Polyvinyl-Alcohol-Modified Calcium Sulphoaluminate Cement Repair Mortar: Hydration and Properties

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and calcium sulphoaluminate (CSA) cement were used to prepare repair mortar for the restoration of the walls of a building built with bricks. The preparation, hydration, and properties of the PVA-modified CSA cement repair mortar were studied. Besides this, the mechanism by which PVA improves the bonding strength is also discussed. The results demonstrate that PVA prolongs the setting time of CSA cement, which is ascribed to PVA inhibiting the dissolution of C₄A₃$ (4CaO·3Al₂O₃·SO₃) and the precipitation of AFt (3CaO·Al₂O₃·3CaSO₄·26H₂O) within the hydration age of 0~60 min. PVA lowers the mechanical strength of CSA cement repair mortar at the hydration age of 6 h. After 6 h, the mechanical strength is improved. PVA could also improve the bonding strength between CSA repair mortar and bricks. This is mainly ascribed to the Al ions in both the hydration products of CSA cement and the clay bricks reacting with the hydroxyl group of PVA and forming the chemical bond C-O-Al. Therefore, a tighter combination between CSA cement repair mortar and the clay bricks forms, thereby improving the bonding strength.     

Hydration and Mechanical Properties of Calcium Sulphoaluminate Cement Containing Calcium Carbonate and Gypsum under NaCl Solutions

Hydration characteristics and mechanical properties of calcium sulphoaluminate (CSA) cement with different contents of CaCO₃ and gypsum under NaCl solutions were studied, using the testing methods of isothermal calorimetry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), linear shrinkage, and compressive strength. Results show that CaCO₃ can promote hydration and reduce the hydration heat of CSA cement. The reaction between gypsum and C₄A₃S- releases a large quantity of heat in the initial hydration period; however, over 3 days of accumulation, the level of hydration heat is reduced. Under NaCl solutions, the aluminate phase has difficulty reacting with CaCO₃ to form carbonate phase but combines with chloride ions to form Friedel’s salt. On the contrary, gypsum reduces aluminate phase, and the content of Friedel’s salt is also reduced. Furthermore, CaCO₃ and gypsum both increase the total porosity of the CSA cement paste under NaCl solutions during the early curing phase, and over the long-term, pore structure is also optimized. CaCO₃ and gypsum reduce the linear shrinkage of CSA cement paste under NaCl solutions. Overall, the compressive strength of CSA cement is reduced with the addition of CaCO₃, and the trend will be sharper with the increase in CaCO₃. However, when it comes to gypsum, the compressive strength is almost the same during early curing, but in the long-term, compressive strength improves. Essentially, the compressive strength of CSA cement mortar with CaCO₃ and gypsum will improve under NaCl solutions.     

Design of High Volume CFBC Fly Ash Based Calcium Sulphoaluminate Type Binder in Mixtures with Ordinary Portland Cement

Growing concerns on global industrial greenhouse gas emissions have boosted research for developing alternative, less CO₂ intensive binders for partial to complete replacement of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) clinker. Unlike slag and pozzolanic siliceous low-Ca class F fly ashes, the Ca- and S-rich class C ashes, particularly these formed in circulating fluidised bed combustion (CFBC) boilers, are typically not considered as viable cementitious materials for blending with or substituting the OPC. We studied the physical, chemical-mineralogical characteristics of the mechanically activated Ca-rich CFBC fly ash pastes and mortars with high volume OPC substitution rates to find potential alternatives for OPC in building materials and composites. Our findings indicate that compressive strength of pastes and mortars made with partial to complete replacement of the mechanically activated CFBC ash to OPC is comparable to OPC concrete, showing compared to OPC pastes reduction in compressive strength only by <10% at 50% and <20% at 75% replacement rates. Our results show that mechanically activated Ca-rich CFBC fly ash can be successfully used as an alternative CSA-cement type binder.     

