Durability Assessment of Self-Sensible Ultra High-Performance Concrete (S2UHPC) for Infrastructure Rehabilitation Under Extreme Weather Conditions

The degradation and aging of transportation infrastructure in the United States present pressing challenges that require immediate and innovative solutions. Extreme weather events, exacerbated by climate change, further strain these critical systems, underscoring the need for materials and technologies capable of withstanding harsh environmental conditions while providing insights into structural health. Traditional methods of structural health monitoring often rely on complex sensor arrays, which, despite their reliability, face challenges in durability, compatibility with concrete, and high installation costs. These limitations hinder the widespread adoption of structural health monitoring solutions across large transportation infrastructure networks. This research proposes Self-Sensible Ultra High-Performance Concrete (S2UHPC) as an innovative material solution for infrastructure rehabilitation that addresses these limitations. S2UHPC combines the high durability and mechanical strength of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) with intrinsic self-sensing capabilities, eliminating the need for additional sensor installations. Through the integration of conductive fillers, this material exhibits piezoresistive behavior, allowing it to autonomously monitor structural health by detecting changes in electrical resistance due to applied stress or environmental factors. This self-sensing function provides a low-cost, durable alternative for monitoring critical structural elements under extreme weather conditions. The study focuses on assessing the durability and sensing performance of S2UHPC in environments subjected to varying temperature and humidity conditions to evaluate how S2UHPC can withstand and adapt to the demands of rehabilitated infrastructure in vulnerable regions. To further improve its sensing consistency while maintaining cost-effectiveness, low-cost milled carbon fibers are introduced into the mix, facilitating a percolation network that enhances conductivity and provides stable, reliable sensing results. By integrating these fillers, S2UHPC achieves a balance between structural resilience and self-sensing capability, positioning it as an ideal material for applications in large-scale transportation infrastructure. This research aims to advance a next-generation infrastructure solution capable of autonomous monitoring, S2UHPC, which will be evaluated as a large-area coating on critical structural components such as columns, beams, slabs, and pavements. Through systematic experimental works, this study will optimize the material formulation of S2UHPC for performance under cyclic loading and environmental stressors, with an emphasis on durability and sensing reliability. The following tasks will be pursued: Task (1): Mix design and mixing procedure development; Task (2): Mechanical and electrical properties measurement; Task (3): Durability evaluation and microstructure characterization of S2UHPC under various environmental conditions, and Task (4): Material design optimization.

• Record URL:
  • https://www.sptc.org/cy2-lsu-10

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $70,089
• Contract Numbers:

  69A3552348306

  CY2-LSU-10

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Managing Organizations:

  Southern Plains Transportation Center

  University of Oklahoma
  202 W Boyd St, Room 213A
  Norman, OK  United States  73019
• Project Managers:

  Dunn, Denise

• Performing Organizations:

  Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge

  P.O. Box 94245, Capitol Station
  Baton Rouge, LA  United States  70803
• Principal Investigators:

  Su, Yen-Fang

• Start Date: 20241001
• Expected Completion Date: 20250930
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: University Transportation Centers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Carbon fibers; Durability; Mix design; Rehabilitation; Structural health monitoring; Ultra high performance concrete; Weather conditions
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01940487
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Southern Plains Transportation Center
• Contract Numbers: 69A3552348306 , CY2-LSU-10
• Files: UTC, RIP
• Created Date: Dec 20 2024 7:52PM