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Monitoring steady state moisture distribution during wick action in mortar by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

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Abstract

1D Centric Scan SPRITE magnetic resonance imaging measurements were undertaken to observe the water content distribution in 10 cm length mortar specimens with a steady state water content due to wicking and evaporation. Results show bi-exponential behavior of the magnetic resonance signal lifetime \(T_{2}^{*}\) in all samples, indicating at least two different water populations. The short \(T_{2}^{*}\) lifetime, related to interlayer water, and its associated amplitude are constant along the sample. The long \(T_{2}^{*}\) lifetime, related to water in the pore space, and its associated amplitude, change with local moisture content. In the steady state the wet front was displaced deeper into the sample as the water to cement ratio increased. The transport parameters controlling the wicking and drying were extracted by fitting the experimental profiles to two literature models. In both cases the transport parameter values increase as the water to cement ratio increases.

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Acknowledgements

R. Enjilela acknowledges Dr. F. Marica and Dr. B. MacMillan for useful discussions, as well as R. MacGregor for technical assistance. P. Cano acknowledges Conacyt and Instituto Politecnico Nacional of Mexico for financial support for his sabbatical year at the UNB MRI Centre. P. Cano also acknowledges Dr. Emilio Bautista for his technical assistance on the use of Comsol Multiphysics program.

Funding

This study was funded by an NSERC Discovery grant (Grant Number 138112) held by B. J. Balcom and an NSERC CREATE Network grant (Grant Number 371075) held by B. J. Balcom and A. Boyd. R. Enjilela and A. Komar were funded by the CREATE Grant. P. Cano was funded by Conacyt sabbatical grant (Grant Number 257348).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, MRI Center, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, P.O. Box 4400, New Brunswick, E3B 5A3, Canada

    Razieh Enjilela, Prisciliano F. de J. Cano-Barrita & Bruce J. Balcom

  2. Instituto Politecnico Nacional-CIIDIR Unidad Oaxaca, Hornos No. 1003, Sta. Cruz Xoxocotlán, C.P. 71230, Oaxaca, Mexico

    Prisciliano F. de J. Cano-Barrita

  3. Department of Civil Engineering and Applied Mechanics, McGill University, Montreal, QC, H3A 2K6, Canada

    Andrew Komar & Andrew J. Boyd

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  1. Razieh Enjilela
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  2. Prisciliano F. de J. Cano-Barrita
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Correspondence to Bruce J. Balcom.

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Enjilela, R., Cano-Barrita, P.F.J., Komar, A. et al. Monitoring steady state moisture distribution during wick action in mortar by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Mater Struct 50, 151 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1617/s11527-017-1017-7

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