Experimental Study on Artificial Cemented Sand Prepared with Ordinary Portland Cement with Different Contents

Artificial cemented sand test samples were prepared by using ordinary Portland cement (OPC) as the cementing agent. Through uniaxial compression tests and consolidated drained triaxial compression tests, the stress-strain curves of the artificial cemented sand with different cementing agent contents (0.01, 0.03, 0.05 and 0.08) under various confining pressures (0.00 MPa, 0.25 MPa, 0.50 MPa and 1.00 MPa) were obtained. Based on the test results, the effect of the cementing agent content (C_v) on the physical and mechanical properties of the artificial cemented sand were analyzed and the Mohr-Coulomb strength theory was modified by using C_v. The research reveals that when C_v is high (e.g., C_v = 0.03, 0.05 or 0.08), the stress-strain curves of the samples indicate a strain softening behavior; under the same confining pressure, as C_v increases, both the peak strength and residual strength of the samples show a significant increase. When C_v is low (e.g., C_v = 0.01), the stress-strain curves of the samples indicate strain hardening behavior. From the test data, a function of C_v (the cementing agent content) with c′ (the cohesion force of the sample) and Δϕ′ (the increment of the angle of shearing resistance) is obtained. Furthermore, through modification of the Mohr-Coulomb strength theory, the effect of cementing agent content on the strength of the cemented sand is demonstrated.     

Evaluation of Compatibility between Beetle-Killed Lodgepole Pine (Pinus Contorta var. Latifolia) Wood with Portland Cement

The compatibility of wood from mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosa) killed lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) with Portland cement was investigated based on time-since-death as a quantitative estimator, and the presence of blue-stained sapwood, brown rot, or white rot as qualitative indicators. The exothermic behavior of cement hydration, maximum heat rate, time to reach this maximum, and total heat released within a 3.5–24 h interval were used for defining a new wood-cement compatibility index (CX). CX was developed and accounted for large discrepancies in assessing wood-cement compatibility compared to the previous methods. Using CX, no significant differences were found between fresh or beetle-killed wood with respect to the suitability for cement; except for the white rot samples which reached or exceeded the levels of incompatibility. An outstanding physicochemical behavior was also found for blue-stained sapwood and cement, producing significantly higher compatibility indices.     

Crystal-Chemical and Thermal Properties of Decorative Cement Composites

The advanced tendencies in building materials development are related to the design of cement composites with a reduced amount of Portland cement, contributing to reduced CO₂ emissions, sustainable development of used non-renewal raw materials, and decreased energy consumption. This work deals with water cured for 28 and 120 days cement composites: Sample A—reference (white Portland cement + sand + water); Sample B—white Portland cement + marble powder + water; and Sample C white Portland cement + marble powder + polycarboxylate-based water reducer + water. By powder X-ray diffraction and FTIR spectroscopy, the redistribution of CO₃²⁻, SO₄²⁻, SiO₄⁴⁻, AlO₄⁵⁻, and OH⁻ (as O-H bond in structural OH⁻ anions and O-H bond belonging to crystal bonded water molecules) from raw minerals to newly formed minerals have been studied, and the scheme of samples hydration has been defined. By thermal analysis, the ranges of the sample’s decomposition mechanisms were distinct: dehydration, dehydroxylation, decarbonation, and desulphuration. Using mass spectroscopic analysis of evolving gases during thermal analysis, the reaction mechanism of samples thermal decomposition has been determined. These results have both practical (architecture and construction) and fundamental (study of archaeological artifacts as ancient mortars) applications.     

Analyzing the Effects of Calcium Nitrate over White Portland Cement: A Multi-Scale Approach

Calcium nitrate is considered a promising accelerator in cement-based composites, with high potential in 3D printing and cold cement concreting. The effect induced by the composition of calcium nitrate tetrahydrate (CN) accelerator into white Portland cement is evaluated here from three perspectives: (1) Fresh cement paste properties in terms of setting time and slump, (2) mechanical properties of hardened cement samples at 7 and 28 days and (3) material characteristics in terms of structure and porosity that further link the presence of the accelerator with the macroscopic performances. The compressive and flexural strength of the hardened samples, evaluated after 7 and 28 days of hydration, indicate a non-monotonous trend with CN concentration. Crystalline phase composition is investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphology and texture are analyzed at the flexure interface by visual inspection and electron microscopy. Complementary, the porous features are investigated by NMR-relaxometry on dry and cyclohexane-filled samples. The studies confirm that CN promotes changes in the composition and morphology of hydrates, while a trend of increase in capillary porosity is outlined as well. This competition between multiscale effects may be quantified by NMR and complementary techniques to further clarify the mechanical behavior of such composites.     

