Developing Sensor-Enabled Geosynthetics using Conducting Carbon Networks: A Proof-of-Concept Study

这笔赠款为开发传感器驱动土工合成材料(SEG)提供了资金，该材料是具有嵌入式传感功能的新一代土工合成材料，可以在不需要应变仪和引伸仪等传统仪器的情况下测量其机械应变。研究的重点是聚氯乙烯(PVC)涂层的聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(PET)纱线土工格栅，这些土工格栅通常用于土壤加筋应用。炭黑(CB)将作为导电填充材料的主要类型。这种土工格栅材料的一个优点是，只有涂层将包含应变传感能力所需的CB含量。这将有助于确保土工格栅的基本机械性能不会受到影响，因为内部的涤纶纱线是土工格栅的承重部件。这项概念验证研究的主要目标是解决开发SEG样品的化学和材料方面的问题，以获得可靠、准确和可重复的应变电导性能。在成功的概念验证以及未来实验室和现场大规模土壤测试的验证之后，这项研究将产生一种测量土工合成材料机械应变的新方法，具有现有技术无法比拟的重要优势。这些优点包括：1)能够在结构内更多的位置测量钢筋应变，2)不那么复杂和昂贵的数据采集系统，3)减少/消除传感器在测量应变位置的机械干扰，以及4)测量比目前使用应变计可能的更大的应变。通过这些优势，SEG技术将促进使用智能材料对土工合成加筋土结构进行健康监测，从而更好地了解它们的现场响应并改进其安全性和经济性方面的设计方法。因此，它将帮助工程师防止涉及土工合成材料的基础设施发生代价高昂的故障和修复，从而在私营和公共部门节省大量资金。这项研究还将更好地了解导电填充聚合物在极低应变下的压阻特性；这一领域在包括土木工程和化学工程在内的多学科应用中具有实际意义。

This grant provides funding for the development of Sensor-Enabled Geosynthetics (SEG) as a new generation of geosynthetics with embedded sensing capabilities that will allow their mechanical strain to be measured without the need for conventional instrumentation such as strain gauges and extensometers. The focus of the study is on polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-coated, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) yarn geogrids which are commonly used in soil reinforcement applications. Carbon black (CB) will be used as the primary type of conductive filler material. An advantage of this geogrid material is that only the coating will contain the CB content that is required for strain-sensing capability. This will help ensure that the underlying mechanical properties of the geogrid will not be affected, since the inner PET yarns are the load-bearing component of the geogrid. The primary objective of this proof-of-concept study is to solve the chemical and materials aspects of developing SEG specimens to attain reliable, accurate and reproducible strain-conductivity properties. Upon successful proof-of-concept, and future verifications involving large-scale in-soil testing in the lab and in the field, this study will result in a novel approach to measuring mechanical strain in geosynthetics with important advantages over existing technology. These advantages include: 1) ability to measure reinforcement strains at greater number of locations within the structure, 2) a less complex and costly data acquisition system, 3) reduction/elimination of mechanical interference of the sensors at the locations of measuring strains, and 4) measuring larger strains than what is currently possible using strain gauges. Through these advantages, the SEG technology will facilitate health monitoring of geosynthetic-reinforced soil structures using smart materials leading to a better understanding of their field response and improved design methodologies with respect to their safety and economy. Consequently, it will help engineers prevent costly failures and repairs of infrastructure involving geosynthetics resulting in significant savings in both private and public sectors. The study will also provide a better understanding of the piezoresistivity of conductive-filled polymers at very low strains; a region that is of practical significance in multi-disciplinary applications including civil and chemical engineering.