Comparison of water and propan-2-ol permeability in mortar specimens

Propan-2-ol was used as a permeant in saturated permeability tests to examine flow through mortar specimens without chemical and physical interaction between the permeant and the hardened cement. Propan-2-ol and water permeabilities for identical specimens were found to be equivalent. The permeability results also provided information on the effect of the C-S-H gel on the overall permeability and the physical interaction between propan-2-ol and C-S-H gel. Water-saturated C-S-H gel structure significantly reduces flow through the cement matrix even after severe shrinkage microcracking. Propan-2-ol saturated C-S-H gel structure remains in the state of collapse and thus exhibits permeability at least an order of magnitude higher than the water permeability.