Over the last few decades, the aging of transportation infrastructure systems has become a heavy burden for society and rehabilitation and strengthening of existing structures now prevail over new construction. Infrastructure owners are facing significant challenges related to being climate-neutral and circular, and a public expectation that infrastructure will last almost indefinitely without the need for significant maintenance.
This PhD project aims to develop a multifunctional UHPFRC with integrated self-sensing ability to continuously monitor and evaluate the railway infrastructure condition during their extended lifetime.
The challenges to be tackled include: (a) mix-design, mechanical properties and self-sensing capabilities with various functional fillers; (b) understanding the underlying mechanisms with various functional fillers; (c) achieving good self-sensing performance both under tension and compression; (d) effect of environmental conditions on the response of self-sensing UHPFRC; (e) bridging the gap between laboratory research and real engineering application in railway infrastructure.