Wengui Li – författare

Multifunctional Cement-Based Sensors for Intelligent Infrastructure: Design, Fabrication and Application covers the development and use of cement-based sensors for monitoring structural health, durability, and environmental conditions in concrete infrastructure.

Monitoring the performance and condition of bridges, buildings, and roads improves safety and longevity while preventing failures and reducing maintenance costs. Cement-based sensors offer low cost, ease of installation, and compatibility with existing building materials, and can also provide real-time monitoring data to detect and diagnose potential issues before they become major problems. This book sets out the principles of the sensing mechanisms, fabrication techniques, and performance evaluation along with several case studies. It also provides a glimpse into a future where concrete structures will not only stand as pillars of strength but also become an indispensable part of smart cities as the core of automation.

The book suits researchers, engineers, and practitioners involved in design, construction, and maintenance of concrete buildings and infrastructure.

Wengui Li is a Scientia Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the group leader of Intelligent Concrete and Infrastructure Materials in the Centre for Infrastructure Engineering and Safety (CIES) at The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), Australia. He is the recipient of Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow and ARC DECRA Fellow.

Wenkui Dong earned his PhD from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Currently, he works as Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of Construction Materials at Technische Universität Dresden, Germany.

Surendra P. Shah is a Presidential Distinguished Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, Walter P. Murphy Professor (emeritus) at Northwestern University, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, USA.

Multifunctional Cement-Based Sensors for Intelligent Infrastructure: Design, Fabrication and Application covers the development and use of cement-based sensors for monitoring structural health, durability, and environmental conditions in concrete infrastructure.

Monitoring the performance and condition of bridges, buildings, and roads improves safety and longevity while preventing failures and reducing maintenance costs. Cement-based sensors offer low cost, ease of installation, and compatibility with existing building materials, and can also provide real-time monitoring data to detect and diagnose potential issues before they become major problems. This book sets out the principles of the sensing mechanisms, fabrication techniques, and performance evaluation along with several case studies. It also provides a glimpse into a future where concrete structures will not only stand as pillars of strength but also become an indispensable part of smart cities as the core of automation.

The book suits researchers, engineers, and practitioners involved in design, construction, and maintenance of concrete buildings and infrastructure.

Wengui Li is a Scientia Associate Professor in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering and the group leader of Intelligent Concrete and Infrastructure Materials in the Centre for Infrastructure Engineering and Safety (CIES) at The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney), Australia. He is the recipient of Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow and ARC DECRA Fellow.

Wenkui Dong earned his PhD from the University of Technology Sydney, Australia. Currently, he works as Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute of Construction Materials at Technische Universität Dresden, Germany.

Surendra P. Shah is a Presidential Distinguished Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, Walter P. Murphy Professor (emeritus) at Northwestern University, and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, USA.

This book offers a systemic introduction and summarization of nanoscale characterization techniques on cementitious materials. Cementitious composites are ubiquitous in the realm of construction, serving as the backbone of infrastructure worldwide. These materials, typically composed of cement, aggregates, and water, exhibit a complex interplay of mechanical, chemical, and physical properties. In the introductory chapter, we delve into the fundamental aspects of cementitious composites, exploring their composition, structure, and significance in the construction industry. In the second chapter, we introduced the advancements and applications of nano-characterization techniques for cementitious materials including nanoindentation, nanoscratch, modulus mapping, atomic force microscopy-based nanomechanical mapping techniques. Therefore, in the third chapter, the cementitious materials sample surface processing procedure was introduced. In the fourth chapter, nanoindentation, modulus mapping and PeakForce quantitative nanomechanical mapping (PeakForce QNM) test results were comparatively analysed. In chapter five and six, the nanoscale mechanical properties of sodium aluminosilicate hydrate (N-A-S-H) gel in geopolymer paste with and without nanoparticles was evaluated by grid nanoindentation tests. The nano/micromechanical properties of interfacial transition zones in ordinary concrete, recycled aggregate concrete and geopolymer concrete were investigated in chapter seven, eight and nine. Modelled aggregate samples were used to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary workload in the microscopic characterization. Finally, challenges and future directions were discussed in chapter ten from cementitious sample surface preparation methods, microscopic characterization method for cementitious materials and testing strategies for complicated interfacial transition zones.