A water absorption test for concrete

Synopsis The durability of concrete near an exposed surface is largely determined by the rate at which harmful agents can penetrate into the concrete. This paper presents a simple analysis of the penetration of' water into unsaturated concrete and describes a method by which the material constant that determines the rate of penetration, the sportively, can be measured, together with the effective porosity. The sorptivity is found to depend on the permeability and porosity of the concrete and the strength of capillary forces. The experimental results conform well to the predictions of the analysis and significant variations in sorptivity have been observed for concrete containing cement replacement materials and subject to different curing regimes.