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Smart Graphite-Cement Composite for Roadway-Integrated Weigh-In-Motion Sensing
Hasan Borke Birgin1, Antonella D'Alessandro1, Simon Laflamme2
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Perugia, via Goffredo Duranti 93, 06125 Perugia, Italy.
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 19, 2020
Summary
Researchers developed a new graphite cement composite for smart road pavements. This cost-effective material enables accurate weigh-in motion (WIM) sensing for infrastructure monitoring with enhanced durability.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Civil Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Smart multifunctional composites offer advanced properties for new structural capabilities.
- Existing weigh-in motion (WIM) systems for infrastructure monitoring can be costly and lack durability.
- Previous research focused on signal processing for piezoresistive pavement materials in bridge decks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a low-cost, scalable, strain-sensing cement-based composite for roadway-integrated WIM sensing.
- To characterize the electromechanical properties of graphite cement composites for WIM applications.
- To identify an optimal graphite inclusion level for sensitive WIM signal detection.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication and electromechanical testing of graphite cement-based composites with varying graphite content.
- Optimization of graphite inclusion percentage for maximum signal sensitivity.
- Load identification tests on a fabricated composite plate to validate WIM capability.
Main Results:
- An optimal graphite inclusion level of 20% by weight of cement was identified for enhanced signal sensitivity.
- The developed graphite cement composite demonstrated scalability for road pavement applications.
- Load identification tests confirmed the material's capability for accurate WIM sensing.
Conclusions:
- The proposed graphite cement composite is a promising, cost-effective, and scalable material for smart pavement applications.
- This technology enables accurate infrastructure monitoring through roadway-integrated WIM sensing.
- The material offers enhanced durability and sensitivity suitable for weigh-in-motion requirements.
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