Estimating the electrical conductivity of cement paste pore solutions from OH-, K+ and Na+ concentrations

Published

June 4, 2003

Author(s)

Kenneth A. Snyder, X Feng, T O. Mason

Abstract

A proposed method for estimating the electrical conductivity of cement paste pore solution at 25 degrees Celsius is based on the concentrations of HO-, K+ and Na+. The approach uses an equation that is a function of the solution ionic strength, and requires a single coefficient for each ionic species. To test the method, the conductivity of solutions containing mixtures of potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide with molar ratios of 4:1, 2:1 and 1:1, and having ionic strengths varying from 0.15 to 2.00 mol/l were measured in the laboratory and compared to predicted values. The proposed equation predicts the conductivity of the solutions to within 8% over the concentration range investigated. By comparison, the dilute electrolyte assumption that conductivity is linearly proportional to concentration is in error by 36% at 1 mol/l and in erro by 55% at 2 mol/l. The significance and utility of the proposed equation discussed in the context of predicting ionic transport in cement-based systems.

Citation

Cement and Concrete Research

Volume

33

Issue

6

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

Pore solution, Electrical properties, Transport properties, Alkalis, Modeling

Citation

Snyder, K. , Feng, X. and Mason, T. (2003), Estimating the electrical conductivity of cement paste pore solutions from OH-, K+ and Na+ concentrations, Cement and Concrete Research, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=923424 (Accessed October 12, 2025)