Book excerpt: As advanced teaching and training in the development of cementitious materials increases, the need has emerged for an up-to-date practical guide to the field suitable for graduate students and junior and general practitioners. This edited volume provides the cement science community with a state-of-the-art overview of analytical techniques used in cement chemistry to study the hydration and microstructure of cements. Each chapter focusses on a specific technique, not only describing the basic principles behind the technique, but also providing essential, practical details on its application to the study of cement hydration. Each chapter sets out present best practice, and draws attention to the limitations and potential experimental pitfalls of the technique. Databases that supply examples and that support the analysis and interpretation of the experimental results strengthen a very valuable ready reference.