Compressive strength and hygric properties of concretes incorporating microencapsulated phase change material

Abstract This study evaluated the compressive strength and hygric properties of concrete incorporating 0%, 3%, and 5% microencapsulated phase change material (PCM). Results show that compressive strength decreases with microencapsulated PCM addition, but remains satisfactory for usage as structural concrete. Porosity increases with microencapsulated PCM addition but remains in the range of that of ordinary concrete. For all tested concretes (control mix, mixes with damaged and undamaged microcapsules PCMs), very low gas-permeability was found; while sorption/desorption isotherms resulted in low moisture contents at the highest humidity level and the data followed a hysteresis loop indicating pore blocking mechanism.