responsive nav toggle responsive nav toggle iCRAG logo
  • Home
  • Contact
  • iCRAG Members
LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram
  • About Us
    • Vacancies
  • Research
    • Research Challenges
      • Earth System Change
      • Earth Resources
      • Earth Science in Society
      • Platform Technologies
    • Project List
    • iCRAG-linked Projects
    • Map of Collaborators
    • Publications
    • Data
      • Lisheen
      • Silvermines
  • People
    • Executive Managegement Committee
    • Advisory Committees
      • Governance Committee
      • Scientific and Industry Advisory Committee
    • Sub-committees
  • Industry
    • Partnering with iCRAG
    • Current iCRAG Partners
    • Exhibitions
  • Education & Engagement
    • Earth Science Education
      • Primary Level
      • Second Level
      • National Crystal Growing Competition
    • Geocareers
    • Citizen Involvement
    • Earth Science in the Arts
      • Purls of Wisdom
      • Poetry and geology
      • Geobakeoff
      • Cinema and theatre
      • Inception Horizon
      • A Feat of Clay
      • Artist in Residence
    • Factsheets
  • Facilities
    • Facilities
    • Infrastructure
  • News & Media
    • Conferences & Events
    • Event Archive
    • Gallery
    • News Archive
    • Podcasts
  • Sitemap
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Disclaimer
  • ReStoRE
    • ReStoRE Speakers
    • Developing Countries Funding
    • ReSToRE Blogs
      • Monday July 1
      • Tuesday July 2
      • Wednesday July 3
      • Thursday July 4
    • Organising committee
    • Public talks
  • iCRAG2019
    • Programme
    • Registration
    • Venue information
    • Speaker Profiles
    • Abstracts
    • Posters
  • EDIG
    • Background & Team
    • Sponsors
    • Survey
    • Conference
    • Contact
    • Resources
  1. Home
  2. People
  3. Tadhg Dornan

Tadhg Dornan

  • Postgraduate Researcher
    TCD

tadhg.dornan@icrag-centre.org

Biography

Tadhg Dornan is a PhD researcher in the iCRAG raw material research spoke. Tadhg graduated from Trinity College Dublin with an honours degree in Geology in 2016 and soon after started a PhD under the Supervision of Dr. Robbie Goodhue. His research mainly focuses on pyrite, a commonly occurring iron sulphide mineral, and its role in the deterioration of concrete when oxidised. As part of his research, Tadhg will attempt to elementally analyse the grains pyrite found in the concrete of damaged properties and try and fingerprint a quarry source for the material.

Crushed rock aggregates are a large portion of the materials used in houses across Ireland: in concrete blocks and as fill used under concrete floors. However, these rocks can contain reactive materials, such as the mineral pyrite. Pyrite is mainly composed of iron and sulphur and when it encounters moisture it oxidises which sets off a reaction chain resulting in the expansion of the aggregate. This expansion or “pyritic heave” causes cracking and damage to people’s homes. My work focuses on fingerprinting the source of this expansive pyrite and investigating whether the crystal shape or elemental composition affects pyrites reactivity.

Project title: Fingerprinting and assessing the reactivity of past and future aggregates

Technical description

This research project aims to develop methods of fingerprinting quarry sources using pyrite in aggregate and to investigate the reactivity potential of pyrite. Detailed major (stoichiometric) and trace elemental (As, Mo, Pb, Ag) analysis using SEM-EDS and LA-ICPMS will carried out to characterise the elemental composition of pyrite. It is hoped that a database can be created that will allow matching of a specific sample from the sub-floor of a house where the quarry source is unknown, to a specific quarry. In addition, the project will also investigate what effect the crystal shape and elemental composition of the pyrite has on its reactivity.

 

Role

  • Postgraduate Researcher

Institution

  • TCD

Research Area

  • Earth Resources

Expertise

  • Building Materials

Newsletter Signup

iCRAG is funded under the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centres Programme and is co-funded under the European Regional Development Fund

  • iCRAG
  • O'Brien Centre for Science (East),
  • University College Dublin,
  • Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
  • P: +353 (0) 171 62939
  • E: info@icrag-centre.org
  • Sitemap
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Disclaimer
  • © 2019 iCRAG
Science Foundation Ireland: SFI

This website uses cookies, by continuing you agree to their use. Learn more about cookies and how to manage them on cookie policy Dismiss