Función de calefacción en pastas de cemento con adición de nanofibras de carbono

The viability of carbon nanofiber (CNF) composites in cement matrices as a self-heating material is reported in this paper. This functional application would allow the use of CNF cement composites as a heating element in buildings, or for deicing pavements of civil engineering transport infrastructures, such as highways or airport runways. Cement pastes with the addition of different CNF dosages (from 0 to 5% by cement mass) have been prepared. Afterwards, tests were run at different fixed voltages (50, 100 and 150V), and the temperature of the specimens was registered. Also the possibility of using a casting method like shotcrete, instead of just pouring the fresh mix into the mild (with no system’s efficiency loss expected) was studied. Temperatures up to 138 °C were registered during shotcrete-5% CNF cement paste tests (showing initial 10 °C/min heating rates). However a minimum voltage was required in order to achieve a proper system functioning.En este artículo se estudia la viabilidad del uso de matrices cementicias con adición de nanofibras de carbono (NFC) como elementos calefactores. Esto permitiría aumentar la temperatura de estancias en edificación o el deshielo de pavimentos en obras civiles. Se han fabricado pastas de cemento con distintas dosificaciones de NFC (0, 1, 2 y 5% respecto masa del cemento) y sometidas al paso de corriente continua a distintos potenciales fijos (50, 100 y 150 V), mientras se controlaba la temperatura en distintos puntos. Se ha estudiado la viabilidad de utilizar la proyección de la pasta fresca como método de puesta en obra, sin perjudicar la eficiencia del sistema. Se consiguieron temperaturas de hasta 138 °C (con velocidades iniciales de 10 °C/min) para pasta proyectada con 5% NFC. Además se ha detectado la necesidad de un potencial mínimo para que la densidad de corriente resultante sea suficiente para producir el efecto esperado.The authors would like to thank the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación for its financial support (ref: Mat2009-10866)

Valuation of sewage sludge ash as a component of precast concrete

Se plantea la combinación binaria y ternaria de cenizas de lodo de depuradora (CLD) con ceniza volante, polvo de mármol y ceniza de cáscara de arroz, como sustitución parcial o como adición respecto al cemento Portland en hormigones, con una dosificación similar a la utilizada en la prefabricación de bloques (consistencia muy seca). Se llevaron a cabo ensayos físico-mecánicos sobre probetas de mortero y hormigón con edades de curado de 28 y 90 días: densidad, absorción y resistencia a compresión. Se comprueba que la sustitución de cemento por CLD supone una disminución de la densidad y de la resistencia respecto a la muestra patrón, sin embargo, las combinaciones con otros residuos mejoran notablemente las características de los materiales cementantes. La adición de CLD proporcionó densidades y resistencias similares a la muestra de control y reduce significativamente la absorción de agua.This paper proposes binary and ternary combinations of sewage sludge ash (SSA) with fly ash, marble dust and rice hull ash, as partial replacement or addition relative to Portland cement in concretes with a similar dosage to that used in the manufacture of precast blocks, with very dry consistency given its manufacturing process in plant. Several physical-mechanical tests were carried out on concrete and mortar specimens with curing ages of 28 and 90 days: density, water absorption and compressive strength. It is proved that replacing cement by SSA involves a decrease in density and compressive strength compared to the reference sample, however, the combinations of residues significantly improve the characteristics of the cementitious materials. The addition of SSA provided densities and resistances similar to the control sample and significantly reduces the water absorption

Hormigón conductor reforzado con fibras de carbono para la prevención y remediación de heladas en pavimentos de carreteras y aeropuertos

Póster presentado en el I Congreso Nacional PRE-CONPAT 16, Madrid, 2 de diciembre de 2016.La función de calefacción que poseen los materiales cementantes conductores presenta un importante campo de aplicación en las infraestructuras de transporte. La adición de fibras de carbono (FC) en bajas cantidades al hormigón mejora sustancialmente su conductividad eléctrica, lo que puede ser aprovechado para acometer actuaciones de prevención y curación de heladas en pavimentos de carreteras y aeropuertos, frente a otros métodos más agresivos o de mayor coste económico.Los autores agradecen a la Consellería de Educación, Formación y Empleo de la Generalitat Valenciana, la financiación de la investigación realizada en el marco del proyecto “Prometeo 2013/035. Materiales cementantes conductores multifuncionales inteligentes”

Highly Conductive Carbon Fiber Reinforced Concrete for Icing Prevention and Curing

This paper aims to study the feasibility of highly conductive carbon fiber reinforced concrete (CFRC) as a self-heating material for ice formation prevention and curing in pavements. Tests were carried out in lab ambient conditions at different fixed voltages and then introduced in a freezer at −15 °C. The specimens inside the freezer were exposed to different fixed voltages when reaching +5 °C for prevention of icing and when reaching the temperature inside the freezer, i.e., −15 °C, for curing of icing. Results show that this concrete could act as a heating element in pavements with risk of ice formation, consuming a reasonable amount of energy for both anti-icing (prevention) and deicing (curing), which could turn into an environmentally friendly and cost-effective deicing method.Authors want to acknowledge Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO/2013/035) for their economic support on this research, including funds for covering the costs to publish in open access

Carbon Nanofiber Cement Sensors to Detect Strain and Damage of Concrete Specimens Under Compression

