Relating unsaturated electrical and hydraulic conductivity of cement-based materials

Abstract

Unsaturated hydraulic ($K$) and electrical ($\sigma_b$) conductivity are often considered durability indicators of cement-based materials. However, $K$ is difficult to measure experimentally. This is due to the large pressure requirements at low degrees of saturation resulting from the fine pore-size distribution of cement-based materials. As a result, the commonly-used analytical models, requiring calibration of $K$ from experimental data, are often inaccurate at low degrees of saturation. On the other hand, measuring $\sigma_b$ is rather straight forward. Descriptions of the relationship between $\sigma_b$ and $K$ may therefore be particularly valuable when $K$ is required. In this work, we use experimental data from previous works to determine the feasibility of models employing a van Genuchten-Mualem based framework to predict $K$ and $\sigma_b$ -- expressions for diffusivity $D$ are also provided. We then develop analytical expressions relating $K$ and $\sigma_b$ using these models. It is then shown that $K = K(\sigma_b)$ and $\sigma_b = \sigma_b(K)$ may be determined when either parameter is fully described. Lastly, we propose a simplified model and discuss the roles of pore-size distribution, saturation, pore connectivity and tortuosity in characterizing the relationship between $K$ and $\sigma_b$.