Isothermal moisture properties of wood-cementitious composites

This article describes a study undertaken to examine the moisture properties of lightweight concrete prepared from clay, cement, and wood aggregates at isothermal conditions. The sorption-desorption isotherm curves of different mixtures show a strong hysteresis. The effect of wood aggregates on the water absorption of composite has been investigated by gamma ray absorption spectrometer. It is found that the sorptivity of the composite is very affected by the presence of wood aggregates in clay-cement matrix. Test results have been confirmed both qualitatively, using magnetic resonance imaging method, and quantitatively, from capillary suction curve calculated from sorption isotherm and pore size distribution. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.