An experimental study on the electrical resistivity of concrete with carbon textile and steel fiber

Date

2026-9-4

Author

Erdoğan, Muammer

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In cold climates, snow and ice accumulation on pavements compromises roadway safety and serviceability. While conventional passive methods, such as chemical deicers and mechanical plowing, remain standard practice, they cause substantial environmental contamination and accelerated pavement deterioration. Electrically heated pavements offer a sustainable active alternative through Joule heating; however, conventional mixtures incorporating dispersed conductive fillers (e.g., chopped carbon fibers or carbon black) suffer from batching limitations and fiber agglomeration in commercial ready-mix operations, resulting in non-uniform resistivity and anisotropic heat distribution. To overcome these constructability and performance challenges, this study investigates a hybrid conductive concrete system pairing a continuous carbon textile mesh with discrete stainless steel fibers. While a flexible, grid-like woven carbon textile is readily placed on-site akin to conventional welded wire mesh to provide planar conductivity, discrete steel fibers within the matrix complete the electrical percolation network, effectively propagating heat generation throughout the depth of the cross-section. The experimental program was conducted in two phases. In Phase I, electrical resistivity was characterized across four configurations: plain concrete (CON), carbon textile-reinforced concrete (CT-CON), steel fiber-reinforced concrete (SFRC), and the hybrid system (CT-SFRC). The CT-SFRC configuration consistently achieved the lowest bulk resistivity, demonstrating effective percolation between the continuous mesh and discrete fibers. In Phase II, three 60  60  10 cm pavement prototypes were cast using plain concrete with carbon textile embedded at two distinct depths (CT-CON) and a hybrid mixture incorporating both steel fibers and mid-depth carbon textile (CT-SFRC). While the CT-CON slabs failed to generate appreciable electrothermal heating, the hybrid CT-SFRC prototype successfully heated under electrical energization, confirming the indispensable role of steel fibers in establishing a functional conductive network. Under controlled environmental conditions at an ambient temperature of 5°C, the hybrid slab achieved midpoint surface temperature increments (T) of 10.1°C and 7.8°C after 380 and 280 minutes of energization, respectively. These results validate the operational feasibility of the hybrid system as an effective, scalable alternative to conventional conductive concretes, overcoming primary constructability limitations while providing reliable anti-icing capabilities to enhance roadway safety.

Subject Keywords

Electrically Conductive Concrete, Carbon Textile, Stainless Steel Fibers, Electrical Resistivity, Heated Pavements

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/121006

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Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences, Thesis