An industry survey on the use of graphene-reinforced concrete for self-sensing applications

Abstract

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in infrastructure. However, concrete structures often suffer from poor durability performance that necessitate an extensive inspection and maintenance regime. Hence, there is an impending need for reducing inspections and repairs of concrete structures by developing materials that look after themselves, i.e. have biomimetic attributes. One such example is the development of self-sensing (or self-monitoring) concrete; a material with the ability to sense the presence of stresses, cracks and damage on its structure. Such a material would reduce the need for unnecessary inspections of structures that are not only costly but often very disruptive for the public. This paper provides a critical review of cutting-edge research in self-sensing concrete and focuses on graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) - an emerging nanomaterial that is reported to have a positive effect on the mechanical, durability, and sensing properties of cement composites. The insight gained from an industry survey on the use of graphene for self-sensing concrete is presented and is structured around the identified commercial, sustainability and technical opportunities and barriers. It is found that improvement in tensile/flexural strength and the development of a self-sensing mechanism are the main opportunities, whilst the upfront cost of the material is cited as the main barrier. This paper provides a targeted study of applying graphene-reinforced cement composites for self-sensing applications and will act as a reference point for future exploitation of this emerging material.