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Engineering Laboratory /Materials and Structural Systems Division

Infrastructure Materials Group

The Infrastructure Materials Group conducts research to predict performance of conventional and innovative materials, components, and systems composing US buildings and infrastructure throughout the service life by developing a fundamental understanding of the performance properties and the degradation mechanisms when exposed to intended (real world) or accelerated (laboratory) loading environments.

Standard Reference Materials

Portland Cement Clinker

Standard Reference Materials (SRMs®) are paramount for instrument calibration and verification to measure the properties of cementitious materials. In addition, they are used in the development of test methods and for performance verification of laboratories using standardized test methods.

The Infrastructure Materials group is very active in developing and maintaining SRMs. A list of SRMs resulting from their efforts are provided here, with detailed information found at the Standard Reference website :

  • SRM 114q and SRM 46h: Fineness of cement powder by ASTM and AASHTO methods
  • SRMs 2492, 2493 and 2497: series of Bingham fluids used to measure calibrate rotational rheometers designated for paste, mortar and concrete. (2492, and 2493 are available, 2497 will be available soon)
  • SRMs 2686a, 2687, and 2688, portland cement clinker for phase abundance.

In addition, IMG is strongly involved in ASTM and AASHTO to champion standard test methods. A list of the test methods is provided here.

News and Updates

Projects and Programs

Accelerated Weathering Laboratory: Metrology and Technology Transfer

Ongoing
Objective By 2027, validate and implement the NIST Accelerated Weathering Laboratory (AWL) technology for conducting accurate and traceable aging experiments. By 2028, transfer the SPHERE technology to industrial stakeholders. Technical Idea A NIST Accelerated Weathering Laboratory (AWL) has been
3D Concrete Printer

Additive Manufacturing with Cement-based Materials

Ongoing
Objective - Develop the measurement science tools and scientific knowledge base for performance-based standards for reinforced 3-D printed concrete structures. Background - Current 3DCP construction practices resemble reinforced masonry construction, as shown in Figure 1. Similar to reinforced

Engineered Materials for Resilient Infrastructure Program

Ongoing
Objective - To develop and deploy measurement science to reliably assess the current and future performance of engineered materials in support of resilient infrastructure given exposure to chronic (e.g., materials degradation) and episodic (e.g., earthquakes) hazards. What is the technical idea? To

Hydration Reactions in Microstructures Project

Completed
Objective - Generate and publish reaction rate data and enhanced computer modeling tools to better understand and predict the rates of microstructure development and phase interactions in portland cement concrete binders. What is the new technical idea? Reflection digital holographic microscopy (DHM

Publications

Pyrrhotite Reference Material Synthesis

Author(s)
Michael Mengason, Stephanie Watson
The mineral pyrrhotite was synthesized from iron and sulfur starting materials for one component in a four-component reference material (RM 8154-Pyrrhotite in

Software

Cement Particle Screenshot

CEMHYD3D

(Return to Cement Hydration and Degradation Modeling Software) Version 1.0 of CEMHYD3D included three computer programs (statsimp.c, corrcalc.c, and corrxy2r.c)

Concrete Electrical Conductivity Test

(Return to Cement Hydration and Degradation Modeling Software) The purpose of this form is to compute the results of a bulk electrical conductivity of concrete

Concrete Optimization Software Tool

(Return to Cement Hydration and Degradation Modeling Software) COST (Concrete Optimization Software Tool) is an online design/analysis system to assist concrete

Awards

CONCRETE.NIST.GOV

Visit concrete.nist.gov to view all of our Cement Hydration and Degradation Modeling Software!

Contacts