Real-time implication of hybrid carbonaceous fibre and powder integrated self-sensing cement composite in health monitoring of beams and columns

Abstract

This research aspires to develop a self-sensing cement composite (SSC) utilising hybrid carbon fibre-graphite powder and carbon fibre-activated charcoal for structural health monitoring (SHM). The research assessed the electromechanical properties of SSC, including its compressive strength, resistivity, piezoresistivity, and stress sensitivity. The variance in properties of SSC fabricated using hybrid conductive materials is explored in detail through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) investigations. As per the theory of mechanics, the developed SSC is positioned in the critical zones (bending compression, bending tension, and combined flexural-shear) of the beam and column to detect their deflections. SSC with carbon fibre-graphite powder increases the compressive strength to 28.34 MPa, while the SSC with carbon fibre-activated charcoal substantially reduces SSC electrical resistivity to 6646 Ωcm. The SSC made of carbon fibre-graphite powder embedded in the tensile zone correlates with the beam deflection by 99.79%. SSC with carbon fibre-activated charcoal has 97.62% efficiency in detecting column deformation. Thus, the suggested SSC with hybrid fibre and powdered conductive materials increases electromechanical properties and has significant potential for the health monitoring of structural components.