Thermodynamic Modeling Study of Carbonation of Portland Cement

The assessment of the extent of carbonation and related phase changes is important for the evaluation of the durability aspects of concrete. The phase assemblage of Portland cements with different clinker compositions is evaluated using thermodynamic calculations. Four different compositions of cements, as specified by ASTM cements types I to IV, are considered in this study. Calcite, zeolites, and gypsum were identified as carbonation products. CO₂ content required for full carbonation had a direct relationship with the initial volume of phases. The CO₂ required for portlandite determined the initiation of carbonation of C-S-H. A continual decrease in the pH of pore solution and a decrease in Ca/Si is observed with the carbonation of C-S-H. Type II cement exhibited rapid carbonation at relatively less CO₂for full carbonation, while type III required more CO₂ to carbonate to the same level as other types of cement. The modeling of carbonation of different Portland cements provided insights into the quantity of CO₂ required to destabilize different hydrated products into respective carbonated phases.     

Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Rapid-Strength Reactive Powder Concrete with Assembly Unit of Sulphoaluminate Cement and Ordinary Portland Cement

Fast-hardening cement can be used to quickly repair concrete constructions. Characterizing mechanical properties by electrical properties is a promising method to evaluate the mechanical performance nondestructively. However, little attention has been paid to this area. In this paper, copper-coated fine-steel-fibers-reinforced reactive powder concrete (RPC) with compound cement was manufactured. The mass ratio of sulphoaluminate and ordinary Portland cement in the compound cement was 1:1. The influence of copper-coated fine steel fibers with the volume increasing from 0 to 3.0% by the total volume of RPC on the working performances (fluidity and setting time), mechanical properties (flexural strength and toughness, drying shrinkage rate and compressive strength) and electrical parameters (AC electrical resistance and AC impedance spectroscopy curves) was investigated. The electron microscope energy spectrum experiment was applied in analyzing the macro properties of RPC. The results exhibited that the increasing volume of steel fibers led to decreasing the fluidity and retarding the setting of RPC. The electrical resistance of RPC decreased in the form of a quartic function with the volume of steel fibers. The steel fibers volume of 1.5% was the percolation threshold value. The specimens cured for 28 days showed higher electrical resistance than the specimens cured for 1 day. The flexural or compressive strength of the specimens satisfied a specific functional relationship with the volume of steel fibers and electrical resistance. The addition of steel fibers led to improving the flexural toughness and decreasing the shrinkage rate. Furthermore, 3.0% steel fibers could improve the flexural toughness by 3.9 times and decrease the shrinkage to 88.3% of the specimens without steel fibers.     

Effect of Ordinary Portland Cement on Mechanical Properties and Microstructures of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymers

Geopolymers have been considered a sustainable alternative to ordinary Portland cement (CEM I) for its lower embodied carbon and ability to make use of industrial by-products. Additionally, its excellent engineering properties of high strength, low permeability, good chemical resistance, and excellent fire resistance also strike a chord in the minds of researchers. The goal of this study is to clarify the effect of calcium sources on the mechanical properties and microstructures of the geopolymers. CEM I was chosen as the sole calcium source, while metakaolin was used as the source material. Five distinct geopolymers were prepared, having various ratio of CEM I: 0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, and 30%. The alkali-activator was a mixture of 12 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and sodium silicate (Na₂SiO₃), utilizing compressive strength and flexural strength to evaluate the changes of the geopolymers’ mechanical properties. SEM, XRD, and FTIR were used to examine microscopic features, evaluate internal morphology, and analyze changes in components of the geopolymers containing different amounts of CEM I. The experimental results indicated that the optimal incorporation of CEM I was 5%. Under this dosage, the compressive strength and flexural strength of the geopolymers can reach 71.1 MPa and 6.75 MPa, respectively. With the incorporation of CEM I, the heat released by cement hydration can accelerate the geopolymerization reaction between silica-alumina materials and alkaline solutions. Additionally, the coexistence of N-A-S-H gel from components of an aluminosilicate mix and C-S-H gel from the CEM I promoted a more densified microstructure of the geopolymers and improved the geopolymer’s strength. However, as the amount of CEM I in the mixture increased, the geopolymer matrix was unable to provide enough water for the CEM I to hydrate, which prevented excessive CEM I from forming hydration products, weakening the workability of the matrix and eventually hindering the development of geopolymer strength.     

