The strain sensitivity of copper powder reinforced concrete

Abstract

Earthquakes, material deteriorations and other environmental factors challenge the structural safety. In order to protect the lives, structural health monitoring is crucial. The metal foil strain gages have low durability, low sensitivity and can get point wise measurements which are disadvantages. In this study six different concrete mixtures were designed; one without any copper powder, the rest five having different copper powder volume fractions. Three cube samples from each mixture were cast and cured. Simultaneous measurement of electrical resistance and strain were conducted during the compression tests. A strong linear relationship between strain and electrical resistance change was obtained for copper powder reinforced concrete. The results are contribution to the development of “Smart Concrete” which can sense its strain and damage.