Microstructural changes due to mercury intrusion porosimetry were documented in a 6-month-old sample of ordinary portland cement paste made with a water/cement ratio of 0.5. Specimens before and after mercury intrusion were viewed at 60% relative humidity using an environmental scanning electron microscope. Specimens were intruded to a pressure just below the critical threshold pressure, removed for observation, then intruded to a pressure well above the critical threshold pressure. Significant damage caused by relatively low pressures of 10-20 MPa was found in the interior of the sample. The connectivity of pores in the 10-1 µm size range was much higher after intrusion.
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