Title:
Leveraging Ancillary Petrographic Methods to Understand Material Performance
Author(s):
Jamison Langdon
Publication:
Web Session
Volume:
Issue:
Appears on pages(s):
Keywords:
DOI:
Date:
10/26/2025
Abstract:
Modern petrographic evaluations often require analysis beyond the typical use of stereoscopy and polarized light microscopy to identify the contributing factors observed regarding field performance of cementitious-based materials. These ancillary methods may include analyses such as portable X-ray fluorescence, color spectrophotometry, Fourier Transform Infrared, Raman spectroscopy, as well as numerous other methods. Observations and results of these analyses can also be utilized to accelerate understanding of material conditions in the initial stages of the forensic evaluation that allow the petrographer to adapt the investigation in a rapid and timely manner. Several methods will be discussed via case studies to show how these ancillary methods have been used to better understand material performance.