Improved mesoscale segmentation of concrete from 3D X-ray images using contrast enhancers (original) (raw)

A volumetrics thresholding algorithm for processing asphalt concrete X-ray CT images

International Journal of Pavement Engineering, 2011

This paper presents an automated digital image processing technique for capturing the microstructure of asphalt concrete (AC) from X-ray computed tomography images. It applies to circular cross-section images of AC cores of known volumetrics. Its innovation is that it uses the volumetric properties as the main criterion for establishing grey-level thresholds for the boundaries between air-mastic and mastic-aggregates. The algorithm, implemented in MATLABe, involves three stages. The first stage involves image pre-processing for contrast enhancement and noise removal. The second stage is the main thresholding routine accepting as input the enhanced images of the first stage and volumetric information for the AC. It consists of two components, namely volumetrics-driven thresholding and 3D representation/sectioning. The third stage further enhances particle separation through edge detection and image segmentation. Examples were provided in imaging actual AC cores of known volumetric properties. The algorithm was shown to produce realistic rendering of the microstructure of ACs. Their quality is suitable for input into numerical simulation.

Binary segmentation of aggregate in SEM image analysis of concrete

Cement and Concrete Research, 2001

Image analysis of backscattered electron (bse) images has often been used to determine the fraction of the phases in cement paste, such as porosity and anhydrous cement content. However, application of this technique to concrete requires separation of aggregate particles from the paste matrix in the bse image. Binary segmentation of phases is usually based on their grey levels in the image, but the grey levels of aggregate frequently overlap those of the other phases present. In this paper, an algorithm is presented for separating out aggregate particles in the concrete image by a combination of grey-level thresholding, filtering and binary operations. The results demonstrate that the method is able to deal with segmentation of different types of aggregate. D

Reconstruction of concrete microstructure using complementarity of X-ray and neutron tomography

Cement and Concrete Research, 2021

The concrete microstructure was successfully reconstructed using the complementarity of X-ray and neutron computed tomography (CT). Neither tomogram alone was found to be suitable to properly describe the microstructure of concrete under this study. However, by merging the information revealed by the two modalities, and using image segmentation, noise reduction, and image registration techniques we reconstruct the concrete microstructure. Void, aggregate, and cement paste phases are successfully captured down to the images' spatial resolution, even though the aggregate consists of multiple minerals. The coarse-aggregate volume fraction of the reconstructed microstructure was similar to that of the mixing proportions. Furthermore, image-based finite element analysis is performed to demonstrate the effects of microstructure on stress concentration and strain localization.

Analysis of X-Ray Microtomographic Concrete Images

2003

A threshold-based method and a motion-based method are applied to recovering and analyzing the cracks in X-ray microtomographic concrete images. The motion-based method provides better results than the threshold-based method. The recovered surfaces of segments and cracks are presented and used for statistical measurement.

Simple and fast porosity analysis of concrete using x-ray computed tomogrphy

X-ray computed tomography is a well-known technique to measure porosity in materials such as concrete, though this usually involves time consuming scans and complex analysis procedures. Many of these involve custom software or programming procedures. In this paper, a simplified procedure is presented and demonstrated using results obtained from basic procedures with commercial software packages, with minimal image processing. The same sample was subjected to scans ranging from 100 μm to 5 μm resolutions, demonstrating the multiscale ability of commercial CT scanners. Scans done at typical high-quality conditions (1 hr duration) in comparison to very fast scans (5 minutes) are also presented and it is demonstrated that useful information is still obtained from such lower quality faster scans. This demonstrates the concept that X-ray CT is simple and cost effective for research and industrial applications, not requiring expert 3D image analysis experience, for obtaining good porosity information.

