This paper discusses the challenges in characterizing electromagnetic (EM) waves propagating through inhomogeneous media, such as reinforced cement concrete and hot mix asphalt. Understanding the EM properties of materials, including their dielectric constant, conductivity, and magnetic permeability, is crucial to analyzing the behavior of these waves. The focus of this study is to develop a numerical model for EM antennas using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method, and to gain a deeper understanding of various EM wave phenomena. Additionally, we verify the accuracy of our model by comparing its results with experimental data. We analyze several antenna models with different materials, including the absorber, high-density polyethylene and perfect electrical conductors, to obtain an analytical signal response that is verified against the experimental response. Furthermore, we model the inhomogeneous mixture of randomly distributed aggregates and voids within a medium. We verify the practicality and reliability of our inhomogeneous models using experimental radar responses on an inhomogeneous medium.
Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) material which exhibits light weight, high strength, and high stiffness was developed. It has been actively experimentally utilized in the construction field. FRP fibers are mostly made of Carbon, Aramid, and Glass. However, another material named basalt has been recently developed because it is more eco-friendly compared to the existing materials. Therefore, in this study, a four-point bending test was performed on reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with CFRP and BFRP grids. As a result, the behavior changes of the specimen were observed due to the differences of the material properties. It confirmed that the specimen reinforced with BFRP grid was more ductile than that reinforced with CFRP grid even after the yield of rebar. It is because BFRP material possesses lower stiffness and longer elongation compared to CFRP. Moreover, reinforcing with BFRP can prevent brittle failure of the beam compared to CFRP even CFRP is more expensive and harmful to environment.
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