Characterization of Cement-Based Multiphase Materials Using Ultrasonic Wave Attenuation

To my family and friends who make me who I am ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This work would not have been possible without the support from a number of people who encouraged me during my stay in the United States. Most importantly, I would like to thank Prof. Laurence 'Larry' Jacobs for being an outstanding advisor, teacher, and friend, supporting me in an unprecedented way during my stay at Georgia Tech. For his sharing of knowledge and the encouragement during the whole research, especially in the challenging phases of the project, I express my gratitude to Dr. Jin-Yeon Kim. Special thanks also go to Dr. Jianmin Qu for being a great teacher, and for his helpful advice during the work on this thesis. I am deeply indebted to Prof. Dr.-Ing. Lothar Gaul and the Institut für Angewandte und Experimentelle Mechanik for enabling me to live this unique experience by establishing this great exchange program. The generous financial and organizational support provided by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) is greatly appreciated. I would like to express my sincere gratefulness to all my friends who contributed in an invaluable way in making this year an unforgetable experience. Specifically, I thank Aline 'Dobby' Zimmer for her support during the last year. I thank my labmates Prüll for the fruitful discussions, the enjoyable atmosphere in the lab, and the fun we had together. Finally, I express my loving gratefulness to my family who has always encouraged me in all my adventures. Your love and support have brought me to where I am and I cannot express my thankfulness for your enduring belief in me and my future.