Piezo sensors based real-time monitoring of strength development during carbon-curing of plastic waste incorporated concrete

Rapid urbanization and infrastructure development create a deficit of conventional construction materials while straining natural resources. Concrete is a material that is fre...equently used in the construction sector, and the process of making it increases carbon emissions considerably. Moreover, traditional concrete production relies heavily on cement, which has a high carbon footprint. Municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal, such as plastic waste (PW), poses serious environmental challenges. Landfilling PW is costly and polluting, and incineration raises concerns about micro-pollutants and carbon footprint. While adding MSW to concrete might lessen its impact on the environment, it is crucial to make sure that the material's functionality is not compromised. In this context, incorporating these waste materials into carbon-cured concrete mixes, an eco-friendly building material, the project seeks to harness its potential while addressing waste management issues. Carbon curing is a process that can improve the properties of concrete while also sequestering CO2. Real-time monitoring of this process is crucial for optimizing curing conditions and ensuring the quality of the final product. The main objective of this research project is to design and construct a real-time monitoring system that tracks the carbon curing process in concrete that contains municipal solid waste (MSW) by employing piezoelectric sensors, namely Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) ceramic patches in surface-bonded and reusable forms. To better evaluate the intrinsic physical properties of the curing process and strength development of concrete specimens, the global dynamic (GDT) and electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) techniques will be employed. The natural frequency of specimens at different health states will be assessed using the voltage-time response in a digital storage oscilloscope (DSO), whereas the conductance response at various states will be accessed using an LCR meter in user-defined excitation frequency ranges. The changes in observations were calculated using the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) index. The PZT-EMI based equivalent stiffness parameters will be accessed and compared to evaluate the state-of-the-health of concrete at different carbon curing instances for various concrete mixes. Overall, this novel method seeks to improve the durability and functionality of concrete materials while offering a dependable and real-time monitoring system.