Abstract

It is known that graphene oxide (GO) has superior mechanical properties and can enhance mechanical properties of cement composites. However, Hummer produced conventional GOs have been limited to small-scale specimens (e.g., cement paste and mortar) and applications to concrete have not been implemented due to their high cost and large volume of concrete. Edge-oxidized graphene oxide (EOGO) is a low-cost, carbon-based nanomaterial produced by a mechanochemical process with ball milling and a non-toxic oxidizing agent. The low cost (less than $50/kg) of EOGO enables its use in bulk-scale concrete materials/structures, which is a prerequisite for the field implementation. In this study, EOGO was applied to macroscopic concrete to investigate mechanical and workability performance of EOGO reinforced concrete. Interestingly, it was observed that the addition of EOGO to normal concrete increases concrete slump, which opposes the conventional GO study on cement paste. To maximize the benefits of the improved workability, EOGO was then applied to fiber reinforced concretes (FRCs) to compensate their low workability. Two different types of fibers were used, including basalt and steel fibers. The results indicated that EOGO is not effective in basalt fiber reinforced concrete (BFRC) perhaps due to the high absorption of basalt fibers. However, adding EOGO to steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) exhibited significant enhancement in workability and strength compared with control specimens. Subsequently, the effect of EOGO on flexural fatigue behavior of cement composite mixtures (cement mortar and concrete) was investigated. The flexural fatigue results show that adding EOGO to cement composites enhances flexural fatigue performance. Lastly, the impact of EOGO on pavement structure was investigated based on Mechanistic-Empirical Design Guide (MEPDG). The results show EOGO significantly extends service life and minimizes the required thickness of surface layer.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2019

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Nam, Boo Hyun

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Engineering and Computer Science

Department

Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering

Degree Program

Civil Engineering

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0007826

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0007826

Language

English

Release Date

December 2022

Length of Campus-only Access

3 years

Access Status

Doctoral Dissertation (Open Access)

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