Electrical resistance of carbon-nanofiber concrete

Concrete is the most widely used construction material, and carbon nanofibers have many advantages in both mechanical and electrical properties such as high strength, high Young's modulus and high conductivity. In this paper, the mechanical and electrical properties of concrete containing carbon nanofibers (CNF) are experimentally studied. The test results indicate that the compressive strength and per cent reduction in electrical resistance while loading concrete containing CNF are much greater than those of plain concrete. Finally, a reasonable concentration of CNF is obtained for use in concrete which not only enhances compressive strength, but also improves the electrical properties required for strain monitoring, damage evaluation and self-health monitoring of concrete.