The electrical resistivity of concretes with various aggregate volume fractions (Va) of 0%-70% at water/cement (W/C) ratios of 0.4 and 0.5 during 1 day was monitored.It is found that the addition of normal aggregate to cement paste leads to a regular increase in concrete resistivity at each hydration stage and the electrical resistivity has a deeper increase for the lower W/C at a fixed aggregate volume fraction.The number of normalized resistivity (NR) of concrete to its paste matrix was introduced,which is only a function of aggregate volume fraction (Va).The quantitative relationships give an alternative method for the prediction of aggregate volume in the concrete.A logarithmic relation is established between the elastic modulus of concrete at 7 days or 28 days and the electrical resistivity of concrete at 1 day.The equations are obtained,the compressive strength of concrete at 7 days or 28 days can be determined by the electrical resistivity of concrete at 1 day and the used aggregate content in the concrete.The quantitative relationships give a non-destructive test (NDT) method for prediction of concrete elastic modulus and compressive strength.
The compressive strength development of Portland cement pastes was investigated by the electrical resistivity method and the maturity method.The experiments were carried out on the cement pastes with different water-cement ratios at different curing temperatures.The results show that the application of the maturity method has limitation to obtain the strength.It is found that both of the compressive strength and the electrical resistivity follow hyperbolic trend for all the mixes.The hyperbolic equation of each mix is obtained to estimate the ultimate resistivity value which can probably be reached.The relationship between electrical resistivity and compressive strength of the cement pastes is established based on the test results and interpreted by the empirical Archie equation and a strength-porosity equation.The relationship between the electrical resistivity after temperature correction and the compressive strength was linear and independent of curing temperature and water-cement ratio.
Hydration process, crack potential and setting time of concrete grade C30, C40 and C50 were monitored by using a non-contact electrical resistivity apparatus, a novel plastic ring mould and penetration resistance methods, respectively. The results show the highest resistivity of C30 at the early stage until a point when C50 accelerated and overtook the others. It has been experimentally confirmed that the crossing point of C30 and C50 corresponds to the final setting time of C50. From resistivity derivative curve, four different stages were observed upon which the hydration process is classified; these are dissolution, induction, acceleration and deceleration periods. Consequently, restrained shrinkage crack and setting time results demonstrated that C50 set and cracked the earliest. The cracking time of all the samples occurred within a reasonable experimental period thus the novel plastic ring is a convenient method for predicting concrete's crack potential. The highest inflection time(t_i) obtained from resistivity curve and the final setting time(t_f) were used with crack time(t_c) in coming up with mathematical models for the prediction of concrete's cracking age for the range of concrete grade considered. Finally, an ANSYS numerical simulation supports the experimental findings in terms of the earliest crack age of C50 and the crack location.
