Apparent Porosity Calculator
What is an Apparent Porosity Calculator?
An apparent porosity calculator is a tool used to determine the percentage of open pores in a solid material, typically ceramics, bricks, or other porous structures. Apparent porosity (Pa) measures only the interconnected pores accessible to external fluids, not the total porosity, which includes isolated pores.
The formula for apparent porosity is:
Where:
- Pa = Apparent porosity (%)
- Ws = Saturated weight (g or kg) (sample fully soaked in liquid)
- Wd = Dry weight (g or kg) (sample dried in an oven)
- Wi = Immersed weight (g or kg) (sample weighed while submerged in liquid)
Why Use an Apparent Porosity Calculator?
- Material Quality Control: Determines porosity in bricks, ceramics, and refractories.
- Construction Industry: Helps assess durability and permeability of building materials.
- Geology & Soil Science: Evaluates rock and soil porosity for groundwater studies.
- Manufacturing & Engineering: Ensures materials meet required porosity standards.
How to Use the Calculator?
- Dry the sample in an oven and weigh it to get Wd .
- Immerse the sample in water, measure its weight while submerged (Wi ).
- Soak the sample completely in water, then weigh it again to get Ws .
- Apply the formula to calculate apparent porosity.
When is Apparent Porosity Calculation Used?
- In material testing labs: Ensuring industrial materials meet required porosity specifications.
- Before construction: Evaluating the water absorption properties of bricks and concrete.
- In geological studies: Assessing the water-holding capacity of rocks and soils.
- In the ceramics and refractory industry: Optimizing the performance of high-temperature materials.