Effect of Paraffin and Silica Matrix Phase Change Materials on Properties of Portland Cement Mortars

In the search for methods to incorporate Phase Change Materials (PCM) into Portland cement mortar mixtures, PCM based on paraffins adhered to a silica-based matrix appear as a suitable option. However, paraffin particles have been observed to escape from the silica matrix when water is added. There are only limited data on how the use of such PCM affects the behaviour of mortars. To evaluate the effect of this PCM addition, Portland mortar mixtures were elaborated with 5%, 10% and 15% of PCM content, and using CEM 42.5 I R and CEM I 52.5 R cement types. Physical properties such as density, open porosity, air content and water absorption were analysed for fresh and dry samples. The results obtained show that the PCM-added mixtures require greater water and cement amounts than the standard mortar mixtures to achieve similar compressive strengths. Compared to non-PCM mixtures the PCM-added mortars present a density lowering of 37% for fresh mixtures and near 45% for dry state forms. A maximum compressive strength of 15.9 MPa was reached for 15% PCM mixtures, while values beyond 40 MPa were achieved for 5% PCM mixtures. Thus, the proposed study contributes to broad the available knowledge of PCM cement mortar mixtures behaviour and their mix design.     

Influence of Cement Replacement with Sewage Sludge Ash (SSA) on the Heat of Hydration of Cement Mortar

The amount of fly ash from the incineration of sewage sludge is increasing all over the world, and its utilization is becoming a serious environmental problem. In the study, a type of sewage sludge ash (SSA) collected directly from the municipal sewage treatment plant was used. Five levels of cement replacement (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10% and 20%) and unchanged water-to-binder (w/b) ratio (0.55) were used. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of sewage sludge ash (SSA) on the hydration heat process of cement mortars. The heat of the hydration of cement mortars was monitored by the isothermal calorimetric method for 7 days at 23 °C. The analysis of chemical composition and particle size distribution was performed on the tested material. The tests carried out have shown that SSA particles have irregular grain morphology and, taking into account the chemical composition consists mainly of oxides such as CaO, P₂O₅, SiO₂ and Al₂O₃. The concentration of these compounds affects the hydration process of cement mortars doped with SSA. In turn, the content of selected heavy metals in the tested ash should not pose a threat to the environment. Calorimetric studies proved that the hydration process is influenced by the presence of SSA in cement mortars. The studies showed that the rate of heat generation decreased (especially in the initial setting period) with the increasing replacement of cement by SSA, which also reduced the amount of total heat compared to the control cement mortar. With increasing mass of the replacement of cement with SSA up to 20%, the 7-day compressive strength of the mortar samples decreases.     

Effect of Ornamental Stone Waste Incorporation on the Rheology,Hydration, Microstructure,and CO2 Emissions of Ordinary Portland Cement

The ornamental stone industry generates large amounts of waste thus creating environmental and human health hazards. Thus, pastes with 0–30 wt.% ornamental stone waste (OSW) incorporated into ordinary Portland cement (OPC) were produced and their rheological properties, hydration kinetics, and mechanical properties were evaluated. The CO₂ equivalent emissions related to the pastes production were estimated for each composition. The results showed that the paste with 10 wt.% of OSW exhibited similar yield stress compared to the plain OPC paste, while pastes with 20 and 30 wt.% displayed reduced yield stresses up to 15%. OSW slightly enhanced the hydration kinetics compared to plain OPC, increasing the main heat flow peak and 90-h cumulative heat values. The incorporation of OSW reduced the 1-, 3-, and 28-days compressive strength of the pastes. Water absorption results agreed with the 28 days compressive strength results, indicating that OSW increased the volume of permeable voids. Finally, OSW incorporation progressively reduced the CO₂ emission per m³ of OPC paste, reaching a 31% reduction for the highest 30 wt.% OSW content. Overall, incorporating up to 10 wt.% with OSW led to pastes with comparable fresh and hardened properties as comported to plain OPC paste.     

