Self Sensing reinforced concrete structural elements

Self-sensing concrete has recently attracted major research attention and significant commercial interests, aiming to produce smart infrastructures with elegantly integrated health monitoring abilities. The self-sensing concrete is achieved through the addition of fillers (e.g. carbon fibres (CFs), steel fibres (SFs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) to the conventional concrete ingredients in order to increase its ability to sense load/deformation by itself while maintaining/improving mechanical properties, providing novel methods for sustainable development in concrete materials and structures .

When internal condition of structures can be accurately monitored, such structures can be effectively maintained and their lifespan can, therefore, be extended as repairs can be implemented at the most cost-effective point of intervention, achieving financial savings not only in the cost of repairs, but in the overall maintenance costs. This project will explore the self sensing abilities of multifunctional concrete at structural elements level; it may consider smart beams, slabs or columns made of self-sensing concrete.