3-D visualization of dynamic loading induced damage of rock-like materials using micro-focus X-ray CT scanner

1.5″ Pulse shape-controlled Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar system (PS SHPB) was used to impact cement paste samples in order to make dynamic loading-induced damaged samples. The microfocus X-ray Computerized Tomography (CT) was used to scan the damaged samples. The scanned slices were rendered to build 3D dimensional images of the samples. The number of cracks increases as impact velocity increase. The most of the cracks generate alongside the boundaries of the material constitutes and connect the pores. The density of the vertical cracks increased with increasing impact velocity. A number of cracks which are not connected each other are visible. From the 3 dimensional images of pores and cracks through the removal of minerals and cement paste phase, it was revealed that pores are distributed from several 10 μm to several mm and planar cracks (parallel to loading axis) are increased with impact velocity increment but there is a tendency toward decreasing the cracks length.