Inkbottle Pore-Method: Prediction of hygroscopic water content in hardened cement paste at variable climatic conditions

The aim of this work is the development of a practicable method for the reliable prediction of the equilibrium hygroscopic water content in hardened cement paste and cement mortars at changing climatic conditions. Sorption thermodynamics and multi-scale pore structure of hardened cement paste build the basis of the new computation procedure. Drying and chemical aging lead to a formation of inkbottle pores. Their influence on sorption behaviour will be considered in particular by including them into the pore model. Experimental data of adsorption, desorption and scanning-isotherms verify the new computation method, which has been called "IBP-Method" (inkbottle pores). (C) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.