Microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi and algae, are ubiquitous in the environment and can develop …

Simulating deformations during the molding stage in a new composite material for the aeronautics industry: this is the subject of Laure Bouquerel’s research at Mines Saint-Étienne as part of her CIFRE PhD thesis with INSA Lyon. The young researcher, winner of the SAMPE France competition, will present her work at the SAMPE France technical days in Bordeaux on 29 and …

Did you know that materials have health problems too? To diagnose their structural integrity, researchers are increasingly using techniques similar to those used in the medical field for humans. X-rays, temperature checks and ultrasound imaging are just a few of the tools that help detection of abnormalities in parts. The advantage of these various techniques is that they are non-destructive. …

In the world of materials, composites are currently undergoing a transformation that is just a significant as the plastics boom in the 1960s. To massively integrate these materials into high-volume production markets—automotive, aeronautics, rail, etc.—manufacturers must further reduce the time it takes to mold the parts. This complex goal is attainable by redesigning the materials’ composition and architecture, adapting the …

Composite materials are increasingly being used in industry, especially in the transport sectors (automotive and aeronautics). These lightweight and multifunctional materials have great potential for limiting environmental footprint, and will play a major role in the materials of future. At Mines Douai, Chung-Hae Park is contributing to the development of high-performance and economically viable composites. A distinguishing feature of these …

The materials of the future need to be more than just high-performance. They must also be environmentally friendly: more recyclable and based on renewable resources. This is why scientists and industrialists are taking a closer look at composite materials developed from plant fibers. They represent a major research focus for Institut Mines-Télécom (IMT) schools — especially at Mines Alès and …

How can we meet the needs for construction materials in an environmentally responsible manner? Recycling could be the solution, but it is not yet easy to create high-performance and eco-friendly materials using waste. At the conference on Natural Resources and Environment, which took place on November 5-6 2014 at Institut Mines-Télécom, Vincent Thiéry, a researcher at Mines Douai, presented two …