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Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Materials Characterization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2016) | Viewed by 43110

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Hong Wong

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Imperial College London, Imperial College Road, London SW7 2AZ, UK
Interests: microstructure characterisation; concrete petrography; image analysis; durability of concrete structures; mass transport properties; modelling properties from microstructure
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

I am delighted to announce the forthcoming Special Issue on “Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-Based Materials” in the journal Materials. Imaging techniques are increasingly being used to solve a variety of research questions in the field of cement-based materials. These techniques include optical and fluorescence microscopy, electron microscopy, X-ray microanalysis, computed tomography, confocal microscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, radiography, thermography, ultrasonic, radar, scanners, and high-speed imaging, and can offer a great deal of information at different length scales and resolutions. Their full potential is achieved when combined with image analysis, which allows one to capture, process, and extract meaningful quantitative data from images. The versatility of this approach is evident from its diverse range of application in cement and concrete research that include:

• Characterization of cements, additions, reaction products and aggregates;

• Analysis of pore structure, cracks, and interfaces;

• Understanding hydration reactions, mass transport phenomena, aging, and degradation mechanisms;

• Development of new materials, such as novel binders and admixtures;

• Identification of concrete constituents and mix proportion;

• Non-destructive detection of voids, defects, reinforcement, and other sub-surface features;

• Deformation and strain mapping;

• Screening for deleterious agents and contaminated materials;

• Assessment of deteriorated and damaged structures;

• Development of predictive modeling.

The aim of this Special Issue is to showcase the latest research and advances in this area, particularly on the development of image analysis and processing techniques, and applications to cement-based materials. Original research papers, state-of-the-art reviews, communications, and discussions are welcomed

Dr. Hong Wong
Guest Editor

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Keywords

cement
concrete
mortar
imaging techniques
image analysis
microscopy
microstructure
petrography

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

5197 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Evaluation of Microstructure and Transport Properties of Deteriorated Cementitious Materials from Their X-ray Computed Tomography (CT) Images

by Michael Angelo B. Promentilla, Shermaine M. Cortez, Regina Anne DC. Papel, Bernadette M. Tablada and Takafumi Sugiyama

Materials 2016, 9(5), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050388 - 19 May 2016

Cited by 39 | Viewed by 7233

Abstract

Pore structure, tortuosity and permeability are considered key properties of porous materials such as cement pastes to understand their long-term durability performance. Three-dimensional image analysis techniques were used in this study to quantify pore size, effective porosity, tortuosity, and permeability from the X-ray computed tomography (CT) images of deteriorated pastes that were subjected to accelerated leaching test. X-ray microtomography is a noninvasive three-dimensional (3D) imaging technique which has been recently gaining attention for material characterization. Coupled with 3D image analysis, the digitized pore can be extracted and computational simulation can be applied to the pore network to measure relevant microstructure and transport properties. At a spatial resolution of 0.50 μm, the effective porosity (ψ_e) was found to be in the range of 0.04 to 0.33. The characteristic pore size (d) using a local thickness algorithm was found to be in the range of 3 to 7 μm. The geometric tortuosity (τ_g) based on a 3D random walk simulation in the percolating pore space was found to be in the range of 2.00 to 7.45. The water permeability values (K) using US NIST Permeability Stokes Solver range from an order of magnitudes of 10⁻¹⁴ to 10⁻¹⁷ m². Indications suggest that as effective porosity increases, the geometric tortuosity increases and the permeability decreases. Correlation among these microstructure and transport parameters is also presented in this study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials)

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10038 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Neutron Radiography Based Visualization and Profiling of Water Uptake in (Un)cracked and Autonomously Healed Cementitious Materials

by Philip Van den Heede, Bjorn Van Belleghem, Natalia Alderete, Kim Van Tittelboom and Nele De Belie

Materials 2016, 9(5), 311; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9050311 - 26 Apr 2016

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4888

Abstract

Given their low tensile strength, cement-based materials are very susceptible to cracking. These cracks serve as preferential pathways for corrosion inducing substances. For large concrete infrastructure works, currently available time-consuming manual repair techniques are not always an option. Often, one simply cannot reach the damaged areas and when making those areas accessible anyway (e.g., by redirecting traffic), the economic impacts involved would be enormous. Under those circumstances, it might be useful to have concrete with an embedded autonomous healing mechanism. In this paper, the effectiveness of incorporating encapsulated high and low viscosity polyurethane-based healing agents to ensure (multiple) crack healing has been investigated by means of capillary absorption tests on mortar while monitoring the time-dependent water ingress with neutron radiography. Overall visual interpretation and water front/sample cross-section area ratios as well as water profiles representing the area around the crack and their integrals do not show a preference for the high or low viscosity healing agent. Another observation is that in presence of two cracks, only one is properly healed, especially when using the latter healing agent. Exposure to water immediately after release of the healing agent stimulates the foaming reaction of the polyurethane and ensures a better crack closure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials)

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33296 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Tomography Technique for Assessment of the Material Condition of Concrete Using Optimized Elastic Wave Parameters

by Hwa Kian Chai, Kit Fook Liu, Arash Behnia, Kobayashi Yoshikazu and Tomoki Shiotani

Materials 2016, 9(4), 291; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9040291 - 16 Apr 2016

