A State-of-the-Art Review on the Influence of Porosity on the Compressive Strength of Porous Concrete for Infrastructure Applications

The use of porous concrete in various infrastructure applications such as pavements, infiltration beds, and low-volume load areas is increasingly encouraged due to its environmental benefits. The performance of porous concrete is strongly influenced by its pore structure and overall porosity. Resear...

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Main Authors: Rajab Abousnina, Fahad Aljuaydi, Benchaa Benabed, Magdi H. Almabrok, Vanissorn Vimonsatit
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Buildings
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2311
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author Rajab Abousnina
Fahad Aljuaydi
Benchaa Benabed
Magdi H. Almabrok
Vanissorn Vimonsatit
author_facet Rajab Abousnina
Fahad Aljuaydi
Benchaa Benabed
Magdi H. Almabrok
Vanissorn Vimonsatit
author_sort Rajab Abousnina
collection DOAJ
description The use of porous concrete in various infrastructure applications such as pavements, infiltration beds, and low-volume load areas is increasingly encouraged due to its environmental benefits. The performance of porous concrete is strongly influenced by its pore structure and overall porosity. Researchers have employed multiple methodologies to characterise pore size and distribution, and to assess their effects on permeability, hydraulic conductivity, and compressive strength. This review investigates several pore measurement techniques aimed at improving both the hydraulic and mechanical performance of porous concrete. Among these, image analysis emerges as the most accurate method for assessing porosity distribution, offering higher resolution and fewer limitations compared to traditional techniques. Despite these advancements, a debate remains regarding the relative importance of effective porosity versus total porosity. This work comprehensively evaluates and synthesises existing methods for pore structure analysis, thereby enhancing our understanding of how porosity influences concrete behaviour. The findings indicate that effective porosity alone is insufficient to predict hydraulic conductivity, whereas total porosity has a considerable effect on compressive strength. This insight can be used to optimise the balance between strength and permeability in porous concrete, supporting its broader implementation as a sustainable construction material.
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spelling doaj-art-d5bd8b2071074eb3921dbad04f17eadd2025-08-20T03:50:21ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-07-011513231110.3390/buildings15132311A State-of-the-Art Review on the Influence of Porosity on the Compressive Strength of Porous Concrete for Infrastructure ApplicationsRajab Abousnina0Fahad Aljuaydi1Benchaa Benabed2Magdi H. Almabrok3Vanissorn Vimonsatit4School of Civil and Mechanical Engineering, Curtin University, Perth, WA 6102, AustraliaDepartment of Mathematics, College of Sciences & Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi ArabiaCivil Engineering Research Laboratory, Amar Telidji University, Laghouat 03000, AlgeriaCivil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and Petroleum, University of Benghazi, Benghazi P.O. Box 1308, LibyaSchool of Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, AustraliaThe use of porous concrete in various infrastructure applications such as pavements, infiltration beds, and low-volume load areas is increasingly encouraged due to its environmental benefits. The performance of porous concrete is strongly influenced by its pore structure and overall porosity. Researchers have employed multiple methodologies to characterise pore size and distribution, and to assess their effects on permeability, hydraulic conductivity, and compressive strength. This review investigates several pore measurement techniques aimed at improving both the hydraulic and mechanical performance of porous concrete. Among these, image analysis emerges as the most accurate method for assessing porosity distribution, offering higher resolution and fewer limitations compared to traditional techniques. Despite these advancements, a debate remains regarding the relative importance of effective porosity versus total porosity. This work comprehensively evaluates and synthesises existing methods for pore structure analysis, thereby enhancing our understanding of how porosity influences concrete behaviour. The findings indicate that effective porosity alone is insufficient to predict hydraulic conductivity, whereas total porosity has a considerable effect on compressive strength. This insight can be used to optimise the balance between strength and permeability in porous concrete, supporting its broader implementation as a sustainable construction material.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2311porous concreteporositypermeabilityinfrastructure applications and measurements
spellingShingle Rajab Abousnina
Fahad Aljuaydi
Benchaa Benabed
Magdi H. Almabrok
Vanissorn Vimonsatit
A State-of-the-Art Review on the Influence of Porosity on the Compressive Strength of Porous Concrete for Infrastructure Applications
Buildings
porous concrete
porosity
permeability
infrastructure applications and measurements
title A State-of-the-Art Review on the Influence of Porosity on the Compressive Strength of Porous Concrete for Infrastructure Applications
title_full A State-of-the-Art Review on the Influence of Porosity on the Compressive Strength of Porous Concrete for Infrastructure Applications
title_fullStr A State-of-the-Art Review on the Influence of Porosity on the Compressive Strength of Porous Concrete for Infrastructure Applications
title_full_unstemmed A State-of-the-Art Review on the Influence of Porosity on the Compressive Strength of Porous Concrete for Infrastructure Applications
title_short A State-of-the-Art Review on the Influence of Porosity on the Compressive Strength of Porous Concrete for Infrastructure Applications
title_sort state of the art review on the influence of porosity on the compressive strength of porous concrete for infrastructure applications
topic porous concrete
porosity
permeability
infrastructure applications and measurements
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/13/2311
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