- Author
- Garboczi, E. J. | Schwartz, L. M. | Bentz, D. P.
- Title
- Modeling the Influence of the Interfacial Zone on the DC Electrical Conductivity of Mortar.
- Coporate
- National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD
- Journal
- Advanced Cement Based Materials, Vol. 2, 169-181, 1995
- Keywords
- aggregates | building technology | concretes | electrical conductivity | interfacial zone | model | percolation | permeability
- Abstract
- The interfacial zone separating cement paste and aggregate in mortar and concrete is believed to influence many of the properties of these composites. The available experimental evidence, obtained on artificial geometries, indicates that the DC electrical conductivity of the interfacial zone, because of its higher porosity, may be considerably larger than that of the bulk cement paste matrix. This paper presents the theoretical framework for quantitatively understanding the influence of the interfacial zone on the overall electrical conductivity of mortar, based on realistic random aggregate geometries. This understanding is also used, via an electrical analogy with Darcy's law, to make predictions about the effect of the interfacial zone on fluid permeability. The results obtained for mortar should also pertain to concrete.