Pore Structure Characterization in Cement-Based Materials

The pore network within cementitious materials controls fluid transport, mechanical strength and durability. Characterisation of pore structure spans scales from nanometres to millimetres and encompasses parameters such as total porosity, pore size distribution, connectivity and tortuosity. Traditional methods include mercury intrusion porosimetry to quantify pore volumes under controlled pressure, nitrogen adsorption for micro-porosity and electron microscopy for morphological insights. Recent advances integrate X-ray computed tomography with image processing to visualise three-dimensional pore networks non-destructively, while emerging techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance and gas diffusion measurements offer dynamic assessments of pore connectivity and permeability. Multiscale modelling has begun to bridge empirical observations with theoretical predictions, enabling the optimisation of cement formulations for enhanced performance in aggressive environments. Practical applications range from predicting the service life of reinforced concrete infrastructure to designing low-carbon binders with tailored pore characteristics for CO₂ sequestration or thermal insulation. Progress in high-resolution imaging, data analytics and in situ monitoring continues to deepen our understanding of pore formation mechanisms during hydration and subsequent ageing processes, paving the way for durable and sustainable cement-based materials.

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New investigations on air-entrained concrete have demonstrated how varying dosages of admixtures influence pore size distribution and interfacial transition zone characteristics, revealing that entrained air and superplasticisers can alter the critical pore diameters and enhance the ink-bottle effect in hardened mortar. Pressurisation–depressurisation cycling using mercury intrusion porosimetry has been shown to overcome traditional ink-bottle artefacts, providing bimodal pore size distributions and distinguishing between pore bodies and throats with greater accuracy. Complementary studies employing X-ray computed tomography before and after mercury intrusion have non-destructively assessed pore structure damage, quantifying changes in pore volume and size, and validating the robustness of porosimetry results. These findings collectively inform improved experimental protocols for pore characterisation and support the development of cementitious systems with optimised transport and mechanical properties.

Pore Structure Characterization in Cement-Based Materials publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in pore structure characterization in cement-based materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP): A technique that measures pore volume and size distribution by forcing mercury into pores under controlled pressure.

Pore Size Distribution: The range and frequency of pore diameters within a material, influencing transport and mechanical behaviour.

Ink-Bottle Effect: Measurement artefact in porosimetry where large voids are connected by narrower throats, distorting pore size analysis.

Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ): The microscale region around aggregate particles characterised by higher porosity and distinct microstructure.

X-Ray Computed Tomography (XCT): Non-destructive imaging method that reconstructs three-dimensional internal structures from X-ray projections.

References

1. Investigation on the effect of entrained air on pore structure in hardened concrete using MIP. Construction and Building Materials (2021).
2. Ink-bottle Effect and Pore Size Distribution of Cementitious Materials Identified by Pressurization–Depressurization Cycling Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry. Materials (2019).
3. Pore Structure Damages in Cement-Based Materials by Mercury Intrusion: A Non-Destructive Assessment by X-Ray Computed Tomography. Materials (2019).