Moisture conditioning and transport properties of concrete test specimens

Abstract

An experimental investigation is reported of drying and conditioning concrete at 50°C to obtain a uniform moisture distribution, prior to testing for air permeability and water absorption rate. The use of 100 mm cubes of concrete with a cast-in cylindrical cavity facilitated assessment of moisture distribution and measurement of air permeation through the surface layers of concrete: the moisture distribution was assessed by comparing the relative humidities measured within the cavity and at the surface of the test specimen. Partial drying followed by sealed storage at 50°C for a few days provided a rapid and convenient method of obtaining a uniform moisture distribution. The test results for a range of concretes indicated that air permeability and water absorption rate were very sensitive to the moisture content of the concrete, particularly at relative humidities above 60% and which were common for field exposure. The transport properties of the empty capillary pore system could be assessed using test specimens preconditioned at 60% relative humidity, but preconditioning at 85% relative humidity might be more appropriate for assessing field performance if there is a risk of carbonation induced corrosion.