Electrically conductive cement concrete using graphite

Abstract

In civil and road construction, the service life of structures is heavily influenced by the quality and properties of the construction and road-building materials used. Improving the properties of existing and commonly used materials, particularly concrete, is a high research priority. This work aims to produce electrically conductive concrete using carbonaceous additives and to assess the effect of these additives on compressive strength. The research focused on cement concrete mixes containing graphite. Laboratory testing was conducted in four stages. In the first stage, B15 concrete mixes were designed, considering the specific characteristics of the components. Based on the developed formulations, the second stage of the research involved the production of a series of heavy B15 concrete samples with varying graphite content: 0%, 33%, 50%, 66%, and 100%. The third stage involved compressive strength testing of the samples while saturated with water. Finally, the electrical and thermal characteristics of the graphite-containing samples were evaluated. Analysis showed that increasing graphite content improves electrical conductivity, enabling electrical heating of the concrete However, increased graphite content also reduces compressive strength. The practical significance of this work lies in the development of electrically conductive concrete mixes that meet specified strength requirements.