Permeability to gas of partially saturated concrete

Abstract

Permeability measurements are widely used to characterize durability of concrete. One important aspect for permeability to gas measurements is the water content in the specimens. The paper presents results of measurements on concrete specimens on the influence of the water content on the permeability to gas. To a first approximation there is a linear relationship between the logarithm of the permeability and the water content in the pores, given as the degree of saturation as a percentage. The influence of the w/c ratio on this relationship is presented. Finally, comments are made on the requirements for the conditioning of concrete specimens prior to permeability to gas measurements. (A)