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There exists an interest to realize impermeable concrete, which would have many applications in bridges and water transport / storage structures, such as tanks, reservoirs, gutters and pipes. Furthermore, it would be possible to use such a type of concrete in other structures where the water pressure represents an exterior action, such as basement walls, caissons and slab foundations. However, absolutely impermeable concrete is almost impossible to be obtained, hence low – permeability concrete could be the correct technical term. In the current article, several samples of such concrete (containing active admixtures) are detailed and relevant conclusions are drawn.

A case study was performed, concerning the behavior and degradation of a polymeric biocomposite material – “liquid wood”. This material is biodegradable and it is obtained from renewable resources. Three presentation forms – Arbofill Fichte, Arboform F45 and Arboblend V2, were subjected to the action of external factors present in a marine environment. The results pertaining to the change in the physico – chemical properties of “liquid wood” when subjected to the action of seawater and seawater microorganisms, with significant – but nevertheless positive – consequences upon the environment. The material exhibits good performance after the surface and mass stabilization – due to water, C, Na, Cl and O absorption. As such – due to the emergence of a protective organic biofilm – growth of microorganisms significantly decreases and electric conductivity increases. This case study may be viewed as a starting point for subsequent studies of “liquid wood”.

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Romania has a lot of buildings in serious need of structural rehabilitation, ranging from single-family dwellings and blocks of flats to historical buildings. After the earthquake of 1977, interventions in order to restore the structural bearing capacity of buildings have been few. Although by now some of the buildings (especially monuments) did undergo various rehabilitation procedures, very few of those actually take into account the socalled "holistic approach" to rehabilitation. Broadly, this implies that, as much as possible about the respective structure's history should be known before a rehabilitation solution is selected by the designer. The results indicate that, when the holistic approach is employed, there is a significantly improved possibility for the selection (by the designer) of an appropriate rehabilitation solution. A case study and subsequent review of such an approach - used for the structural rehabilitation of Sections C1 & C2 of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Iasi - is included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present paper is to analyze, both experimentally and theoretically, the behavior of the polymeric biocomposite generically known as "liquid wood", trademarked as Arbofill. The experimental part refers to the mechanical performance in tension and compression, having as finality the possibility of using "liquid wood" as a material suitable for the rehabilitation of degraded wooden elements in civil structures (ex. use in historical buildings, monuments etc.). The theoretical part refers to computer simulations regarding the mechanical behavior of "liquid wood" as well as to a theoretical model in the paradigm of motion, which describes the same behavior. This model is based on the hypothesis that "liquid wood" can be assimilated, both structurally and functionally, to a multifractal object, situation in which its entities are described through continuous, non-differentiable curves. Then, descriptions of the behavior of "liquid wood", both in the Schrödinger-type and in hydrodynamic-type representations at various scale resolutions, become operational. Since in the hydrodynamic-type representation, the constitutive law of "liquid wood" can be highlighted, several operational procedures (Ricatti-type gauge, differential geometry in absolute space etc.) will allow correlations between the present proposed model and the experimental data. The obtained results, both practical (81% bearing capacity in compression and 36% bearing capacity in tension, compared to control samples) and theoretical (validation of material performance in virtual environment simulations, stresses and strains correlations in a theoretical model) indicate that "liquid wood" could be used in the construction industry, as a potential rehabilitation material, but with more development clearly needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]