Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Does ITZ Influence Moisture Transport in Concrete?

  • Published:
Transport in Porous Media Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The contributions of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) to mass transport in cement-based materials remain ambiguous and disputed. In this study, the neutron and X-ray tomography (NeXT) system is used to develop imaging techniques to capture unsaturated moisture flow and to determine the best technique for reconstructing the data. Neutrons and X-rays “see” materials differently due to differences in their interactions with nuclei and atomic electrons, respectively. Neutrons excel at detecting water, while X-rays resolve materials with high atomic mass such as dense solids. Therefore, neutron and X-ray tomography can generate complementary data to visualize the multi-faceted complexities of unsaturated moisture flow in cement-based materials. Combined results are achieved by collecting time-resolved neutron and X-ray tomography scans in one hour increments during water ingress in a concrete cylinder containing a single coarse granite aggregate. The experiment is designed to better understand if moisture transport increases in the ITZ region compared to the “bulk” cement paste during unsaturated flow. No indications of water preferentially migrating around the coarse aggregate in the ITZ region during water ingress was captured at the resolutions of the dual neutron and X-ray scans.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. Certain trade names and company products are mentioned in the text or identified in an illustration in order to adequately specify the experimental procedure and equipment used. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor does it imply that the products are necessarily the best available for the purpose.

References

  • Barnes, B., Diamond, S., Dolch, W.: Micromorphology of the interfacial zone around aggregates in portland cement mortar. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 62(1–2), 21–24 (1979)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bentz, D.P.: Influence of internal curing using lightweight aggregates on interfacial transition zone percolation and chloride ingress in mortars. Cement Concr. Compos. 31(5), 285–289 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carrara, P., Kruse, R., Bentz, D. P., Lunardelli, M., Leusmann, T., Varady, P., De Lorenzis, L.: Improved mesoscale segmentation of concrete using contrast enhancers. Tech. rep. (2017)

  • Champley, K.M., Willey, T.M., Kim, H., Bond, K., Glenn, S.M., Smith, J.A., Kallman, J.S., Brown, W.D., Seetho, I.M., Keene, L., et al.: Livermore tomography tools: accurate, fast, and flexible software for tomographic science. NDT & E Int. 126, 102595 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, S.: Cement paste microstructure in concrete, MRS Online Proceedings Library Archive 85 (1986)

  • Diamond, S., Huang, J.: The itz in concrete-a different view based on image analysis and sem observations. Cement Concr. Compos. 23(2–3), 179–188 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dragonfly 2020.2 [Computer software], Object Research Systems (ORS) Inc., Montreal, Canada. http://www.theobjects.com/dragonfly (2020)

  • Farran, J.: Comptes-rendus des séances de l’Académie des Sciences, Paris T 237 (1953)

  • Farran, J.: Thèse de doctorat, toulouse, in revue des matériaux. de Construction, Paris (490, 491, and 492) (1956)

  • Farran, J.: Introduction: The transition zone-discovery and development. In Interfacial Transition Zone in Concrete (1996)

  • Fedrigo, A., Marstal, K., Bender Koch, C., Andersen Dahl, V., Bjorholm Dahl, A., Lyksborg, M., Gundlach, C., Ott, F., Strobl, M.: Investigation of a monturaqui impactite by means of bi-modal x-ray and neutron tomography. J. Imag. 4(5), 72 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gao, Y., De Schutter, G., Ye, G., Tan, Z., Wu, K.: The itz microstructure, thickness and porosity in blended cementitious composite: effects of curing age, water to binder ratio and aggregate content. Compos. B Eng. 60, 1–13 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hadley, D.W.: The nature of the past-aggregate interface: Interim report (1972)

  • Hassanein, R., Lehmann, E., Vontobel, P.: Methods of scattering corrections for quantitative neutron radiography. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A 542(1–3), 353–360 (2005)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hassanein, R., de Beer, F., Kardjilov, N., Lehmann, E.: Scattering correction algorithm for neutron radiography and tomography tested at facilities with different beam characteristics. Physica B 385, 1194–1196 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hussey, D. S., Jacobson, D. L., Arif, M., Coakley, K. J., Vecchia, D. F.: In situ fuel cell water metrology at the NIST neutron imaging facility. J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol. 7(2), 021024 (2010)

