Concrete Microscopy Course - RILEM Annual Week CMC Course

Scope of the course

• Principles of optical microscopy
• Introduction to optical mineralogy
• Microscopical characteristics of cement and hydration products
• Principles of electron microscopy (SEM)
• Protocols for SEM and microanalysis on cement-based materials
• Characterization of secondary reaction products in concrete
• Specimen preparation techniques
• Image analysis and introduction to stereology
• "All hands on deck" practical sessions 

The CMC Concrete Microscopy course is designed for:

• Graduate students (PhD, MSc students and Postdocs)
• Professors and other academic professionals
• Professionals from industry

This course is designed for those who would like to gain insight into concrete microscopy and microstructure. The idea is to introduce optical and electron microscopes as a research tool and present their advantages in characterizing the cementitious materials. In addition to microscopy, specimen preparation, image analysis, techniques using photomicrographs for modelling and micromechanical characterization (nano-indentation) are also covered. There is no prior experience with microscopy required for the course. The CMC is suitable for the civil engineering, material science, geosciences PhD students and industry professionals who are new to the microstructural aspects of cement and concrete.