A comparison study of porosity and compressive strength mathematical models with image analysis

In this study, mathematical models obtained to determine the relationship between pore structure of cement mortars and compressive strength values were compared with results of image analysis results. Micrographs of polished sections of prepared cement mortars were taken to determine the area ratio values of pore structure in cement mortars. The relationships between pore structure and compressive strength values were investigated. Four different types of mathematical models for the relationship between porosity and compressive strength were examined. The obtained results for each mathematical model were compared to image analysis results. The study shows that image analysis techniques have a great capacity to define the relationship between pore area ratios obtained by microstructural investigations and compressive strength values. There is a good correlation between this relationship by image analysis and other mathematical models. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.