Abstract

A number of methods for measuring moisture transport properties of cementitious materials were compared in a series of experiments. Two OPC mortars with two water-binder-ratios were wet cured for six months and used to produce specimens as discs with different thicknesses and diameters."br /" The cup methods were easy to use, reliable and fairly rapid but need a stable, surrounding, CO2-free climate, however. Evaluating the fundamental potential PSI eliminates the derivation that adds to the uncertainty."br /" Steady-state moisture distribution measurements are very time-consuming and the RH-profiling is a delicate matter. Moisture contents are scattering. Sorption experiments are very easy to perform but difficult to evaluate, because of the peculiar moisture-dependency of the diffusivity Dw and the difficulties to estimate the equilibrium conditions. Initial uniform conditions are difficult to obtain for low w/c-materials, except to initial self-desiccation."br /" Sorption experiments in small steps are uncertain; the initial and final conditions are difficult to define properly. Document type: Report