  • Jacot-Guillarmod, M., Schmidt-Ott, K., Mannes, D., Kaestner, A., Lehmann, E., Gervais, C.: Multi-modal tomography to assess dechlorination treatments of iron-based archaeological artifacts. Herit. Sci. 7(1), 1–14 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kang, M., Bilheux, H.Z., Voisin, S., Cheng, C., Perfect, E., Horita, J., Warren, J.: Water calibration measurements for neutron radiography: application to water content quantification in porous media. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A 708, 24–31 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kong, L., Ge, Y.: Mechanism study of effect of coarse aggregate size on permeability of concrete. ACI Mater. J. 112(6), 767 (2015)

    Google Scholar 

  • LaManna, J., Hussey, D.S., DiStefano, V.H., Baltic, E., Jacobson, D.L.: Nist next: a system for truly simultaneous neutron and x-ray tomography. In: Hard X-Ray, Gamma-Ray, and Neutron Detector Physics XXII, Vol. 11494, International Society for Optics and Photonics, p. 114940P (2020)

  • LaManna, J.M., Hussey, D.S., Baltic, E., Jacobson, D.L.: Neutron and X-ray tomography (NeXT) system for simultaneous, dual modality tomography. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 88(11), 113702 (2017)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lucero, C.L., Bentz, D.P., Hussey, D.S., Jacobson, D.L., Weiss, W.J.: Using neutron radiography to quantify water transport and the degree of saturation in entrained air cement based mortar. Phys. Procedia 69, 542–550 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehta, P.K., Monteiro, P.J.: Concrete: Microstructure, Properties, and Materials. McGraw-Hill Education, New York (2014)

    Google Scholar 

  • Mindess, S.: Developments in the Formulation and Reinforcement of Concrete. Woodhead Publishing, Sawston (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  • Monteiro, P., Maso, J., Ollivier, J.: The aggregate-mortar interface. Cem. Concr. Res. 15(6), 953–958 (1985)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monteiro, P.J., Kirchheim, A., Chae, S., Fischer, P., MacDowell, A.A., Schaible, E., Wenk, H.: Characterizing the nano and micro structure of concrete to improve its durability. Cement Concr. Compos. 31(8), 577–584 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moradllo, M.K., Qiao, C., Keys, M., Hall, H., Ley, M., Reese, S., Weiss, W.: Quantifying fluid absorption in air-entrained concrete using neutron radiography. ACI Mater. J. 116(6), 213–226 (2019)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ollivier, J., Maso, J., Bourdette, B.: Interfacial transition zone in concrete. Adv. Cem. Based Mater. 2(1), 30–38 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ping, X., Beaudoin, J.J., Brousseau, R.: Effect of aggregate size on transition zone properties at the portland cement paste interface. Cem. Concr. Res. 21(6), 999–1005 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pour-Ghaz, M., Rajabipour, F., Couch, J., Weiss, J.: Modeling fluid transport in cementitious systems with crack-like (notch) geometries. In: Proceedings of 2nd International RILEM Workshop Concr. Durab. Serv. Life Plan. Haifa Isr (2009)

  • Pour-Ghaz, M., Rajabipour, F., Couch, J., Weiss, J.: Numerical and experimental assessment of unsaturated fluid transport in saw-cut (notched) concrete elements. In: ACI Fall 2009 Convention, pp. 73–85 (2009)

