Title: Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Cementitious Composites for Tensile Strain Sensing

Author(s): Fae Azhari and Nemkumar Banthia

Publication: Materials Journal

Volume: 114

Issue: 1

Appears on pages(s): 129-136

Keywords: carbon fiber; cement-based sensors; smart materials; structural health monitoring; tensile strain

DOI: 10.14359/51689486

Date: 1/1/2017

Abstract:
Carbon fiber-reinforced cementitious (CFRC) sensors were prepared by incorporating carbon fiber (CF) fillers into cement paste. The effect of CF content, cement hydration, and electrode type on electrical resistivity was investigated. Following these preliminary characterization experiments, the response of samples with 15% and 20% volume fraction of CF to tensile loading was examined. Under cyclic loading, resistivity increased reversibly, closely following the changes in tensile strain. Both CF contents exhibited piezoresistive behavior, an essential quality for cement-based strain sensors. While the 15% CF sensors provided a high gauge factor of 1250, the gauge factor for the 20% CF sensors, with a smoother and more repeatable response, was much lower at approximately 20.