Alkaline Activity of Portland Cement with Additives of Waste Glass

The concept of the alkaline activity of powdered materials introduced into cement compositions has been proposed, along with methods for its determination. The possibility of using waste glass as an active additive to Portland cement was evaluated from the standpoint of alkaline activity. Replacing the Portland cement component with glass waste in the form of glass powder at amounts from 1 to 35% made it possible to maintain the cement composition’s alkaline activity at a level that met the standard requirements. The previously unknown effects of mixed alkali in Portland cement in the presence of glass waste are described. Portland cement has a high potassium alkaline activity; however, container glass has a high sodium alkaline activity and a fairly low potassium alkaline activity. When glass waste is introduced into the structure of cement compositions, potassium alkaline activity is reduced.     

Effect of Iron Phase on Calcination and Properties of Barium Calcium Sulfoaluminate Cement

In this paper, the effect of iron phase content on the calcination and properties of clinker and barium calcium sulfoaluminate cement was studied. The compressive strength of the samples was tested and combined with an XRD and SEM-EDS analysis, and the microstructure and composition of the barium calcium sulfoaluminate clinker and hydrated samples were characterized. The results showed that the oval-shaped particles were C₂S minerals, and the hexagonal plate-shaped or rhombohedral dodecahedral particles were C_2.75B_1.25A₃S¯. The Ba element was mainly distributed in the barium calcium sulfoaluminate region, and some of it was dissolved in C₂S; the Fe element was distributed between C_2.75B_1.25A₃S¯ and C₂S crystal grains in the form of an iron phase solid solution, which acted as a solvent. When the iron phase composition was C₄AF and the iron phase content was 5%, the early hydration and later strength were better, and the compressive strength after curing for 1, 3 and 28 days was 73.2 MPa, 97.9 MPa and 106.9 MPa, respectively. A proper amount of the iron phase can reduce the eutectic point of the sintered mature material system, increase the amount of liquid phase, reduce the viscosity of the liquid phase, effectively accelerate the migration of mineral ions and promote the formation and growth of minerals.     

Effect of Water–Solid Mixing Sequence and Crystallization Water of Calcium Sulphate on the Hydration of C3A

Tricalcium aluminate (Ca₃Al₂O₆: C₃A) is the most reactive clinker phase in Portland cement. In this study, the effect of the sequence of mixing of C₃A with gypsum and water on the hydration kinetics and phase assemblage is investigated. Three mixing sequences were employed: (i) Turbula mixing of C₃A first with gypsum and then with water (T-mix); (ii) Hand mixing of C₃A with gypsum before mixing with water (H-mix); (iii) Pre-mixing gypsum with water and then with C₃A (P-mix). The results suggest that there is a considerable difference in the hydration kinetics and hydrate phase assemblage, particularly during the initial stages of hydration. P-mix promotes a higher degree of hydration in the initial minutes and considerably influences the main peak in the calorimetry curve of C₃A hydration. Effects of calcium sulphate with different amounts of crystallisation water (anhydrite, hemihydrate and gypsum) on C₃A hydration are also investigated, and it is found that the water of crystallisation does not have a significant impact on the kinetics of reaction or the formed hydrate phase assemblage.     

Physicochemical and Biological Properties of Mg-Doped Calcium Silicate Endodontic Cement

Calcium silicate-based cement has been widely used for endodontic repair. However, it has a long setting time and needs to shorten setting time. This study investigated the effects of magnesium (Mg) ion on the setting reaction, mechanical properties, and biological properties of calcium silicate cement (CSC). Sol-gel route was used to synthesize Mg ion-doped calcium silicate cement. Synthesized cement was formulated with the addition of different contents of Mg ion, according to 0, 1, 3, 5 mol% of Mg ion-doped calcium silicate. The synthesized cements were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We also evaluated the physicochemical and biological properties of cement, such as the setting time, compressive strength, micro-hardness, simulated body fluid (SBF) immersion, cytotoxicity, and cell differentiation tests. As a result, the Mg ion improves the hydration properties of calcium silicate cement, and the setting time is reduced by increasing the amounts of Mg ion. However, the mechanical properties deteriorated with increasing Mg ion, and 1 and 3 mol% Mg-doped calcium silicate had appropriate mechanical properties. Also, the results of biological properties such as cytotoxicity, ALP activity, and ARS staining improved with Mg ion. Consequently, the optimal condition is 3 mol% of Mg ion-doped calcium silicate (3%Mg-CSC).     

