PATTERSON, NAOMI1; YOON, SEYOON2; IMBABI, M.S.3; MACPHEE, D.E.4

1) PhD Student, University of Aberdeen, School of Engineering, r01np12@abdn.ac.uk

2) PhD, University of Aberdeen, School of Engineering, syoon@abdn.ac.uk

3) Senior Lecturer, University of Aberdeen, School of Engineering, m.s.imbabi@abdn.ac.uk

4) Professor, University of Aberdeen, Department of Chemistry, d.e.macphee@abdn.ac.uk

Surface roughness of cement and concrete specimens is a significant factor affecting the most commonly used measurement methods for the thermal conductivity, except non-contact methods. This is because the contact resistance between the sample and the sensing plate considerably influences the heat flux through the system. In the present study, silicone interface pads were introduced in an attempt to obtain uniform contact characteristics using the guarded heat flow meter. The experimental result shows that the contact characteristics obtained were not uniform within a satisfactory error margin, but the requirement for further research is incited by the clear relationship observed between the contact resistance measured for each specimen and the water to cement ratio of its mix and the significant reduction in contact resistance observed through the use of the high thermal conductivity interface pad.

Keywords: thermal conductivity, cement, concrete, contact resistance