Spatially resolved capacitance-based stress self-sensing in concrete

Spatially resolved capacitance-based stress self-sensing in unmodified concrete has been demonstrated. The spatial resolution is 45 mm in one dimension, which is in the direction of the capacitance measurement. Parallel coplanar component electrodes (aluminum, 5-mm wide), attached to the concrete using double-sided adhesive tape) separated by 45 mm are used to measure the in-plane capacitance in the direction perpendicular to the length of the electrodes. Combinations of component electrodes are electrically connected to form an electrode. The capacitance ranges from ∼200 pF to ∼750 pF. The greater is the number of component electrodes in an electrode, the higher is the capacitance. The compressive loading is applied at selected areas located between adjacent component electrodes. The stress (defined as load divided by the 300 ×300-mm² concrete area) is up to 3000 Pa. The load decreases the capacitance monotonically and reversibly. The fractional decrease in capacitance ranges from ∼0.1 % to ∼0.5 %. More spatially concentrated loading, as for loading near the edges of the specimen, gives greater fractional decrease in capacitance. The capacitance decreases with increasing inter-electrode distance. Embedded steel rebars with a 20.0-mm concrete cover do not affect the capacitance or capacitance-based sensing.