Moisture profile measurements of concrete samples in vertical water flow by gamma ray transmission method

Samples of concrete for popular habitation (0.1 x 0.03 x 0.1 m) and cellula r concrete (0.1 x 0.05 x 0.1 m) were submitted to water vertical ascending infiltration. The moisture content spatial and temporal evolution of each s ample it was monitored in three halfway positions in a same horizontal line , applying the gamma rays transmission method. The data were taken with a 1 37Cs (3.7 x 1010 Bq, 0662 MeV) source, Nal (TI) of 2 x 2 " detector coupled to gamma ray spectrometry standard electronic with multichannel analyzer a nd a micrometric table. For the popular habitation concrete, there was a cl ear correlation between wetting profiles and concrete strength. The cellula r concrete showed a wetting profile compatible to its greater porosity. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.