Cement composites with nano-additions have been vastly studied for their functional applications, such as strain and damage sensing. The capacity of a carbon nanofiber (CNF) cement paste has already been tested. However, this study is focused on the use of CNF cement composites as sensors in regular concrete samples. Different measuring techniques and humidity conditions of CNF samples were tested to optimize the strain and damage sensing of this material. In the strain sensing tests (for compressive stresses up to 10 MPa), the response depends on the maximum stress applied. The material was more sensitive at higher loads. Furthermore, the actual load time history did not influence the electrical response, and similar curves were obtained for different test configurations. On the other hand, damage sensing tests proved the capability of CNF cement composites to measure the strain level of concrete samples, even for loads close to the material’s strength. Some problems were detected in the strain transmission between sensor and concrete specimens, which will require specific calibration of each sensor one attached to the structure.The authors wish to thank the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for their economic support on this research (grant Mat 2009-10866) and Generalitat Valenciana (grant PROMETEO/2013/035)

Mechanical Properties and Durability of CNT Cement Composites

In the present paper, changes in mechanical properties of Portland cement-based mortars due to the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and corrosion of embedded steel rebars in CNT cement pastes are reported. Bending strength, compression strength, porosity and density of mortars were determined and related to the CNT dosages. CNT cement paste specimens were exposed to carbonation and chloride attacks, and results on steel corrosion rate tests were related to CNT dosages. The increase in CNT content implies no significant variations of mechanical properties but higher steel corrosion intensities were observed.The authors would like to acknowledge the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Ref: Mat 2009-10866) and Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO/2013/035) for their economic support on this research

Heating and de-icing function in conductive concrete and cement paste with the hybrid addition of carbon nanotubes and graphite products

This paper aims to study the viability of conductive cement paste and conductive concrete with the hybrid addition of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and graphite powder (GP) as a self-heating material for heating, ice formation prevention and de-icing in pavements. Different heating tests, ice-preventing tests and de-icing tests were performed with cement paste and concrete specimens. Results confirm that the conductive cement composites studied, with the addition of 1% CNT + 5% GP, exhibited heating, de-icing and ice-prevention properties, when applying constant AC/DC voltages between the two end sides of each specimen, with relatively low energy consumption. The main contribution of this work is to achieve a sufficient conductivity level for the development of the heating and de-icing function using this hybrid addition in concrete, which has not been used so far, in order to be applied in real concrete structures.The authors would like to acknowledge financial support received from European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 760940 and from the Generalitat Valenciana (Spain) (AICO/2019/050)

The Effect of Different Oxygen Surface Functionalization of Carbon Nanotubes on the Electrical Resistivity and Strain Sensing Function of Cement Pastes

Different studies in the literature indicate the effectiveness of CNTs as reinforcing materials in cement–matrix composites due to their high mechanical strength. Nevertheless, their incorporation into cement presents some difficulties due to their tendency to agglomerate, yielding a non-homogeneous dispersion in the paste mix that results in a poor cement–CNTs interaction. This makes the surface modification of the CNTs by introducing functional groups on the surface necessary. In this study, three different treatments for incorporating polar oxygen functional groups onto the surface of carbon nanotubes have been carried out, with the objective of evaluating the influence of the type and oxidation degree on the mechanical and electrical properties and in strain-sensing function of cement pastes containing CNTs. One treatment is in liquid phase (surface oxidation with HNO3/H2SO4), the second is in gas phase (O3 treatment at 25 and 160 °C), and a third is a combination of gas-phase O3 treatment plus NaOH liquid phase. The electrical conductivity of cement pastes increased with O3- and O3-NaOH-treated CNTs with respect to non-treated ones. Furthermore, the oxygen functionalization treatments clearly improve the strain sensing performance of the CNT-cement pastes, particularly in terms of the accuracy of the linear correlation between the resistance and the stress, as well as the increase in the gage factor from 28 to 65. Additionally, the incorporation of either non-functionalized or functionalized CNTs did not produce any significant modification of the mechanical properties of CNTs. Therefore, the functionalization of CNTs favours the de-agglomeration of CNTs in the cement matrix and consequently, the electrical conductivity, without affecting the mechanical behaviour.This research was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme, grant number 760940

Strain and damage sensing properties on multifunctional cement composites with CNF admixture

Both strain and damage sensing properties on carbon nanofiber cement composites (CNFCC) are reported in the present paper. Strain sensing tests were first made on the material’s elastic range. The applied loading levels have been previously calculated from mechanical strength tests. The effect of several variables on the strain-sensing function was studied, e.g. cement pastes curing age, current density, loading rate or maximum stress applied. All these parameters were discussed using the gage factor as reference. After this first set of elastic experiments, the same specimens were gradually loaded until material’s failure. At the same time both strain and resistivity were measured. The former was controlled using strain gages, and the latter using a multimeter on a four probe setup. The aim of these tests was to prove the sensitivity of these CNF composites to sense their own damage, i.e. check the possibility of fabricating structural damage sensors with CNFCC’s. All samples with different CNF dosages showed good strain-sensing capacities for curing periods of 28 days. Furthermore, a 2%CNF reinforced cement paste has been sensitive to its own structural damage.Authors want to acknowledge the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation for their economic support on this research (Ref: Mat 2009-10866)