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CAPABILITIES

Concrete Materials & Petrography

Advanced microstructure analysis, chemical testing, and durability evaluation for hardened concrete, mortar, aggregate, and cemenetitious systems, from field cores to forensic investigations. 
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A History of Expertise and Innovation

RJ Lee Group has assessed environmental issues since the early 1980s when our Energy Technology Consultants (ETC) pioneered the recognition of specific air quality patterns. We developed a cutting-edge technique for identifying, measuring, and characterizing particles in the air using computer-controlled scanning electron microscopy (CCSEM).

RJ Lee Group has worked with clients in various industries, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to assess and provide solutions for environmental factors that could affect our health. Our services have grown over the years, from setting controls for unbound nanoparticles (UNP) to designing and building test chambers to simulate specific environmental conditions.

Today we offer our expertise for our clients’ environmental and compliance concerns and perform rigorous assessment and management of potential environmental risks.

WHAT IS CONCRETE PETROGRAPHY

The microscope as a diagnostic tool

Petrography applies the methods of geology and materials science to hardened concrete, mortar, and aggregate, revealing what is happening at the microscopic scale and why.

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PE·TRO·GRAPHY (noun)
Defined in ACI 2025 CT-25 as: 1) the branch of petrology dealing with description and systematic classification of rocks aside from their geologic relations, mainly by laboratory methods, largely chemical and microscopica 2) laboratory study of concrete and mortar samples to determine various characteristics including, but not limited to, w/c, paste-aggregate bond, and air content.

Water-cement
Composition Analysis

Identify binder type, paste content, aggregate mineralogy, supplementary cementitious materials, and secondary deposits.

  • Air content

  • W/cm ratio

  • Hydration degree

Distress image web
Distress diagnosis

Pinpoint the mechanisms behind cracking,
scaling, popouts, low strength, or discoloration — essential for repair and
litigation support.

  • ASR

  • DEF

  • Freeze-thaw

Durability image web
Durability evaluation

Predict future performance, support
specification compliance, and inform durable
repair design for structures in service.

  • Corrosion Risk

  • Depth of carbonation

  • Aggregate soundness

What we test

Materials & specimens

Our laboratory accepts field-extracted cores and lab-cast specimens across a full range of cementitious systems and concrete materials.

wheelbarrow
Cementitious systems

  • Field-extracted concrete cores

  • Laboratory-cast concrete specimens

  • Mortar, grout, and shotcrete

  • Masonry and pre-cast specimens

construction
Raw & supplementary materials

  • Cement and blended binders

  • Fly ash, slag, and silica fume LSCMsM

  • Aggregate — reactivity, quality, mineralogy

  • Surface coatings and curing compounds

Case study

Case study

How AeroTech Secured Its Future

When AeroTech Industries faced recurring defects in a crucial aircraft component, they were at risk of losing multi-million dollar contracts and jeopardizing the jobs of hundreds of employees. They enlisted the help of RJ Lee Group, who quickly deployed a team of technical experts. Through state-of-the-art forensic analysis, RJ Lee Group identified and rectified the root cause—a flaw in the casting process—eliminating the defect and preserving AeroTech's contracts.

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Testing Capabilities

Core testing services

Standardized and custom testing protocols designed to address project-specific questions through objective evaluation and analysis.

ASTM C856 / C295

Petrographic examination

  • Stereo, PLM, and SEM microscopy

  • Thin and polished section preparation

  • ASR gel, ettringite, and microcracking

  •  Aggregate quality and mineralogy

  • Paste microstructure and hydration

ASTM C457

Air-void system analysis

  • Total air content measurement

  • Spacing factor and specific surface

  • Freeze-thaw resistance assessment

  • Air distribution and bubble size


C1152 / C1218 / C1580

Chloride & sulfate testing

  • Acid-soluble chloride 

  •  Water-soluble chloride content (corrosion risk)

  • Total sulfate content

  • Water-soluble alkalis (ASR susceptibility)

w/cm ratio estimation

  • Fluorescent microscopy method

  • BSE (backscattered electron) imaging

  • Correlation with mix design and durability

  

ASTM C42/C39

Compressive strength

  • Drilled core and cast cylinder testing

  • Surface preparation and dimensional
    check

  • End condition compliance 

Distress & failure analysis

  • Surface scaling and aggregate popouts

  • Cement-aggregate reactions (ASR, ACR)

  • Chemical attack and carbonation depth

  • Fire and heat-related damage

  • Improper finishing or curing diagnosis

See our full range of testing services

A complete overview of our concrete testing capabilities and methods. 

Concrete Testing Services Flyer

Advanced analytical tools

High-resolution instruments for chemical, elemental, and microstructural characterization used to support detailed material evaluation and failure investigations.

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SEM
Scanning electron microscopy - High-resolution imaging of paste  microstructure, ASR gel morphology, and hydration features, with elemental mapping.

XRD
X-ray diffraction - Phase identification of portlandite, ettringite, gypsum, and DEF gel byproducts.

XRF
X-ray fluorescence - Bulk elemental analysis of cement, SCMs, and aggregate samples.

PLM
Polarized light microscopy - Optical characterization of aggregate mineralogy, paste texture, and secondary deposits.


FTIR
Infrared spectroscopy - Identification of surface coatings, curing compounds, and potential bond-breaker contamination.

BSE
Backscattered electron imaging - Phase-contrast imaging for w/cm estimation and degree of hydration assessment.

Strategic Partnertship

RJ Lee Group × Durability Engineers

We deliver our petrography services in partnership with Durability Engineers PLLC, specialists in concrete durability, structural evaluation, and nondestructive testing. Together, we cover the full spectrum from laboratory analysis to field assessment and repair design.

Combined lab + field expertise under one engagement

 

Delayed ettringite formation

 

Nondestructive testing and structural evaluation 

Alkali-silica reaction (ASR) specialty investigations

 

Pyrrhotite evaluation and structural assessment

 

Durability-focused repair design and documentation

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An engineering firm specializing in the investigation and evaluation of concrete deterioration, from diagnosis through repair design and structural monitoring.


ASR            DEF           NDT        Pyrrhotite           Structural Repair

Visit Durability Engineers →

Contact an expert

Talk to someone who knows concrete

Our team handles forensic investigations, materials qualification, litigation support, and new construction testing. Reach out with your project details and we will point you to the right expertise.

Michael Baker web

Michael Baker

Construction Materials Laboratory Manager

With 11+ years of experience in concrete petrographic studies at RJ Lee Group, Michael directs petrographic evaluations combined with chemical and physical testing to identify failure and distress mechanisms in concrete and cementitious materials.

Request a consultation

Tell us about your project, and we'll connect you with the right expert—typically within one business day.