The 3D profile surface parameter H q and fractal dimension D were tested as indicators of mechanical properties inferred from fracture surfaces of porous solids. High porous hydrated cement pastes were used as prototypes of porous materials. Both the profile parameter H q and the fractal dimension D showed capability to assess compressive strength from the fracture surfaces of hydrated pastes. From a practical point of view the 3D profile parameter H q seems to be more convenient as an indicator of mechanical properties, as its values suffer much less from statistical scatter than those of fractal dimensions.
Hydrated pastes of ordinary Portland cement prepared with different water-to-cement ratios were investigated by using the small-angle neutron scattering technique in the region of Q ∈ (0.0045, 0.11) Å−1. Samples of cement pastes were subjected to non-standard hydration conditions using a mix with D2O, low RH, and water-to-cement ratios spread over a very wide interval (0.4; 1.4). The investigation was focused on testing the structural stability of nano-metric particles in the cement C-S-H gel. Owing to the high structural stability of these nano-particles, their average diameter might be used as a microscopic parameter characterizing the nano-metric structure of C-S-H gels. The average diameter of the nano-particles of the studied ordinary Portland cement CEMI 42.5 R-SC was found to be close to the value of 4.2 nm and independent of the water-to-cement ratios.
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