Assessment of an Axially Loaded Self-Sensing Concrete Element with Recycled Steel Residuals

This paper describes the fundamental evaluation of a self-sensing concrete column using recycled steel residuals (RSR) as functional fill and the testing of the column under slow-rate cyclic loading. The RSR modified concrete has the advantage of sustainably using the otherwise waste material from steel fabrication process. Two columns (one without and one with 2% of RSR by volume) were fabricated in the lab and load-tested in cyclic axial compression. The columns are connected to an alternating current power source and have three electrode sets each for electric property measurements. The results indicate that the 2% specimen can accurately detect the loading and unloading processes using electric-based measurements to calculate resistivity. Based on the test results, empirical linear equations are derived to correlate the mechanical and electrical behaviors.