a b s t r a c t
The proportion of anhydrous cement in materials is essential data in relation to reactivity potential,
particularly in by-products that may be reused it in concrete techniques. This paper presents a method
based on Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) image analysis and a specific program in Matlab that
was developed to statistically determine the proportion of anhydrous cement. Industrial by-products
containing anhydrous cement were tested by this method and a percentage of around 15–20% was found
in the analyzed by-products. The reliability of these results is noteworthy in comparison with those given
by classical image analysis software. The reactive characteristic and the hydration kinetics of the
analyzed by-products were also verified using isothermal calorimetry and a mechanical study of standard
mortars in which the cement had been partially replaced by these by-products.