When drying concrete that contains deeply held water, what should be increased to enhance the drying process?

To enhance the drying process of concrete that contains deeply held water, increasing the vapor pressure differential is vital. The vapor pressure differential refers to the difference in vapor pressure between the moisture within the concrete and the surrounding air. When this differential is increased, moisture from the concrete moves more readily into the air, which promotes faster evaporation and drying.

This principle is based on the concept that moisture will migrate from areas of high vapor pressure (the wet concrete) to areas of low vapor pressure (the drier air). By creating a greater differential, you encourage the movement of water vapor out of the concrete, thus facilitating the overall drying process.

While airflow velocity, humidity levels, and temperature can all influence drying, they do not specifically target the driving force behind moisture migration as effectively as the vapor pressure differential does. For instance, increasing airflow can help carry away moisture-laden air but may not create as significant an impact on the actual movement of moisture from within the concrete unless the surrounding environment is suitably conditioned to enhance the vapor pressure differential. Similarly, raising temperature can aid in evaporation but is not as direct a factor as managing vapor pressure differences. Using lower humidity levels in the surrounding air can complement the process by enhancing the vapor pressure differential, but it does not replace