Optical method to characterize and assess setting evolution of cement pastes.

In this work, a nondestructive and noninvasive technique, based on laser technology and the use of the Kubelka-Munk model to calculate the dynamic behavior of the cement paste from the diffuse reflection properties of both cement components and hydration products, is proposed. Also, the Powers-Brunauer model is used to explain this behavior during the first 9 h of the hydration process. This method allows us to obtain the initial and final cement setting times from the diffuse reflection measurements.