Dielectric and electrical properties of ordinary Portland cement and slag cement in the early hydration period

Abstract

The dielectric constant and electrical conductivity of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with water-cement ratios (w/c) of 0.30, 0.35 and 0.40 were measured for the first 30 h hydration, using a microwave technique in the frequency range 8.2–12.4 GHz. It was found that both the dielectric constant and electrical conductivity of the cement paste are sensitive to the water-cement ratio, the higher the w/c value, the greater the dielectric constant and electrical conductivity, and the longer the hydration time. We also found that the higher the frequency the greater the electrical conductivity but the smaller the dielectric constant. The dielectric constant and electrical conductivity of high- and low-slag cement with water-solid ratio (w/s) of 0.40 were measured in the first 30 h after mixing. The changes in dielectric constant and electrical conductivity of low-slag cement with time are similar to that of OPC, but the high-slag cement shows very different dielectric and electrical properties compared with OPC and low-slag cement. The relationship between the dielectric and electrical properties of cement paste and cement hydration was also discussed.