Abstract
The main objectives of this study are to evaluate the effect of geometrical constraints of plain concrete and reinforced concrete slabs on the Wenner four-point concrete electrical resistivity (ER) test through numerical and experimental investigation and to propose measurement recommendations for laboratory and field specimens. First, a series of numerical simulations was performed using a 3D finite element model to investigate the effects of geometrical constraints (the dimension of concrete slabs, the electrode spacing and configuration, and the distance of the electrode to the edges of concrete slabs) on ER measurements of concrete. Next, a reinforced concrete slab specimen (1500 mm (width) by 1500 mm (length) by 300 mm (thickness)) was used for experimental investigation and validation of the numerical simulation results. Based on the analytical and experimental results, it is concluded that measured ER values of regularly shaped concrete elements are strongly dependent on the distance-to-spacing ratio of ER probes (i.e., distance of the electrode in ER probes to the edges and/or the bottom of the concrete slabs normalized by the electrode spacing). For the plain concrete, it is inferred that the thickness of the concrete member should be at least three times the electrode spacing. In addition, the distance should be more than twice the electrode spacing to make the edge effect almost negligible. It is observed that the findings from the plain concrete are also valid for the reinforced concrete. However, for the reinforced concrete, the ER values are also affected by the presence of reinforcing steel and saturation of concrete, which could cause disruptions in ER measurements.
Highlights
Civil infrastructure systems, such as buildings, bridges, and pavements, are the backbone of modern society and the global economy growth, leading to the sustainable development of several countries [1]
It is observed that the K value is dependent of slab thickness and electrode spacing
Three graphs from different electrode spacings shows a good agreement with each other, which demonstrates that the geometrical correction factor, K, is mainly dominated by the normalized slab thickness, H/s, for the plain concrete model
Summary
Civil infrastructure systems, such as buildings, bridges, and pavements, are the backbone of modern society and the global economy growth, leading to the sustainable development of several countries [1]. Concrete is among the most widely used materials for the construction of the Civil infrastructure systems because of its predominant characteristics such as high durability, excellent plasticity, waterproofness, and cheap cost relative to other construction materials [2,3]. The use of concrete represents about 65% of all the building materials in the world [4]. This leads to overproduction of cement that results to environmental issues such as water pollution [5], carbon dioxide emission [6], and large consumption of raw materials and energy. It is necessary to improve the durability of concrete structures to reduce the production of raw materials and natural resources [7]. From the perspectives of infrastructure management agencies, condition assessment of concrete in structures is important to monitor the severity of deterioration, and if necessary, to make an appropriate maintenance action [8], which prolongs the service life of concrete, thereby reducing the environmental impact on the society
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