Experimental and processed data for embedded electrical sensing of capillary water absorption and sorptivity in mortar

This dataset accompanies the research article entitled “Embedded depth-resolved electrical sensing for estimating capillary sorptivity in mortar.” The study investigates capillary water absorption in cement mortars with water-to-cement (w/c) ratios of 0.5 and 0.6 using embedded resistance-sensitive, frequency-output sensors located at nominal depths of 1, 6, 11 and 16 mm from the water-exposed surface. The dataset contains four Excel files: Raw sensor frequency data.xlsx: Original, unsmoothed frequency measurements from three instrumented specimens per mortar formulation, each containing four embedded sensors. Processed sensor frequency data.xlsx: Processed frequency-response data and mean sensor responses used for graphical presentation in Figures 6 and 7 of the manuscript. Gravimetric test.xlsx: Gravimetric capillary absorption measurements from six specimens per mortar formulation, including measured masses, cumulative water absorption, equivalent penetration depths and calculation parameters. Sensor-derived capillary transport results.xlsx: Individual sensor activation times, depth–activation-time regressions, sensor-derived sorptivity estimates and gravimetric equivalent-depth comparisons supporting Tables 3 and 4 and Figures 8 and 9. Sensor activation times were determined from the original, unsmoothed frequency records using a sensor-specific background frequency and a sustained increase of at least 2 Hz over three consecutive measurements. The anomalous response of sensor S2 in specimen P3 of the w/c = 0.6 mortar was excluded from the activation-time analysis, while its original frequency measurements were retained. The dataset is provided to support transparency, verification and reproducibility of the experimental results and to facilitate further research on capillary water transport in cement-based materials.