On-site assessment of curing efficiency by means of electrical resistivity measurements

Author(s): L.F. Luco, C. Andrade, M.A. Climent
Paper category: Conference
Book title: 2nd International conference on Microstructural-related Durability of Cementitious Composites
Editor(s): Guang Ye, K. Van Breugel, Wei Sun, Changwen Miao
Print ISBN: 978-2-35158-129-2
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-123-0
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Pages: 1204 - 1212
Total Pages: 8
Language: English

Abstract: 
The strong dependence of concrete electrical resistivity with the saturation degree of the concrete provides a practical tool to assess the drying behaviour of concrete by means of electrical measurements and thus, this technique may be used to monitor curing efficiency.

As concrete resistivity is also influenced by other factors, such as cement type, w/c, type and content of mineral admixtures, it is required to uncouple their influence to accurately assess the drying behaviour through the use of a new parameter defined as “relative resistivity”, which has been presented in earlier works.

This papers analyses the suitability of standard Wenner probes, with an electrode spacing of 50 mm, to detect early drying of the exposed concrete, because the current lines can reach deeper and wetter layers.

Different concretes, in the range 20 to 65 MPa, have been exposed to drying conditions at early ages and the respective drying behaviours were characterised by multiple techniques, such as mass loss and electrical resistivity by Wenner technique using different electrode spacing.

From the results, it is clearly shown that a closer electrode spacing is much more sensitive to identify the drying behaviour of the cover concrete, thus providing a practical tool to on site assessment of curing efficiency. Complementary aspects such as the variability of the measures and the need for a shape and size factor definition have been also dealt with.

Online publication: 2013
Publication Type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00