Innovative Composites with Carbon Nanofillers for Self-Sensing Structural RC Beams

The progress of nanotechnology resulted in the development of new instruments in the civil engineering and its applications. In particular, the use of carbon nanofillers into the matrix of construction materials can provide enhanced properties to the material in both of mechanical and electrical performance. In constructions, concrete is among the most used material. Due to the peculiarities of its components and its structure, it is suitable to modifications, at the nanometer level too. Moreover, to guarantee structural safety it is desirable to achieve a diffuse monitoring of structures in order to identify incipient situations of damages and possible risk for people. The ideal solution would be to realize structures able to identify easily and quickly their behavior modifications. This paper presents a research work about the characterization of the self-sensing abilities of novel cementitious composites with conductive carbon nanoinclusions and their application into a structural reinforced concrete beam. The self-sensing evidence is achieved through the correlation between the variation of strains and the variation of electrical resistance or resistivity. Nanomodified cement pastes with different carbon nanofillers has been tested. The experimental campaign shows the potentialities of this new types of sensors made of nanomodified concrete for diffuse Structural Health Monitoring.