Gas Diffusion in Cement Pastes: An Analysis using a Fluctuating Diffusivity Model

Abstract

This work propose an application of the concept of fluctuating diffusivity to the diffusion of gas molecules in cementitious materials, particularly through a two-state fluctuating diffusivity (2SFD) model. The 2SFD model is utilized to investigate the diffusion of oxygen in cement pastes. The analysis provides a reasonable description of the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in cement pastes, and highlights the presence of non-Gaussian diffusion, which can be attributed to the heterogeneous microstructure. The presence of non-Gaussianity in the probability density of the molecule's displacement, characterized by heavier tails than those of the Gaussian distribution, may have a significant impact on the durability assessments of concrete structures.