Complex Resistivity (CR) Behavior of Building Material – First Results of Field Scale Measurements

Moisture ingress is one of the major damaging factors for masonry buildings. As complex resistivity (CR) is sensitive to textural properties as well as to the pore fluid chemistry of wet porous media, its non-destructive application provides helpful information for conservators. In a comprehensive laboratory study it could be shown that CR might even be able to distinguish between salt content and saturation degree in only one measurement. The combined use of electrical and electromagnetical measurement techniques in a field-scale flooding experiment has shown some unexpected differences. Possible reasons are discussed and it is shown that bringing together the information contents of both methods leads to a clearer picture.