ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the microstructural characterization of surfaces and interfaces of Portland cement mortars used for flooring in construction works. The most important innovation in the field of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was the introduction of high-resolution SEM. The SEM, high-resolution was used to clarify the micro and nanometric details of cementitious material in Portland cement mortars. The mortar used in construction is commonly composed of washed river sand and the natural binders are generally Portland cement and hydrated lime. Examples of cement mortar: mortar roughcast and mortar cemented floors. The cement paste and concrete in themselves are very complex heterogeneous materials with different structures ranging from nanoscale to macroscopic scale. They consist of amorphous and crystalline phases and pores. The mixture of cement particles in water triggers a series of chemical reactions that occur at different speeds and are influenced by each other, leading to physical, chemical and mechanical changes within the system.
