Title: Cement-Based Composites in Structural Health Monitoring

Author(s): Francesca Tittarelli, Alessandra Mobili, Paolo Chiariotti, Gloria Cosoli, Nicola Giulietti, Alberto Belli, Giuseppe Pandarese, Tiziano Bellezze, Gian Marco Revel

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 355

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 133-150

Keywords: Durability; Monitoring; Non-destructive Tests, Self-sensing Concrete, Carbon-based additions, Free Corrosion Potential, Impedance Spectroscopy

DOI: 10.14359/51736019

Date: 7/1/2022

Abstract:
To guarantee concrete infrastructure functionality over time inspection and maintenance interventions are required. These inspections are typically scheduled on a periodic basis but may not be sufficient to prevent the onset of deterioration. When these problems occur, extraordinary maintenance operations shall be carried out, causing inconvenience to users and additional costs. The continuous monitoring of the infrastructures allows the transition from programmatic maintenance to predictive maintenance strategies, with a consequent increase in the safety of the structures as well as a reduction in management costs. This work aims to provide a brief overview of continuous monitoring systems for concrete structures developed by Università Politecnica delle Marche, focusing in particular on methods based on free corrosion potential measurement and electrical impedance spectroscopy in the so-called “self-sensing” concrete. The “self-sensing” characteristic of concretes can be improved through conductive additions such as fillers and fibers. The study conducted within the H2020 EU project EnDurCrete has demonstrated how expensive and sometimes toxic commercial conductive carbon-based additions, can be replaced by low-cost, non-toxic industrial by-products, enabling to perform relatively cheap and sustainable continuous monitoring of structures.