Climatic Chamber Configurator
Discover the Climatic Chamber Configurator
Our guide to choosing the climate chamber best suited to your needs.
the Superior Council of Public Works issued the “Guidelines for the identification, qualification and acceptance control of inorganic matrix fibre-reinforced composites (FRCM) to be used for the structural consolidation of existing buildings”.
This standard requires various environmental durability tests on FRCM specimens, which include: artificial ageing tests, thermal stress reaction tests, and cyclic freeze-thaw tests.
Perform Climatic Stress Tests
Discover the new series of Climatic Chambers for controlled climate testing.
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FDM provides the right solutions to these requirements, with Climatic Chambers for environmental tests of all types, with humidity and temperature tests.
Each cycle takes at least 4 hours at -18°C, followed by 12 hours in a humid chamber, with relative humidity not less than 90% and a temperature of 38°C.
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Reference Standards
- CSLP (Higher Council of Public Works) Guidelines 2019 — Identification, qualification, and acceptance control of inorganic matrix fiber-reinforced composites (FRCM) for structural consolidation.
- CNR-DT 200 R1/2013 — Instructions for the design, execution and control of static consolidation interventions using FRP fibre-reinforced composites.
- CNR-DT 215/2018 — Guidelines on FRCM systems for the consolidation of masonry and reinforced concrete structures.
- EN 12467:2012+A2:2018 — Fibre cement flat sheets, freeze-thaw and heat-rain durability tests.
- ASTM D7705/D7705M-22 — Alkali Resistance of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Matrix Composite Bars used in Concrete Construction.
- UNI EN ISO 9142:2004 — Adhesives, guide to the selection of accelerated laboratory ageing conditions for bonded joints.
Authoritative Sources
- Higher Council of Public Works. Advisory body of the Italian Ministry of the Interior, which issues guidelines for innovative materials in construction.
- CNR – National Research Council. Publishes CNR-DT technical documents on FRP and FRCM for structural strengthening.
- ASTM International. American standards body that maintains the D7705/D7617 series on building composites.
- UNI – Italian Standards Organization. Distributes the Italian EN/ISO standards applicable to the composites and consolidation sectors.
Frequently Asked Questions about FRCM Composite Climatic Testing
How many freeze-thaw cycles do the CSLP Guidelines for FRCM require?
The CSLP Guidelines for FRCM prescribe a freeze-thaw resistance test structured into cycles of standardized duration. Each cycle includes at least 4 hours at -18°C in a dry environment followed by 12 hours at +38°C with relative humidity ≥ 90%. The total number of cycles required depends on the environmental exposure class: for internal interventions, 20 cycles are sufficient, while for external applications in areas with recurrent frosts the test extends to 50-100 cycles. After treatment, the specimens are subjected to direct tensile and adhesion tests to evaluate the reduction in mechanical properties, which must not exceed 20% of the initial values. The climatic chamber used must guarantee thermal ramps ≥ 3°C/min and uniformity ± 2°C throughout the test volume.
What is the artificial aging test for FRCM systems?
The artificial aging test combines exposure to temperature, humidity, and sometimes UV radiation to rapidly reproduce the degradation that the composite system undergoes in situ. For FRCM, the CSLP Guidelines recommend exposure in a climatic chamber at +40°C and 90% RH for 1,000–3,000 hours, sometimes with wetting-drying cycles. At the same time, a thermal stress test is performed, with cycles between +20°C and +50°C for 100–200 repetitions. The specimens are characterized before and after using pull-off, single lap shear, and direct tensile tests, with reference to CNR-DT 215. Acceptable degradation is generally quantified as <25% of the initial tensile strength and <30% of the adhesion to the substrate.
What is the difference between FRP and FRCM in terms of climatic testing?
FRP (Fiber Reinforced Polymer) systems use thermosetting polymer matrices (epoxy, vinyl ester) and are sensitive to the glass transition temperature (Tg) and moisture absorbed by the matrix. Typical climatic tests (CNR-DT 200 R1) include aging in water at +40°C, alkaline solution (pH 12.5), and freeze-thaw cycles. FRCM (Fiber Reinforced Cementitious Matrix) systems , on the other hand, have an inorganic cementitious or pozzolanic matrix, therefore greater temperature resistance but vulnerability to freeze-thaw cycles due to the porosity of the matrix. The CSLP Guidelines prescribe specific freeze-thaw resistance tests for FRCM with cycles of 4h/-18°C + 12h/+38°C/90% RH, more severe than those typically used for FRP.
How is a climate chamber qualified for testing structural composites?
Metrological qualification requires the IQ/OQ/PQ procedure according to UNI EN 60068-3-5, with mapping at least 9 points of the useful volume. For CSLP tests on FRCM, the following are required: range -20 °C ÷ +60 °C, relative humidity up to 95%, ramps ≥ 3 °C/min, uniformity ± 2 °C and stability ± 0.5 °C. The chamber must be equipped with dedicated sample holders that do not obstruct the airflow and allow correct exposure of the specimens on all faces. The control and mapping probes must be calibrated at ACCREDIA accredited laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025) with uncertainty ≤ 0.3 °C on the temperature and ≤ 2% on the RH. The specimens must be prepared according to CNR-DT 215, with standardized dimensions 400×100 mm and preconditioned at 23 °C/50% RH for 7 days before testing.
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