Experimental and numerical simulation studies of electrical resistance of cementitious materials under varying temperature history

Many in-service concrete structures are normally exposed to varying temperature condition. The time-dependent and non-uniform temperature distribution in concrete structures could affect the accurate assessment of their electrical properties. Therefore, the influences of temperature change over time and the spatial variation in temperature on the measured electrical resistance of cementitious materials are still in need of investigation. The coupled thermal-electrical responses of two types of cementitious materials under varying temperature history were investigated by a series of thermal and electrical tests in this study. Then a coupled thermal-electrical finite element (FE) model was developed to simulate the coupled thermal-electrical responses. The results show that the input direct current has a minor effect on the measured electrical resistance by embedded four-probe method and the specimen temperature when it is no greater than 3 mA. The relationship between the measured temperature at 10-mm depth of the specimen and the apparent resistance is well captured by a linear equation. The coupled thermal-electrical finite element model can predict well the developments of specimen temperature and apparent electrical resistance under varying temperature history. The FE results reveal that the non-uniform temperature variation results in the redistribution of electrical current within the tested specimen. However, electrical field between the two inner electrodes is always uniform when the embedded four-probe method is used, which is not affected by the non-uniform temperature variation.