Measurement of moisture transport in cement mortar

• Main Author: Azman Ismail
• Other Authors: Masoud Ghandehari
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Civil engineering::Construction technology
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/15660
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

One of the most challenging issues faced by civil engineers arises from the progressive deterioration and structural deficiency of new and existing concrete structures. New methods have to be employed so as to monitor the structure without affecting its structural integrity. It is known that the moisture content and the flow of water within a concrete has a considerable impact on its durability, degradation as well as its thermal properties. Clearly, an understanding of moisture transport in concrete and mortar is important to estimate its service life and predict its deterioration. Any changes in the moisture content can be used as an indicator for the implementation of maintenance services to prevent further damage or possibly collapse. This document outlines a method of measuring water content in cement mortar through the use of fiber optic sensors embedded within the specimen as well as gravimetric measurement. Both methods were compared to show their correlation. Factors such as water/cement ratio, the replacement of cement with gypsum as well as the effect of one-dimensional and three-dimensional analysis were taken into considerations.