  • Powers, T.C.: Structure and physical properties of hardened portland cement paste. J. Am. Ceram. Soc. 41(1), 1–6 (1958)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radebe, M., De Beer, F., Nshimirimana, R.: Evaluation of qni corrections in porous media applications. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A 651(1), 282–285 (2011)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rangaraju, P.R., Olek, J., Diamond, S.: An investigation into the influence of inter-aggregate spacing and the extent of the itz on properties of portland cement concretes. Cem. Concr. Res. 40(11), 1601–1608 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richards, W.J., Gibbons, M., Shields, K.: Neutron tomography developments and applications. Appl. Radiat. Isot. 61(4), 551–559 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scrivener, K.L., Nemati, K.M.: The percolation of pore space in the cement paste/aggregate interfacial zone of concrete. Cem. Concr. Res. 26(1), 35–40 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scrivener, K.L., Crumbie, A.K., Laugesen, P.: The interfacial transition zone (ITZ) between cement paste and aggregate in concrete. Interface Sci. 12(4), 411–421 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sidky, E.Y., Pan, X.: Image reconstruction in circular cone-beam computed tomography by constrained, total-variation minimization. Phys. Med. Biol. 53(17), 4777 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha, V., Avachat, A.V., Lee, H.K.: Design and development of a neutron/x-ray combined computed tomography system at missouri s &t. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem. 296(2), 799–806 (2013)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sinha, V., Srivastava, A., Lee, H.K., Liu, X.: Performance analysis of a neutron and x-ray combined computed tomography system. Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. Sect. A 750, 12–18 (2014)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sokhansefat, G., Ley, M.T., Cook, M.D., Alturki, R., Moradian, M.: Investigation of concrete workability through characterization of aggregate gradation in hardened concrete using x-ray computed tomography. Cement Concr. Compos. 98, 150–161 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sokhansefat, G., Moradian, M., Finnell, M., Behravan, A., Ley, M.T., Lucero, C., Weiss, J.: Using x-ray computed tomography to investigate mortar subjected to freeze-thaw cycles. Cement Concr. Compos. 108, 103520 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Struble, L.; Microstructure and fracture at the cement paste-aggregate interface, MRS Online Proceedings Library Archive 114 (1987)

  • Sun, D., Wu, K., Shi, H., Zhang, L., Zhang, L.: Effect of interfacial transition zone on the transport of sulfate ions in concrete. Constr. Build. Mater. 192, 28–37 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tengattini, A., Lenoir, N., Andò, E., Viggiani, G.: Neutron imaging for geomechanics: a review. Geomech. Energy Environ. 27, 100206 (2020)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiss, J., Geiker, M.R., Hansen, K.K.: Using x-ray transmission/attenuation to quantify fluid absorption in cracked concrete. Int. J. Mater. Struct. Integr. 9(1–3), 3–20 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, H., Zobel, M., Buenfeld, N., Zimmerman, R.: Influence of the interfacial transition zone and microcracking on the diffusivity, permeability and sorptivity of cement-based materials after drying. Mag. Concr. Res. 61(8), 571–589 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xi, X., Yin, Z., Yang, S., Li, C.-Q.: Using artificial neural network to predict the fracture properties of the interfacial transition zone of concrete at the meso-scale. Eng. Fract. Mech. 242, 107488 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Xu, K., Tremsin, A.S., Li, J., Ushizima, D.M., Davy, C.A., Bouterf, A., Su, Y.T., Marroccoli, M., Mauro, A.M., Osanna, M., et al.: Microstructure and water absorption of ancient concrete from pompeii: an integrated synchrotron microtomography and neutron radiography characterization. Cem. Concr. Res. 139, 106282 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, H., Gan, Y., Xu, Y., Zhang, S., Schlangen, E., Šavija, B.: Experimentally informed fracture modelling of interfacial transition zone at micro-scale. Cement Concr. Compos. 104, 103383 (2019)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu, W., Bartos, P.J.: Application of depth-sensing microindentation testing to study of interfacial transition zone in reinforced concrete. Cem. Concr. Res. 30(8), 1299–1304 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was performed at the Sensing and Materials Research Team (SMART) Lab in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The first author of the present work was supported by North Carolina State University Provost’s Doctoral Fellowship. Partial funding and support for the second and third authors was provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the NIST Radiation and Physics Division, the Director’s office of NIST, the NIST Center for Neutron Research, and the NIST Engineering Laboratory. All supports that have made these resources available are greatly acknowledged.

Funding

North Carolina State University Provost’s Doctoral Fellowship

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA

    Laura E. Dalton & Mohammad Pour-Ghaz

  2. Physical Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA

    Jacob M. LaManna

  3. Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA

    Scott Jones

Authors
  1. Laura E. Dalton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jacob M. LaManna
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Scott Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Mohammad Pour-Ghaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Laura E. Dalton.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

None to report.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file 1 (pdf 652 KB)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Dalton, L.E., LaManna, J.M., Jones, S. et al. Does ITZ Influence Moisture Transport in Concrete?. Transp Porous Med 144, 623–639 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-022-01826-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-022-01826-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation