Moisture Diffusion and Microdamage in Composites

Author(s):  
CHUK L. LEUNG ◽  
DAVID H. KAELBLE
Keyword(s):  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karla Rosa Reyes ◽  
Karla Rosa Reyes ◽  
Adriana Pavia Sanders ◽  
Lee Taylor Massey ◽  
Corinne Hagan ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 152808372110142
Author(s):  
Ariana Khakpour ◽  
Michael Gibbons ◽  
Sanjeev Chandra

Porous membranes find natural application in various fields and industries. Water condensation on membranes can block pores, reduce vapour transmissibility, and diminish the porous membranes' performance. This research investigates the rate of water vapour transmission through microporous nylon and nanofibrous Gore-Tex membranes. Testing consisted of placing the membrane at the intersection of two chambers with varied initial humidity conditions. One compartment is initially set to a high ([Formula: see text]water vapour concentration and the other low ([Formula: see text], with changes in humidity recorded as a function of time. The impact of pore blockage was explored by pre-wetting the membranes with water or interposing glycerine onto the membrane pores before testing. Pore blockage was measured using image analysis for the nylon membrane. The mass flow rate of water vapour ( ṁv) diffusing through a porous membrane is proportional to both its area (A) and the difference in vapour concentration across its two faces ([Formula: see text], such that [Formula: see text] where K is defined as the moisture diffusion coefficient. Correlations are presented for the variation of K as a function of [Formula: see text]. Liquid contamination on the porous membrane has been shown to reduce the moisture diffusion rate through the membrane due to pore blockage and the subsequent reduced open area available for vapour diffusion. Water evaporation from the membrane's surface was observed to add to the mass of vapour diffusing through the membrane. A model was developed to predict the effect of membrane wetting on vapour diffusion and showed good agreement with experimental data.


2016 ◽  
Vol 138 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Wooi Kee Loh ◽  
Devapriya Chitral Wijeyesekera ◽  
Mihaela Anca Ciupala

Moisture desorption observations from two bentonite clay mats subjected to ten environmental zones with individually different combinations of laboratory-controlled constant temperatures (between 20 °C and 40 °C) and relative humidity (between 15% and 70%) are presented. These laboratory observations are compared with predictions from mathematical models, such as thin-layer drying equations and kinetic drying models proposed by Page, Wang and Singh, and Henderson and Pabis. The quality of fit of these models is assessed using standard error (SE) of estimate, relative percent of error, and coefficient of correlation. The Page model was found to better predict the drying kinetics of the bentonite clay mats for the simulated tropical climates. Critical study on the drying constant and moisture diffusion coefficient helps to assess the efficacy of a polymer to retain moisture and control desorption through water molecule bonding. This is further substantiated with the Guggenheim–Anderson–De Boer (GAB) desorption isotherm model which is presented.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Zhang ◽  
Hongduo Zhao

The objective of this paper is to investigate the characterization of moisture diffusion inside early-age concrete slabs subjected to curing. Time-dependent relative humidity (RH) distributions of three mixture proportions subjected to three different curing methods (i.e., air curing, water curing, and membrane-forming compounds curing) and sealed condition were measured for 28 days. A one-dimensional nonlinear moisture diffusion partial differential equation (PDE) based on Fick’s second law, which incorporates the effect of curing in the Dirichlet boundary condition using a concept of curing factor, is developed to simulate the diffusion process. Model parameters are calibrated by a genetic algorithm (GA). Experimental results show that the RH reducing rate inside concrete under air curing is greater than the rates under membrane-forming compound curing and water curing. It is shown that the effect of water-to-cement (w/c) ratio on self-desiccation is significant. Lower w/c ratio tends to result in larger RH reduction. RH reduction considering both effect of diffusion and self-desiccation in early-age concrete is not sensitive to w/c ratio, but to curing method. Comparison between model simulation and experimental results indicates that the improved model is able to reflect the effect of curing on moisture diffusion in early-age concrete slabs.


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