12/02/2023

Microstructure of Concrete:
Analysis of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ)

MM9819 (CIVE5026M/5926M) • The microstructure of a concrete consists of a mixture of

coarse and fine aggregates in a matrix of cement paste.
• The nature of the cement paste, however, differs according
Microstructure of concrete to how close it is to an aggregate particle, or to steel rebar.
• The zone close to the paste-aggregate interface, or ITZ,
has been studied extensively, especially by SEM (in
backscattered electron imaging mode).

Prof. I.G. Richardson

An automated procedure for the quantitative analysis of such
images is illustrated next.

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Microstructure of Concrete: Microstructure of Concrete:

Analysis of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) Analysis of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ)
BEI Ca Si BEI Width
Ca of ITZ Si
Peak CH
value

Ca/Si
Bulk CH
Agg Ca/Si
value
Sometimes a region depleted in CH is observed

Unr CH CH

3 4

1
 12/02/2023

Microstructure of Concrete: Microstructure of Concrete:

Analysis of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) Analysis of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ)

CEM I i.e. 0 %Ca

GGBS Si CEM III with 50Ca% GGBS Si

Peak CH
value

Peak CH
Bulk CH value
value

Bulk CH
CH value

5 6

Microstructure of Concrete:
Analysis of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ)

CEM III with 70Ca% GGBS Si

Both the peak and

bulk values for %CH
decrease with
increasing % GGBS
Peak CH
value
Bulk CH
value