Thermal conductivity of cement paste: Influence of macro-porosity

Thermal conductivity of cement paste is significantly influenced by the presence of macro-pores within it. These pores (pores with size greater than 6 mu m, measured using microCT) which may be filled with air and/or water significantly alters the thermal conductivity of the resulting material. A combination of experiments, molecular dynamic investigations of major constituents of the cement paste, multiscale homogenization techniques, and inclusion of thermal conductivity of the pores containing either air or water has been utilized in this study to reveal the influence of pores in the calculation of thermal conductivity of the composite material.

Automated summary

This study investigated the influence of macro-pores filled with air and/or water on the thermal conductivity of cement paste, using a combination of experiments, molecular dynamic investigations, multiscale homogenization techniques, and consideration of thermal conductivity of the pores. The presence of these pores was found to significantly alter the thermal conductivity of the composite material.