Description: Moisture is a primary cause of many problems in buildings, both during and after construction. While moisture will always be present in and even essential to buildings, it must be measured and controlled to stay within acceptable limits. Relevant personnel are, however, often unaware of the range of techniques available for determining moisture presence in building elements and which methods are the most appropriate in different situations. There is also little published guidance on the test methods. This publication, which provides independent, authoritative guidance for designers, contractors, surveyors and maintenance personnel, fills the gaps by enabling the reader to gain an understanding of moisture in materials and building elements, the need for testing, and the range of methods and equipment available. It is primarily a compilation of reviews of the different methods, providing information on their principles and characteristics, appropriate use, advantages and limitations, means of operation, interpretation of the results and further key sources of reference for those requiring greater detail. Introductory sections provide a basic understanding of moisture in this context, and the need for testing. It includes comments on the measurement of moisture during construction (quality control) for long-term monitoring application and the detection and diagnosis of defects. Guidance is given on selecting the appropriate method(s) and case studies are included to show where, when and how the benefits of using the test are achieved and to highlight common pitfalls.

Keywords: concrete and structures, in-situ testing and instrumentation, building technology.

Contents: 1 Introduction, 2 Understanding moisture, 3 Testing for moisture, 4 Selecting the appropriate test method, 5 Test methods, 6 Automated long-term monitoring, 7 References and bibliography, Appendices