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5976

Abstract

Concrete is the most ubiquitous construction material. Apart from the fresh and early age properties of concrete material, its condition during the structure life span affects the overall structural performance. Therefore, development of techniques such as non-destructive testing which enable the investigation of the material condition, are in great demand. Tomography technique has become an increasingly popular non-destructive evaluation technique for civil engineers to assess the condition of concrete structures. In the present study, this technique is investigated by developing reconstruction procedures utilizing different parameters of elastic waves, namely the travel time, wave amplitude, wave frequency, and Q-value. In the development of algorithms, a ray tracing feature was adopted to take into account the actual non-linear propagation of elastic waves in concrete containing defects. Numerical simulation accompanied by experimental verifications of wave motion were conducted to obtain wave propagation profiles in concrete containing honeycomb as a defect and in assessing the tendon duct filling of pre-stressed concrete (PC) elements. The detection of defects by the developed tomography reconstruction procedures was evaluated and discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials)

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5251 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Image Analysis to Identify Quartz Grains in Heavy Aggregates Susceptible to ASR in Radiation Shielding Concrete

by Daria Jóźwiak-Niedźwiedzka, Roman Jaskulski and Michał A. Glinicki

Materials 2016, 9(4), 224; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9040224 - 25 Mar 2016

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5852

Abstract

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) is considered as a potential aging-related degradation phenomenon that might impair the durability of concrete in nuclear containments. The objective of this paper is the application of digital analysis of microscopic images to identify the content and size of quartz grains in heavy mineral aggregates. The range of investigation covered magnetite and hematite aggregates, known as good absorbers of gamma radiation. Image acquisition was performed using thin sections observed in transmitted cross-polarized light with λ plate. Image processing, consisting of identification of ferrum oxide and epoxy resin, and the subsequent application of a set of filtering operations resulted in an adequate image reduction allowing the grain size analysis. Quartz grains were classified according to their mean diameter so as to identify the reactive range. Accelerated mortar bar tests were performed to evaluate the ASR potential of the aggregates. The SiO₂ content in the heavyweight aggregates determined using the image analysis of thin sections was similar to XRF test result. The content of reactive quartz hematite was 2.7%, suggesting that it would be prone to ASR. The expansion test, according to ASTM C1260, confirmed the prediction obtained using the digital image analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials)

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27691 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Revealing the Dark Side of Portlandite Clusters in Cement Paste by Circular Polarization Microscopy

by Oğuzhan Çopuroğlu

Materials 2016, 9(3), 176; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9030176 - 08 Mar 2016

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 7162

Abstract

Plane and crossed polarization are the two standard light modes in polarized light microscopy that are widely used to characterize crystalline and amorphous phases in cement-based materials. However, the use of the crossed polarized light mode has been found to be restrictive for studying birefringent phases quantitatively due to the extinction phenomenon that arises depending on the crystal orientation. This paper introduces circular polarization microscopy as an alternative technique to overcome the extinction problem during the examination of cementitious materials’ microstructure with optical microscopy. In order to evaluate the feasibility of this technique, selected optical and micromorphological features of portlandite clusters were investigated in cement paste. Image analysis results showed that compared to the conventional crossed polarization technique, circular polarization offers significant advantages when portlandite quantification is of interest, and it stands out as a promising low-cost alternative to backscattered electron microscopy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials)

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5524 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improved Sectional Image Analysis Technique for Evaluating Fiber Orientations in Fiber-Reinforced Cement-Based Materials

by Bang Yeon Lee, Su-Tae Kang, Hae-Bum Yun and Yun Yong Kim

Materials 2016, 9(1), 42; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9010042 - 12 Jan 2016

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5265

Abstract

The distribution of fiber orientation is an important factor in determining the mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced concrete. This study proposes a new image analysis technique for improving the evaluation accuracy of fiber orientation distribution in the sectional image of fiber-reinforced concrete. A series of tests on the accuracy of fiber detection and the estimation performance of fiber orientation was performed on artificial fiber images to assess the validity of the proposed technique. The validation test results showed that the proposed technique estimates the distribution of fiber orientation more accurately than the direct measurement of fiber orientation by image analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials)

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8468 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Moisture Exchange on Interface Formation in the Repair System Studied by X-ray Absorption

by Mladena Lukovic and Guang Ye

Materials 2016, 9(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma9010002 - 22 Dec 2015

Cited by 51 | Viewed by 5508

Abstract

In concrete repair systems, material properties of the repair material and the interface are greatly influenced by the moisture exchange between the repair material and the substrate. If the substrate is dry, it can absorb water from the repair material and reduce its effective water-to-cement ratio (w/c). This further affects the hydration rate of cement based material. In addition to the change in hydration rate, void content at the interface between the two materials is also affected. In this research, the influence of moisture exchange on the void content in the repair system as a function of initial saturation level of the substrate is investigated. Repair systems with varying level of substrate saturation are made. Moisture exchange in these repair systems as a function of time is monitored by the X-ray absorption technique. After a specified curing age (3 d), the internal microstructure of the repair systems was captured by micro-computed X-ray tomography (CT-scanning). From reconstructed images, different phases in the repair system (repair material, substrate, voids) can be distinguished. In order to quantify the void content, voids were thresholded and their percentage was calculated. It was found that significantly more voids form when the substrate is dry prior to application of the repair material. Air, initially filling voids and pores of the dry substrate, is being released due to the moisture exchange. As a result, air voids remain entrapped in the repair material close to the interface. These voids are found to form as a continuation of pre-existing surface voids in the substrate. Knowledge about moisture exchange and its effects provides engineers with the basis for recommendations about substrate preconditioning in practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Analysis and Processing for Cement-based Materials)

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