Moisture Detection of Stored Rapid-Setting Cementitious Materials

Storage of cementitious materials onsite is essential for rapid repair operations. However, materials may have limited shelf lives and are prone to degradation in the presence of moisture. Typical industry practice involves storing these materials inside specialized silos before distribution, which is likely impractical for most work environments. This paper investigates methods of storage to reduce moisture damage and to monitor moisture present in cementitious materials. Various techniques were evaluated to reduce moisture in storage containers, and large bulk sacks of rapid-setting materials were installed with sensors to monitor moisture. Two different sensors were tested for monitoring moisture: a standard soil moisture probe and an engineered radio frequency identification reader (RFID) moisture detector. Desiccant poles were found to be the most beneficial of the techniques tested in reducing humidity and removing water from the storage container. The RFID moisture detector was found to be able to detect moisture events better than the soil moisture sensor, which was unable to detect moisture events even when stored outside in rainy conditions. Recommendations for future storage conditions and monitoring are provided. This paper demonstrates the capability of moisture monitoring in cementitious material bulk containers and provides groundwork for further optimization of storage protocols.