Wavelet-based characterisation of aggregate segregation in asphalt concrete X-ray computed tomography images

International Journal of Pavement Engineering, 2011

This paper presents an automated digital image processing technique for capturing the microstructure of asphalt concrete (AC) from X-ray computed tomography images. It applies to circular cross-section images of AC cores of known volumetrics. Its innovation is that it uses the volumetric properties as the main criterion for establishing grey-level thresholds for the boundaries between air-mastic and mastic-aggregates. The algorithm, implemented in MATLABe, involves three stages. The first stage involves image pre-processing for contrast enhancement and noise removal. The second stage is the main thresholding routine accepting as input the enhanced images of the first stage and volumetric information for the AC. It consists of two components, namely volumetrics-driven thresholding and 3D representation/sectioning. The third stage further enhances particle separation through edge detection and image segmentation. Examples were provided in imaging actual AC cores of known volumetric properties. The algorithm was shown to produce realistic rendering of the microstructure of ACs. Their quality is suitable for input into numerical simulation.

Measurement of aggregate interfacial porosity in complex, multi-phase aggregate concrete: Binary mask production using backscattered electron, and energy dispersive X-ray images

Cement and Concrete Research, 2006

This paper presents for the first time a method for the accurate segmentation of complex (multi-phase) natural aggregate particles, from greyscale backscattered electron images (BEI) of hardened concrete, so that interfacial porosity may be measured. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectra are collected from phases present in aggregate particles to identify the most abundant and therefore useful elements to be captured during later mapping. Appropriately captured energy dispersive X-ray dot maps are used to progressively construct a multi-phase composite aggregate binary mask, for aggregate particles composed of more than one mineral. The mask image is then re-processed in combination with the backscattered image, to produce an accurate hardened cement paste (HCP) porosity mask, which is used to measure the distribution of interfacial porosity around aggregate particles. D

Digital Image Processing and MEB (BSE) Techniques in the Identification and Quantification of Minerals Phases Present in Cement and Concrete

MRS Proceedings, 2007

The generation processes of microscopic images in as Backscattered Scanning Electrons (BSE) are produced by complex interaction between incident electrons beam within the specimen. Different authors have correlated the energy of impact released with the mean atomic number (Z) of the phase to study, and deducing that the nature of the scattering events induced by the electron beam is strongly controlled by the Z value of them. If we compared the amount of electron backscattering with respect to response of the beam energies and so deduced a mathematical functions, for each specimen studied, and respectively by to digital images processing (based on the linear transformation of levels grey range in those energies) allows to sharpen in the discrimination and quantification of some phases in cements that, due to overlap processes, until now, could not be isolated. By means theses theoretical studios it is possible, for example, to identify interstitial cations that impinge on Z factor o...

IJERT-On Application of Image Processing: Study of Digital Image Processing Techniques for Concrete Mixture Images and Its Composition

International Journal of Engineering Research and Technology (IJERT), 2014

https://www.ijert.org/on-application-of-image-processing-study-of-digital-image-processing-techniques-for-concrete-mixture-images-and-its-composition https://www.ijert.org/research/on-application-of-image-processing-study-of-digital-image-processing-techniques-for-concrete-mixture-images-and-its-composition-IJERTV3IS031085.pdf The concrete mixture is combination of various Cement, Air-voids and Aggregates. To analyze the compositions of the concrete mixture, the X-ray CT images are used. Digital image processing algorithm is applied to analyze the obtained image. Using this Digital image processing algorithm the obtained image is processed and filtered. The resultant image is compared with the X-ray CT image and the measured and predicted mixture proportions are compared to analyze the absolute errors. The threshold range T1 and T2 were found for aggregates, cement materials and air-voids. On comparing the obtained range with the predicted measurement, it is found that the Digital Image processing algorithm results better accuracy. This leads to conclude that Threshold algorithm provide significant improvement over the manual and subjective techniques used for the analysis.

2D image analysis method for evaluating coarse aggregate characteristic and distribution in concrete

Construction and Building Materials, 2016

h i g h l i g h t s Two-dimensional image analysis method for particle status analysis is developed. Coarse aggregate characteristic and distribution in concrete are analyzed. Information of 2D image analysis and 3D experiment results has good consistency. Image analysis can help to improve concrete quality and optimize mix proportion. Disturbance should be avoid to guarantee coarse aggregate distributing homogeneity.