STUDIES OF MOISTURE AND ALKALINITY IN SELF-LEVELLING FLOORING COMPOUNDS

ii In recent decades there has been an increasing interest in the indoor environment and its connections with public health. One important topic discussed has been the relation between the moisture in buildings and health. Cementitious materials, when cast, contain excess water since this is necessary for workability and for flow properties. The pore solutions in cementitious materials, besides being high in water content, often have a high pH. High-moisture conditions can cause biological growth. A combination of high moisture conditions and high pH can also result in chemical degradation of other materials, affecting both indoor environment and the technical functioning and appearance of the materials involved. Self-levelling flooring compounds (SLCs) that provide smooth horizontal surfaces are used to level the substrates (mainly concrete slabs) before floor coverings are applied. Although such compounds are used extensively, only limited research on their moisture and alkali properties and their functioning in floor constructions has thus far bee