Measurement of salinity in building materials: a synopsis of current practices and potential innovations

This article provides an overview of the various techniques used to measure the salt content of building materials. The authors discuss the importance of salinity measurement, as high salinity can lead to degradation and damage in building materials. They then consider the traditional methods of salinity measurement, including conductivity measurement and chemical titration. While reliable, these methods are often time-consuming, destructive and may not provide a complete picture of the salt distribution within the material. The authors then focus on emerging non-destructive techniques that offer the potential for in-situ salinity measurement. These include X-ray Dffraction (XRD), Thermal Analysis and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Each method is discussed, with the authors highlighting its advantages, limitations and potential applications. The article concludes with a discussion of the future of salinity measurement in building materials. The authors propose a multimodal approach combining traditional and new methods to achieve more accurate and comprehensive salinity measurements. They also emphasise the need for further research and development in this area, particularly to improve the accuracy and reliability of non-destructive techniques.