Determination of surface properties of treated cement pastes by acoustic methods and scratch test - pilot experiments

The concrete has been and at the same time will be the most used construction material worldwide. It is exposed to various physical and chemical degradation processes that deteriorate its properties and shorten its service life in most applications. As most of the detrimental effects on concrete come from the ambient environment, the quality of concrete surface plays a key role in the overall concrete performance. It should be resistant to abrasion, free of microcracks and open pores to prevent ingress of water, aggressive solutions, and gases. To enhance the properties of the concrete surface, various approaches can be used. The treatment via silicate-based sealers is becoming increasingly popular in concrete technology, especially in preventing deterioration when exposed to highly aggressive environments. This contribution focuses on applying unconventional test methods (e.g. combined scratch/acoustic emission method) to detect the fundamental properties of the treated cementitious surfaces will also provide a new perspective approach of material testing, which may be in the future advantageously used in technical practice. The present combined scratch/acoustic emission test evaluation will provide an excellent insight into lithium silicate sealers’ physical behaviour on fine-grained cement-based materials during this test.