Head: Prof. Arch. Antonella Mami'

Deputy Head: Prof. Arch. Simona Colajanni
Referent for laboratory tests: Dr. Eng. Manfredi Saeli
Referent for in situ analyses: Dr. Eng. Elvira Nicolini

Location: Viale delle Scienze, Building 14-C, ground floor

RECEPTION HOURS:
10: 00-13: 00 Monday, Wednesday and Friday
15.00-17: 00 Tuesday and Thursday
After sending the request via email
Contact: Armando Vaglica

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The Construction Laboratory of the Department of Architecture (D'ARCH) of the University of Palermo, part of the Scientific Laboratory System, conducts laboratory tests, bench tests, and in-situ investigations to support scientific research, teaching, and contract work for public and private entities.

Thanks to the availability of various equipment and instruments, the durability of traditional and innovative building materials can be experimentally produced, characterized, and assessed using standardized and reproducible methodologies. Using the climate chamber, materials and products can be subjected to controlled temperature and humidity conditions to assess their resistance, durability, deterioration, and behavior over time. 3D models of building components can also be created.

In-situ investigations allow us to evaluate the characteristics of masonry structures and the heat loss of building envelopes, as well as measure various indoor environmental parameters, such as temperature, humidity, lighting, air quality and flow, and noise intensity.

Services provided:

• Testing and characterization of traditional and innovative architectural materials and products;
• Accelerated aging tests on building materials and components;
• 3D modeling of building components;
• In-situ investigations of the building envelope and traditional masonry;
• Measurement of environmental parameters (indoor environment).

Main instruments used in the Laboratory:

• Instruments for the production of mortars and construction materials (mixer, motorized settler, molds, kilns, etc.)
• Instruments for material characterization (motorized shock table, universal hydraulic press, abrasimeter, colorimeter, spectrophotometer, optical microscope, thin-section saw, wood penetrometer, etc.)
• Instruments for in-situ investigations (coverometer, ultrasonic hammer, thermal imaging camera, flat jacks, core drill, microcore drill, endoscope, etc.)
• Instruments for measuring environmental parameters (lux meter, data logger, globe probe, turbulence probe, CO2 probe, sound level meter, etc.);
• Instruments for simulating complex environmental conditions to assess the durability of materials and components (climatic chamber, salt spray chamber, freezer, UV radiation chamber, etc.);
• Tools for creating 3D models and prototypes (three-axis numerically controlled milling machine).
• Total station.

Educational, scientific, and third-party activities:

• PON2014-20_MISE - PON Enterprises and Competitiveness 2014/2020 Ministry of Economic Development, Bio-based technological innovations and strengthening the circular economy in the management of waste from the primary processing of organic almonds with high agro-industrial potential. (Head: Prof. Francesco Sottile)
• PON-AIM - Area: Technologies for living environments
  Line 1 - Mobility, refers to the systemic and performance-based study of smart management solutions for user well-being and the sustainable use of living environments, with a focus on strategies and devices conceived from a design-for-all perspective. (Head: Professor Elvira Nicolini)
  Line 2 - Attraction involves the production and technological characterization of new materials, using local renewable or recycled raw materials, for the creation of innovative and sustainable products and components for architecture. (Head: Professor Manfredi Saeli)
• Teaching activities carried out within the Master's Degree in Design and Territorial Culture for the Biomaterials and Components for Design Laboratory. (Head: Professor Simona Colajanni).