Damage to the pore structure of hardened portland cement paste by mercury intrusion

Journal Article · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Journal of the American Ceramic Society

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1151-2916.1997.tb03144.x· OSTI ID:554029

Olson, R A; Neubauer, C M; Jennings, H M ^[1]

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1. Northwestern Univ., Evanston, IL (United States)

Microstructural changes due to mercury intrusion porosimetry were documented in a 6-month-old sample of ordinary portland cement paste made with a water/cement ratio of 0.5. Specimens before and after mercury intrusion were viewed at 60% relative humidity using an environmental scanning electron microscope. Specimens were intruded to a pressure just below the critical threshold pressure, removed for observation, then intruded to a pressure well above the critical threshold pressure. Significant damage caused by relatively low pressures of 10--20 MPa was found in the interior of the sample. The connectivity of pores in the 10--1 {micro}m size range was much higher after intrusion.

• Sponsoring Organization: Department of Defense, Washington, DC (United States); USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: FG02-91ER45460
• OSTI ID: 554029
• Journal Information: Journal of the American Ceramic Society, Journal Name: Journal of the American Ceramic Society Journal Issue: 9 Vol. 80; ISSN 0002-7820; ISSN JACTAW
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
DAMAGE
HIGH PRESSURE
MERCURY
PORE STRUCTURE
POROSIMETERS
PORTLAND CEMENT
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY