Home Page- Chiara "Clarissa" Ferraris

Mailing Address

Dr. Chiara F.  "Clarissa" Ferraris
Materials and Construction Research Division
Building and Fire Research Laboratory
100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8615
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD  20899-8615   USA
(301) 975-6711
FAX: (301) 990-6891

E-mail: clarissa@nist.gov

Dr. Ferraris joined the Inorganic Building Materials Group of the Materials and Construction Research Division in January 1994. She is carrying out studies on rheology of concrete, alkali-silica reactions, sorption measurements and sulfate attack in concrete. Other topics include rubber fibers for plastic shrinkage prevention, self-leveling compounds, and particle size distribution.

The main thrust of her work is on the rheological properties of fresh concrete. The scope is to predict the rheological parameters of concrete, i.e., yield stress and viscosity, from the mixture composition and the rheological parameters of the cement paste. A novel method to measure the cement paste rheological properties was developed. This test has the potential to predict the performance of supplementary cementitious materials and chemical admixtures in concrete. She lead an international effort to compare all the design of concrete rheometers. This work was under the sponsorship of ACI 236A committee (now ACI 238).

Dr. Ferraris received the 2001 NIST-BFRL Communication award for her report on the "Comparison of Concrete Rheometers International tests of LCPC (Nantes, France) in October 2000". This concluded the first-ever international test of rheometers of different designs from four different countries and lays the ground-work for using concrete rheology in place of slump tests for assessing ease of placement and consolidation for modern-day concretes. Drs. Ferraris and Robert A. Dragoset of the NIST Physics Laboratory, received the Equal Employment Opportunity/Diversity Award for organizing "Science: Get Psyched", a day of hands-on science experiences for 200-300 local Girl Scouts.

Prior to joining NIST (May 1987- December 1993), Dr. Ferraris was a Research Physicist at the Washington Research Center of W.R. Grace & Co. (Columbia, MD). In that position, she obtained three patents on admixtures for concrete and cement.

From March 1980 to April 1987, Dr. Ferraris worked at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology- Lausanne (Switzerland) with Prof. Wittmann and carried out studies on shrinkage of cement and concrete. This research led to a Ph.D. thesis completed in 1986.

Dr. Ferraris is a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and a member of the International Union of Laboratories and Experts in Construction Materials, Systems and Structures (RILEM). She is the chair of the ACI 238 .Workability of Fresh Concrete. and past chair of ACI 236 "Material Science of Concrete" (2001-2006). She is also involved in ASTM as a member of committees on Fineness C01.25 and C09.66 of Fluid Penetration.

Recent Publications

Particle Distribution

Ferraris, C.F., Hackley, V.A., and Aviles, A.I., "Measurement of Particle Size Distribution in Portland Cement Powder: Analysis of ASTM Round Robin Studies," Cement, Concrete and Aggregates, 26 (2), 71-81 (2004).

Hackley, V.A., Lum, L., Gintautas, V. and Ferraris, C.F., "Particle Size Analysis by Laser Diffraction Spectrometry: Application to Cementitious Powders, National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report 7097, March (2004). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F., Hackley, V.A., Aviles, A.I. and Buchanan, Jr., C.E., "Analysis of the ASTM Round-Robin Test on Particle Size Distribution of Portland Cement: Phase II", National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report 6931, (2002). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F., Hackley, V.A., Aviles, A.I. and Buchanan, Jr., C.E., "Analysis of the ASTM Round-Robin Test on Particle Size Distribution of Portland Cement: Phase I", National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report 6883, (2002). (pdf version)

Rheology

Amziane, S., Ferraris, C.F.F., "Rheology Measurement of Fresh Concrete with a Mixing Truck," SCC 2005 - Second North American Confernece on the Design and Use of Self-Consolidating Concrete and the Fourth International RILEM Symposium on Self-Compacting Concrete. Proceedings. Chicago, IL, October 30-November 3, 2005, pp. 539-544 (2005). (PDF Version)

Amziane, S., Ferraris, C.F. and Koehler, E.P., Measurement of Workability of Fresh Concrete Using a Mixing Truck," Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Vol. 110, No. 1, pp. 55-66, January-February (2005). (pdf version)

Amziane, S. and Ferraris, C.F., "Caractérisation de la prise des matériaux cimentaires, Proceedings of the National Congress of the French Group of Rheology, Mulhouse, France, October 14-14 (2004). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F. and Martys, N.S., "Relating Fresh Concrete Viscosity Measurements from Different Rheometers," Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Vol. 108, No. 3, pp. 229-234, May-June (2003). (pdf version)

Martys, N.S and Ferraris, C.F., "Simulation of SCC Flow," First North American Conference on the Design and Use of Self-Consolidating Concrete. Proceedings. Chicago, IL, November 12-13, 2002, pp. 27-30 (2003). (pdf version)

Flatt, R.J. and Ferraris, C.F., "Acoustophoretic characterization of cement suspensions," Materials and Structures, 35, pp. 541-549 (2002). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F., de Larrard, F. and Martys, N., "Fresh Concrete Rheology: Recent Developments," Materials Science of Concrete VI, Sidney Mindess and Jan Skalny, eds., American Ceramic Society, 215-241 (2001). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F. and Brower, L.E., editors, "Comparison of concrete rheometers: International tests at MB (Cleveland OH, USA) in May, 2003," National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report 7154, (2004). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F. and Brower, L.E., editors, "Comparison of concrete rheometers: International tests at LCPC (Nantes, France) in October, 2000," National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report 6819, (2001). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F. and Martys, N.S., De la pâte de ciment au béton: modélisation et mesures expérimentales des propriétés rhéologiques," Rhéologie - Génie Civil et Environment. Proceedings. 36éme Colloque du Groupe Français de Rhéologie, Marne la Vallée, October 10-12, pp. 226-230 (2001). " (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F., "Concrete Mixing Methods and Concrete Mixers: State of the Art," Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 106 (2) 391-399, (2001). (pdf version)

Hackley, V.A. and Ferraris, C.F., "The Use of Nomenclature in Dispersion Science and Technology," National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 960-3, (2001). (pdf version)

Hackley, V.A. and Ferraris, C.F., "Guide to Rheological Nomenclature: Measurements in Ceramic Particulate Systems," NIST Special Publication 946, (2001). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F., Brower, L., Ozyildirim, C., Daczko, J., "Workability of Self-Compacting Concrete," PCI/FHWA/FIB International Symposium on High Performance Concrete, September 25-27, 2000, pp. 398-407, (2000). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F., de Larrard, F., Modified Slump Test to Measure Rheological Parameters of Fresh Concrete," Cement, Concrete and Aggregates, CCAGDP, 20 (2) pp. 241-247 (1998). (pdf version)

Ferraris C. F., Gaidis J.M., "The Connection between the Rheology of Concrete and the Rheology of Cement Paste" ACI Materials Journal 88 (4) pp. 388-393 (1992).

Ferraris C.F., "Measurements of Rheological Properties of High Performance Concrete: State of the Art Report", NISTIR 5869, (1996). (pdf version)

C.F. Ferraris, F. de Larrard, "Testing and Modelling of Fresh Concrete Rheology" National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report 6094 (1998).

F. de Larrard, C.F. Ferraris,"Rhéologie du béton frais remanié. I: Plan expérimental et dépouillement des résultats", Bulletin des Laboratoire des Ponts et Chaussées (France), #213, January- February (1998).

F. de Larrard, C.F. Ferraris,"Rhéologie du béton frais remanié. II: Relations entre composition et parametres rhéologiques", Bulletin des Laboratoire des Ponts et Chaussées (France), #214, Mars-April (1998).

F. de Larrard, C.F. Ferraris, Rhéologie du béton frais remanié. III: L'essai au cône d'Abrams modifié", Bulletin des Laboratoire des Points et Chaussées (France), #215, pp. 53-60, Mai-Juin 1998. (pdf version)

C.F. Ferraris, C. Lobo, "Processing of HPC" Concrete International, Publication in April 1998 .

F. de Larrard, C. F. Ferraris, T. Sedran. "Fresh Concrete: A Herschel-Bulkley Material" Materials and Structures, 31 (211) 494-498, (1998).

