A Microcontroller-Based Microwave Measurement System for Permittivity Determination of Fresh Cement-Based Materials

A microcontroller(μC) based free-space microwave measurement system is proposed for quality control and evaluation of fresh cement samples. Only amplitudes of reflection and transmission properties are utilized for complex permittivity determination. The equations for fast and accurate determination of these samples are shown. A correction technique is devised to eliminate systematic errors of the proposed measurement system. Measurement and complex permittivity results of a fresh cement paste sample at 10 GHz are demonstrated to validate the system. This relatively inexpensive, simple, and dynamic measurement system can be a good candidate for instant evaluation and quality control of fresh cement samples at the construction site.