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Research progress on cement-based materials by X-ray computed tomography

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Abstract

X-ray computed tomography (CT), as an imaging technique, has played an important role in the area of material characterization in civil engineering during the past 40 years. It has promoted the investigation of materials from the macroscopic testing to the microscopic characterization. Though numerous researches have been done by using X-ray CT technique to investigate the microstructure, the mechanical behavior, and the durability of cement-based materials, there is no comprehensive review on the testing process and the results obtained. Based on the research progress in the past 40 years made on the cement-based materials, the relevant issues to the X-ray CT technique are reviewed in this study in terms of the equipment used, the sample preparation, the test methods, the data processing, and the results obtained. Particularly, this article focuses on assessing microstructure, mechanical behavior, damages from freeze-thaw cycles, carbonation, sulfate attack, alkali-silica reaction, and the quantification of permeability of cement-based materials by using X-ray CT. The results can serve as a guidance for future experimental design of the similar research and provide inspirations on improving equipment for broader applications to cement-based materials.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the supports from the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 51778331 and the National Key R&D Program of China under grant No. 2018YFB1600200.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Civil Engineering Safety and Durability of China Education Ministry, Department of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Weikang Kong & Ya Wei

  2. School of Highway, Chang’an University, Xi’an, Shannxi Province, 710064, China

    Weikang Kong & Yaqiong Wang

  3. State Key Laboratory of Road Engineering Safety and Health in Cold and High-Altitude Regions, CCCC First Highway Consultants Co., LTD, Xi’an, Shannxi Province, 710075, China

    Shuangjie Wang & Jianbing Chen

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  1. Weikang Kong
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Correspondence to Ya Wei.

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Peer review under responsibility of Chinese Society of Pavement Engineering.

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Kong, W., Wei, Y., Wang, S. et al. Research progress on cement-based materials by X-ray computed tomography. Int. J. Pavement Res. Technol. 13, 366–375 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42947-020-0119-8

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