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The effect of water-cementitious ratio on permeability and shrinkage

Q. Is the permeability or shrinkage affected by the water-cementitious material ratio?

 

A. The lower the w/cm, the less the degree of interconnection of the voids in the concrete leading to reduced permeability. Shrinkage is mainly affected by the water and paste contents. If the concrete with low w/cm also has a low water and paste content, less shrinkage would be expected.

 

References: SP-1(02); SP-108; ACI 209.1R-05; SP-227

Topics in Concrete: Concrete Fundamentals; Durability; Permeability; Shrinkage