DigiHemp/ Digital technologies for quality assurance and performance enhancement of hemp-based building materials

Development of digital methods for describing, predicting and optimizing the thermal/mechanical properties of composite materials made from bio-based raw materials. Taking into account the complex material morphology as well as the properties of the components for the prediction of building material properties, the overall goal of increasing the use of bio-based building materials shall be achieved.

Short Description

Current situation and problem statement

Conventional building materials used to date in urban environments can be classified as questionable in terms of sustainability due to their energy requirements during production and poor dismantling/recyclability. Alternative bio-based building materials are occasionally used, but due to their comparatively high variability in technical properties, they still lag behind conventionally used building materials. In addition to the price discrepancy, these properties of the technical performance of bio-based building materials are currently the determining factors for their rather sporadic use.

Innovation content and goals

Increasing the performance of bio-based building materials and their widespread and increased use in new construction and renovation is the central goal of DigiHemp. Departing from the commonly employed "trial and error" method, approaches based on multi-scale modeling should be further developed and adapted to the special features of bio-based components.

In this way, fluctuations in the properties of the starting materials and effects of the manufacturing process can be taken into account using digital models with the aim of improved technical properties with reduced scatter, leading to the development of novel bio-based building materials (see, for example, identified material morphology in Figure 2).

For example, the effect of pre-sorting of bio-based raw materials (classifications with lower fluctuations in properties) on the achievable technical properties and their variation can be examined. Based on the sensitivity analysis and identification of the relevant parameters, the thermal/mechanical properties should be improved, their scatter reduced, and thus the increased use of bio-based building materials should be achieved.

Zeiss X-ray microscope in the test chamber and a close-up of the material. — Figure 2 (Copyright: DigiHemp)

Expected results or findings

Geometric, mechanical and thermal characterization of bio-based raw materials
Experimental data set on bio-based building materials
Model-based determination of effective mechanical and thermal properties
Determination/improvement of technical properties and their variation

Project Partners

Project management

Institute for Construction and Material Technology, University Innsbruck

Project or cooperation partners

Hempstatic GmbH

Contact Address

Univ.Prof. Dr. Roman Lackner
Technikerstraße 13
A-6020 Innsbruck

Tel.: +43 (512) 507 63500
E-mail: materialtechnologie@uibk.ac.at
Web: www.uibk.ac.at/mti/