A quantitative structural study of fresh cement paste by image analysis part 1: Image processing

• Published in: Cement and concrete research Vol. 21; no. 5; pp. 835 - 843
• Main Authors: Barrioulet, M., Saada, R., Ringot, E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.09.1991
• ISSN: 0008-8846; 1873-3948
• DOI: 10.1016/0008-8846(91)90178-K

Flocculation and deflocculation have a fundamental role to play in the use of mortar and concrete. In order to monitor these phenomena more fully, we need to have a better understanding of the structure of fresh cement paste. The work presented in this publication is part of the process of meeting this need. By applying a technique of cryosublimation together with epoxy resin impregnation to fresh cement paste samples, we can obtain SEM images of test-piece cross-sections where the initial arrangement of anhydrous cement grains is modified neither by hydration nor by experimental procedure. Paste structure can thus be investigated by quantitative image analysis. By using a new method of image processing during filtering and binarization, we can obtain a binary image which faithfully reproduces the original image and on which we can then carry out geometrical parameter measurements.