Conductivity assessment of multifunctional cement pastes by impedance spectroscopy

This study introduces impedance spectroscopy as a technique for reliable assessment of the electrical conduction through a carbon fibre reinforced cement paste. An electrical equivalent model was validated where the polarization response of the fibres is included. Conduction capabilities in addition to other microstructural features, such as the dielectric response or the pore sizes, were obtained using this model. A frequency-independent resistance value was provided since the whole spectrum was considered for the numerical simulations. The variables included in this work were the aspect ratio (milled and chopped) and the amount of fibre. The proposed methodology allows identification of any modification produced of matrix properties, even under the percolation threshold or with a non-uniform fibre dispersion.