Moisture Dynamics in Cement-Based Materials
Summary
Moisture dynamics in cement-based materials encompass the multi-scale processes by which water is absorbed, stored, redistributed and lost within hydrated cement matrices. At the microscopic level, water exists in capillary pores, gel pores and interlayer spaces of calcium silicate hydrate (C–S–H), each contributing distinctly to overall transport and retention characteristics. Capillary uptake and vapour diffusion govern fluid ingress under varying relative humidity and temperature conditions, while microstructural reorganisation during drying or wetting alters pore size distributions, leading to history-dependent transport behaviour. These phenomena directly influence macroscopic performance, including drying shrinkage, creep, thermal expansion and durability against chemical attack. A variety of experimental techniques—such as nuclear magnetic resonance relaxometry, vapour sorption isotherms and embedded sensor technologies—have been deployed to probe water populations and fluxes in situ. Advances in mechanistic modelling now integrate dynamic porosity and time-dependent pore evolution, providing predictive capability for service life assessment and the optimisation of mixture designs in diverse climates and exposure conditions.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Moisture Dynamics in Cement-Based Materials publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in moisture dynamics in cement-based materials across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Capillary pores: Microscopic channels between hydration products that facilitate bulk water movement.
Gel pores: Nanometre-scale voids within C–S–H gel that retain water bound to the solid structure.
Interlayer water: Water confined between the molecular layers of calcium silicate hydrate sheets.
Sorption isotherm: Equilibrium curve relating material moisture content to ambient relative humidity.
Moisture diffusion coefficient: Parameter quantifying the rate at which water molecules migrate through a porous matrix.
References
- Sorption, anomalous water transport and dynamic porosity in cement paste: A spatially localised 1H NMR relaxation study and a proposed mechanism. Cement and Concrete Research (2020).
- Development of pore structure, moisture sorption and transport properties in fly ash blended cement-based materials. Construction and Building Materials (2020).
- Smart RFID Sensors Embedded in Building Structures for Early Damage Detection and Long-Term Monitoring. Sensors (2019).
About these summaries
This Nature Research Intelligence Topic summary is created with the cited references and a large language model. We take care to ground generated text with facts, and have systems in place to gain human feedback on the overall quality of the process in line with our AI principles. We strive to create accurate and useful summaries for people unfamiliar with the research topic and that supports this goal. These pages are a beta release and will be updated as we learn how best to help people gain value from a research topic summary.
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.