Application of varying-frequency amplitude-only technique for electrical characterization of hardened cement-based materials

Abstract

There is a need for characterization of cement-based materials by a simple and inexpensive microwave measurement setup for industrial applications. Nondestructive and contactless characterization of these materials can be realized by free-space reflection/transmission measurements. Reflection measurements are convenient for applications where the sensor can only be placed on one side of the material such as measurements on pavement, backfilled concrete wall, and roadway. In this article, we use varying-frequency amplitude-only technique for electrical characterization of cement-based materials using reflection measurements at three different frequencies. We have demonstrated that measurements by the proposed method are in good agreement with those obtained from reflection and transmission measurements. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.