Prediction of moisture transfer in cement-based materials: Use of a porous network model to access transfer parameters

Knowing the water transport phenomena is fundamental for understanding durability of cement-based materials. The moisture content within cementitious materials primary importance because it has a direct influence on mechanical (shrinkage, creep) and chemical (penetration aggressive agents) degradation. Many models based determination transfer properties material under study already exist but require fitting parameters to find experimental kinetics. Transfer are generally estimated from empirical approaches developed soils by Van Genuchten vapour diffusion reduction factor often calculated via Millington's semi-empirical model. In this paper, we make proposal improve prediction transfer, through mechanisms such as drying, capillary imbibition permeability in materials, using porous network model access parameters.