Application of X-Ray Micro-CT for Quantifying Degree of Hydration of Slag-Blended Cement Paste
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 3
Abstract
Quantifying the degree of hydration of mineral additives in a blended system has been a challenge in the concrete research community. This study attempted to calculate the degree of hydration of both clinker and ground granulated blast furnace slag in a slag-blended cement system based on nondestructive detection by X-ray micro–computed tomography (CT). Ordinary portland cement (OPC) pastes and slag-blended cement pastes were used with water-to-binder ratios of 0.3 and 0.5. The degree of hydration was calculated by comparing the volume fraction of the unhydrated phase with its original value. The key to quantification is to segment different phases (clinker, hydration products, and pores) in CT images, and then the volume fraction of the unhydrated phase can be obtained. Grayscale gradient–based edge detection was introduced for the first time to segment CT images of the cementitious materials. The degree of hydration quantified from the CT images was compared with that obtained from classical Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The use of X-ray CT to quantify the degree of hydration of OPC and slag-blended pastes was shown to be feasible. A suitable segmentation method for CT image of cementitious materials was recommended.
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Data Availability Statement
All data, models, and code generated or used during the study appear in the published article.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank the Foundation of China Communications Construction Company Ltd (Grant No. 2016-ZJKJ-PTJS04) and the State Key Laboratory of Road Engineering Safety and Health in Cold and High-Altitude Regions (Grant No. YGY2017KYPT-06) for their support We also thank the Plant Science Facility of the Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, for its excellent technical assistance.
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Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32 • Issue 3 • March 2020
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Dec 7, 2018
Accepted: Aug 22, 2019
Published online: Jan 8, 2020
Published in print: Mar 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Jun 8, 2020
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