Alkali-Silica Reaction

Ferraris C.F., Clifton J. R., Garboczi E.J., Davis F.L., "Stress due to Alkali-Silica Reactions in Mortars", 4th ASCE Materials Eng. Conf. Proc., Materials for the New Millenium, Ed. by Ken P. Chong, pp 1379-1387 (1996). (pdf version)

Ferraris C.F., Clifton J. R., Garboczi E.J., Davis F.L., "Stress due to ASR in Mortars", Proc. of MRS Nov. 1995, Mechanisms of Chemical Degradation of Cement-Based Systems, Ed. K.L. Scrivener and J.F Young, pp. 75-82 (1997). ((pdf version)

C.F. Ferraris, E. J. Garboczi , F. L. Davis, J. R. Clifton, "Effect of stress relaxation, self-dessication, and water absorption on alkali-silica reaction in low water cement ratio mortars", Cement and Concrete Research, 27 (10) pp. 1553-1560 (1997). (pdf version)

Sorption of Water

Bentz, D.P., Ehlen, M.A., Ferraris, C.F. and Winpigler, J.A., "Service Life Prediction Based on Sorptivity for Highway Concrete Exposed to Sulfate Attack and Freeze-Thaw Conditions", Federal Highway Administration Report No. FHWA-RD-01-162, 62 pages (2002). (pdf version)

Martys N., Ferraris C., "Sorption of Water in Mortars and Concrete" 4th ASCE Materials Eng. Conf. Proc., Materials for the New Millenium, Ed. by Ken P. Chong, pp. 1129-1138 (1996). (pdf version)

Martys N., Ferraris C., "Capillary Transport in Mortars and Concrete" Cement and Concrete Research, 27 (5) pp. 747-760 (1997). (pdf version)

Sulfate Attack

Mobasher, B. and Ferraris, C.F., "Simulation of Expansion in Cement Based Materials Subjected to External Sulfate Attack, RILEM International Symposium: "Advances in Concrete through Science and Engineering, Evanston, IL, March 21-24, 2004. (pdf version)

Ferraris C.F., Clifton J. R., Stutzman P.E., Garboczi E.J., (1997) "Mechanisms of Degradation of Portland Cement-Based Systems by Sulfate Attack", Proc. of MRS Nov. 1995, Mechanisms of Chemical Degradation of Cement-Based Systems, Ed. K.L. Scrivener and J.F Young, pp. 185-192 (1997). (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F., Stutzman, P.E., Snyder, K.A., (2006) "Sulfate Resistance of Concrete: A New Approach", Portland Cement Association, 93 Pages. (pdf version)

Ferraris, C.F., Stutzman, P.E., Peltz, M., and Winpigler, J.,"Developing a More Rapid Test to Assess Sulfate Resistance of Hydraulic Cements", Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Volume 110 Number 5 pp.529-540 (2005). (pdf version)

Other Topics

Bullard, J.W., Ferraris, C., Garboczi, E.J., Martys, N. and Stutzman, P., "Virtual Cement", Chapter 10.3 Innovations in Portland Cement Manufacturing pp. 1311-1331, J.I. Bhatty, F.M. Miller and S.H. Kosmatka, eds., Portland Cement Association (2004). (PDF Version)

Oland, C.B., Ferraris, C.F., "Concrete Materials Database," Concrete International 22 (12) pp. 28-33 (2000). (pdf version)

Ferraris C.F., "Testing of Selected Self-Leveling Compounds for Floors", National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report 5633 (1995). (pdf version)

Ferraris C.F., Stutzman P., Clifton J., "Warping of Terrace Pavers at the U.S. Capitol Building", National Institute of Standards and Technology Interal Report 5847 (1996). (pdf version)

Ferraris C.F., "Guide to a Format for Data on Chemical Admixtures in a Materials Property Database", National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report 5796 (1996). (pdf version)

Huynh H., Raghavan D., Ferraris C.F., "Rubber Particles from Recycled Tires in Cementitious Composite Materials", National Institute of Standards and Technology Internal Report 5850 R (1996). (pdf version)

Huynh H., Raghavan D., Ferraris C.F., "Rubber Particles from Recycled Tires in Cementitious Composite Materials", J. of Materials Science, 33 (7) pp. 1745-1752 (1998). (pdf version)

P.S. Wang, M.M. Ferguson, G. Eng, D.P. Bentz, C.F. Ferraris, J.R. Clifton, "1H nuclear magnetic resonance characterization of Portland Cement: molecular diffusion of water studied by spin relaxation and relaxation time-weighted imaging", Journal of Material Science, 33 pp. 3065-3071, (1998). ((pdf version)

Last revised 03-17-05

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