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The microstructure of the cementitious phase plays a very important role in determining the strength, the mechanical properties and the long-term durability of cementitious materials. Current methods for evaluating the microstructure of the cement are invasive and primarily laboratory-based. These methods are not conducive for studying the pore structure changes in the first few hours after casting since the changes in microstructure occur on a time scale that is an order of magnitude faster than the time required for sample preparation. An ultrasonic wave reflection technique which allows for real-time assessment of the porosity and the elastic modulus of cementitious materials is presented, and a theoretical framework based on a poro-elastic idealization of the hydrating cementitious material is developed for interpreting the ultrasonic reflection data in this book. The study should be especially useful to professionals in cement and concrete composites, or anyone else who may consider utilizing the ultrasonic technique on porous media.

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Dr. Wang obtained his Ph.D. from the Graduate Center at the City Univeristy of New York in 2010, where his spent 5 years doing research on material properties development of cement and concrete composites. He is now a structural engineer working in New York city on East Side Access project.

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