Abstract
Structural health monitoring to assess the safety, durability and performance of structures can be performed by non-destructive methods such as the measurement of impedance in self-sensing cement-based elements. Cement-based materials, like mortars and concretes, generally have high electrical resistivity but the addition of carbon-based fillers and fibres decreases their electrical resistivity and thus enhances their self-sensing capabilities. In this study, two waste carbon-based fillers, namely, used foundry sand and gasification char were compared to commercial graphene nanoplatelets and used to produce self-sensing cement mortars, both with and without recycled or virgin carbon fibres. The mortars were tested in terms of their mechanical and electrical properties as well as their propensity to capillary water absorption. The results demonstrate that gasification char alone is the best carbonaceous waste for decreasing the electrical resistivity (−42%) and water absorption (−17%) of mortars, while their compressive strength remains unaltered. Moreover, although there is a slight reduction in compressive strength and an increase in water suction when gasification char is coupled with fibres, the combination of fillers and fibres has a synergistic effect in decreasing mortars’ electrical resistivity, especially when recycled carbon fibres are used (−80%).
Highlights
Self-sensing is the ability of a structural material to perceive its own condition, which can include strain, stress, damage and temperature [1]
The results demonstrate that gasification char alone is the best carbonaceous waste for decreasing the electrical resistivity (−42%) and water absorption (−17%) of mortars, while their compressive strength remains unaltered
CThhoeicreesouf ltthseoBbetsatiPneerdfofromritnhgeCRaErFbomn-oBratsaerdaBnyd-Pthroodsuecmt Fainlluerfactured with used foundry sand (UFS) and gasification of natural wood chips (GCH) fillersTahfeterre2s8uldtsayosbtoafincuedrinfograthreerReEpFormteodrtianrTaanbdleth3o. se manufactured with UFS and GCH fillerIst awftaesr o2b8sdearvyesdofthcautritnhge aardedrietipoonrtoefdUinFSTafbillleer3d. ecreases both the flexural and compressive strength of mortars compared to reference mortar (REF) by about 13% and 6%, respectively
Summary
Self-sensing is the ability of a structural material to perceive its own condition, which can include strain, stress, damage and temperature [1]. In the last two decades, numerous studies have been carried out to investigate selfsensing cement-based materials containing carbon-based fillers or fibres to develop novel multifunctional structural materials [3]. These additions are able to improve the durability and mechanical, electrical and electromagnetic properties [3,4,5] because of their high mechanical strength, high aspect ratio (in the case of fibres), high specific surface area (in the case of fillers), lightness and high electrical conductivity [6,7,8]. Belli et al [13] found that at the same length (6 mm) and volume dosage, carbon fibres are much more effective than steel fibres for decreasing the electrical resistivity of cement mortars
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