Exploring Structural Evolution of Portland Cement Blended with Supplementary Cementitious Materials in Seawater

The present study investigated the structural evolution of Portland cement (PC) incorporating supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) exposed to seawater. The samples were made with replacing Portland cement with 10 mass-% silica fume, metakaolin or glass powder. The reaction degree of SCMs estimated by the portlandite consumption shows that metakaolin has the highest reaction degree, thus metakaolin-blended PC exhibits the highest strength. The control exposed to seawater exhibited 14.82% and 12.14% higher compressive strengths compared to those cured in tap water at 7 and 28 days. The samples incorporating metakaolin showed the highest compressive strength of 76.60 MPa at 90 days tap water curing and this was 17% higher than that of the control. Exposure to seawater is found to retard the rate of hydration in all SCM-incorporating systems, while the strength development of the neat PC system is enhanced. The main reaction product that forms during exposure to seawater is Cl-AFm and brucite, while it is predicted by the thermodynamic modelling that a significant amount of M-S-H, calcite and hydrotalcite is to form at an extended period of exposure time.     

Thermally Insulating,Thermal Shock Resistant Calcium Aluminate Phosphate Cement Composites for Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage

This paper presents the use of hydrophobic silica aerogel (HSA) and hydrophilic fly ash cenosphere (FCS) aggregates for improvements in the thermal insulating and mechanical properties of 100- and 250 °C-autoclaved calcium aluminate phosphate (CaP) cement composites reinforced with micro-glass (MGF) and micro-carbon (MCF) fibers for deployment in medium- (100 °C) and high-temperature (250 °C) reservoir thermal energy storage systems. The following six factors were assessed: (1) Hydrothermal stability of HSA; (2) Pozzolanic activity of the two aggregates and MGF in an alkali cement environment; (3) CaP cement slurry heat release during hydration and chemical reactions; (4) Composite phase compositions and phase transitions; (5) Mechanical behavior; (6) Thermal shock (TS) resistance at temperature gradients of 150 and 225 °C. The results showed that hydrophobic trimethylsilyl groups in trimethylsiloxy-linked silica aerogel structure were susceptible to hydrothermal degradation at 250 °C. This degradation was followed by pozzolanic reactions (PR) of HSA, its dissolution, and the formation of a porous microstructure that caused a major loss in the compressive strength of the composites at 250 °C. The pozzolanic activities of FCS and MGF were moderate, and they offered improved interfacial bonding at cement-FCS and cement-MGF joints through a bridging effect by PR products. Despite the PR of MGF, both MGF and MCF played an essential role in minimizing the considerable losses in compressive strength, particularly in toughness, engendered by incorporating weak HSA. As a result, a FCS/HSA ratio of 90/10 in the CaP composite system was identified as the most effective hybrid insulating aggregate composition, with a persistent compressive strength of more than 7 MPa after three TS tests at a 150 °C temperature gradient. This composite displayed thermal conductivity of 0.28 and 0.35 W/mK after TS with 225 and 150 °C thermal gradients, respectively. These values, below the TC of water (TC water = 0.6 W/mK), were measured under water-saturated conditions for applications in underground reservoirs. However, considering the hydrothermal disintegration of HSA at 250 °C, these CaP composites have potential applications for use in thermally insulating, thermal shock-resistant well cement in a mid-temperature range (100 to 175 °C) reservoir thermal energy storage system.     

Moisture Distribution during Water Absorption of Ordinary Portland Cement Mortars Obtained with Low-Field Unilateral Magnetic Resonance

Moisture distribution in cement-based materials is important from the durability point of view. In the present study, a portable three-magnet array with an elliptical surface radio frequency coil was used to undertake magnetic resonance measurements of moisture content in ordinary Portland cement mortar and concrete samples. Measurements along the length of the samples during capillary water absorption produced moisture content profiles that were compared with reference profiles acquired using a magnetic resonance imaging instrument. Profiles obtained with the three-magnet array were similar in shape and in penetration depth to those acquired with magnetic resonance imaging. The correlation coefficient between the moisture content measured with both techniques was r² = 0.97. Similar values of saturated permeability of the mortars with identical w/c ratio were computed with the Hydrus 1D software based on the moisture content profiles. Additionally, inverse Laplace transformation of the signal decays provided the water-filled pore size distribution in saturated and unsaturated regions of the samples. The three-magnet array was successfully used to acquire nuclear magnetic resonance signal from a concrete sample, which was not possible with the magnetic resonance imaging instrument using the single-point imaging technique.