Use of simple non-destructive techniques to evaluate the hydration reactions of PVA-modified cement pastes

Abstract

The rapidity of the hydration reaction defines the final properties of cement-based materials. Global techniques show the overall hydration reaction and make it easier for users to evaluate it in a simple non-destructive way, to assess the product and to foresee its final properties. In this paper, three global, simple non-destructive techniques (adiabatic temperature rise, ultrasonic pulse transit time and permittivity increase) showed the same fifth stages in the hydration of two different cement pastes, being able to tell apart their singular hydration reactions. Polymers, such as PVA, are widely used in the construction industry. These affect significantly the hydration reaction of the cement based materials. This paper demonstrates the validity to measure it for PVA-modified cement pastes by means of these techniques giving the building construction industry the chance to use the most available one to evaluate its material hydration reaction as a quality control tool.