ETICs-like panels

The most commonly used ETICs presently applied are prepared “on-site” and therefore are associated with high manual labour cost. Prefabricated ETICs are relatively new products and therefore are not yet widely applied.

We here propose a new type of ETICs-like panel which will consist of pre-fabricated insulating panels 40 x 90 cm in size composed of an outer High Density Geopolymer layer (HDG) 8 mm thin bonded to an inner EPS insulating layer 70 mm thick. The panel weights ca 6.5 kg (18 kg/m²). Panels are fixed to the wall using with standard ETICs fasteners plus an adhesive, providing adequate seismic safety.

The HDG layer is produced using a geopolymer binder formulated with metakaolin, slag potassium silicate, fly ash and 50%w selected inorganic CDW consisting in a mixture of fired clay and concrete waste.

The HDG layer can be produced with a variety of surface textures/reliefs by using suitable casting supports. The colour can be changed by using either paints or using different types of inorganic CDW (concrete, bricks, glass waste) and where necessary other minerals (carbonates, etc..) or suitable additives according to the advice of the Architect.

Taking into account current European standardization and ETAG 004 the mechanical and durability characteristics of developed ETICs-like façade panels were tested.

Laboratory testing covers important factors that affect the durability of a product such as water absorption (Capillarity test), water vapour permeability, impact resistance, determination of resistance to carbonation, alkali silica resistance – fast method, alkali silica resistance –slow method, length change of samples exposed to a Sulphate solution, freezing in the presence of de-icing salt resistance, freeze –thaw resistance, determination of bond strength, porosity by means of MIP (mercury intrusion porosimetry) and hygro – thermal behaviour.