Measuring Dielectric Properties of Concrete over Low RF

摘要

Parallel plate capacitor was designed and manufactured to measure the dielectric properties of portland cement concrete (PCC) at low radio frequency (RF), 0.1 MHz. The setup consists of a parallel plate capacitor Fixture, a network analyzer, and connecting cable and adapters. The impedance of the capacitor was measured using an HP-4195A network analyzer. Portland cement concrete specimens were prepared with two aggregate types, different levels of water to cement (w/c) ratios, and two levels of air entrainment. Testing results indicated the feasibility of using electromagnetic waves (EM) to detect changes in the basic properties of PCC over low RF. This included effects of curing time, w/c ratio, aggregate type, and air entrainment.