Drying of in situ cast concrete ground slabs and covering criteria

The main objective of this paper was to examine the overall moisture behaviour of an in situ cast concrete ground slab during the initial drying period of the fresh concrete from casting to flooring. This article describes and evaluates various methods to measure moisture levels in concrete slabs in order to decide if flooring can be attached. The most accurate method is verified against measurements and compared with calculations. Many of the methods only consider the surface moisture content of the slab and do not consider the moisture condition deep in the slab. According to performed laboratory tests and FE modelling, moisture content of the slab surface is not a reliable indicator of the overall moisture conditions of the slab. Residual moisture deep in the slab has a major effect on the moisture distribution at the slab cross-section after flooring. The only reliable method to determine the moisture conditions in a new concrete ground slab before flooring is to measure the moisture content at the equivalent depth of the slab. It reliably predicts the ultimate moisture content at slab/flooring interface after flooring. A ground slab is drying in two directions: towards the indoor air by evaporation from the slab surface, and towards the cooler subsoil layers by diffusion. The significance of drying downwards increases after the flooring assembly.