Electrically conductive concrete
1. INTRODUCTION
Concrete is a widely used building material, many concrete pavements such as bridge deck, highway pavements and airfield runways are constructed all over the world, due to its superior properties such as high strength, good stability, abrasion resistance and anti-slippage. However, concrete is a poor electrical conductor, especially under dry conditions. Concrete that is excellent in both mechanical and electrical conductivity properties may have important applications in the electrical, electronic, military and construction industry.
Although concrete has existed in various forms over most of recorded history, it is a material that still has opportunities for exciting developments. Over a number of years, many unsuccessful research efforts were made to develop concrete that could combine good electrical conductivity with the excellent engineering properties of normal concrete mixes. The Institute for Research in Construction (IRC) has succeeded in achieving this challenging goal, with electrically conductive concrete, a patented invention that offers future promise for use in a variety of construction applications. A research team in Material Laboratory of Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council Canada, led by Dr. James J. Beaudoin, has developed a new conductive concrete with both superior electrical conductivity and mechanical properties.
Electrically conductive concrete is a functional composite that is composed of regular concrete and a certain amount of electrically conductive components like graphite, carbon fibers etc. Adding appropriate electrically conductive components into concrete can improve the electrical conductivity greatly and it becomes a good conductor. When connected to an outer power source, heat is generated in an electrically conductive concrete. It has a wide range of applications in many fields.
The conductive concrete can be used as a structural material and bonds well with normal
Concrete is a widely used building material, many concrete pavements such as bridge deck, highway pavements and airfield runways are constructed all over the world, due to its superior properties such as high strength, good stability, abrasion resistance and anti-slippage. However, concrete is a poor electrical conductor, especially under dry conditions. Concrete that is excellent in both mechanical and electrical conductivity properties may have important applications in the electrical, electronic, military and construction industry.
Although concrete has existed in various forms over most of recorded history, it is a material that still has opportunities for exciting developments. Over a number of years, many unsuccessful research efforts were made to develop concrete that could combine good electrical conductivity with the excellent engineering properties of normal concrete mixes. The Institute for Research in Construction (IRC) has succeeded in achieving this challenging goal, with electrically conductive concrete, a patented invention that offers future promise for use in a variety of construction applications. A research team in Material Laboratory of Institute for Research in Construction, National Research Council Canada, led by Dr. James J. Beaudoin, has developed a new conductive concrete with both superior electrical conductivity and mechanical properties.
Electrically conductive concrete is a functional composite that is composed of regular concrete and a certain amount of electrically conductive components like graphite, carbon fibers etc. Adding appropriate electrically conductive components into concrete can improve the electrical conductivity greatly and it becomes a good conductor. When connected to an outer power source, heat is generated in an electrically conductive concrete. It has a wide range of applications in many fields.
The conductive concrete can be used as a structural material and bonds well with normal
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