Experimental Study on Capillary Water Absorption Performance of Coral Sand Concrete in High-Salt Environment

The high-salt fog environment under a marine climate affects the capillary water absorption performance of porous building materials, causing changes in the thermal and wet properties of the materials and in their structural durability. Therefore, a capillary water absorption experiment of coral sand concrete (CSC) in different salt solution concentrations was designed in this study. The experimental results showed that salt had the effect of first promoting and then inhibiting capillary water absorption coefficient (Acap) with increased salt solution concentration. Salt had the effect of promoting liquid diffusivity (Dl). In addition, by analyzing the surface tension and viscosity of a sodium chloride solution, the mechanism of the influence of liquid properties on Acap was briefly explored. The results provide a theoretical basis for the establishment of a coupled heat and moisture transfer model of porous building materials in marine climates.