CALCULATION OF MOISTURE TRANSPORT-COEFFICIENTS ON THE BASIS OF RELEVANT PORE STRUCTURE PARAMETERS

The objective of these studies on sandstones was to establish direct relationships between pore structure parameters and moisture transport, parameters of particular interest for the interpretation of damage processes. Pore structure parameters relevant to moisture transport can be inferred on the basis of a new concept for the description of pore structure. These parameters are used as input variables for direct, universally valid calculation of transport coefficients (not requiring the use of empirically determined correction factors). The paper describes the largely material-specific transport coefficients for gas diffusion, permeation and capillary suction. On the basis of these coefficients, individual relationships with 'effective' pore structure parameters are formulated. A comparison of calculated and measured transport coefficients demonstrated the suitability of the pore structure parameters and the validity of the inferred calculation method.