This paper discusses the challenges in characterizing electromagnetic (EM) waves propagating through inhomogeneous media, such as reinforced cement concrete and hot mix asphalt. Understanding the EM properties of materials, including their dielectric constant, conductivity, and magnetic permeability, is crucial to analyzing the behavior of these waves. The focus of this study is to develop a numerical model for EM antennas using the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method, and to gain a deeper understanding of various EM wave phenomena. Additionally, we verify the accuracy of our model by comparing its results with experimental data. We analyze several antenna models with different materials, including the absorber, high-density polyethylene and perfect electrical conductors, to obtain an analytical signal response that is verified against the experimental response. Furthermore, we model the inhomogeneous mixture of randomly distributed aggregates and voids within a medium. We verify the practicality and reliability of our inhomogeneous models using experimental radar responses on an inhomogeneous medium.

Digital Image Correlation (DIC) is a new advanced technique for measuring the deformation of a specimen using high-resolution images. It has been used by numerous researchers since it can measure the deformation of specimens without interference because it is contactless. Moreover, the DIC technique can be applied to any materials to which normal measuring equipment is difficult to attach such as Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) grid in this paper, undulated and small surfaces. The DIC technique is easy to set up and provides reliable results compared to conventional equipment like a strain gauge. Although it is good, its associated equipment is too expensive to be readily affordable. Hence, this paper uses an open-source DIC program called Ncorr that works in MATLAB to analyze deformations of six FRP grids from direct tensile tests by comparing their results to the results from a strain gauge. Young’s modulus—calculated from ASTM 3039, ACI 440-3R-04, and regression analysis—of each specimen will be used for comparison. The results show that the difference between Young’s modulus from DIC and strain gauge is <5% if the stress–strain graph of data from the strain gauge is perfectly linear without straying.

This paper aims to investigate wave dispersion behavior in the quasi-solid state of concrete to better understand microstructure hydration interactions. The quasi-solid state refers to the consistency of the mixture between the initial liquid–solid stage and the hardened stage, where the concrete has not yet fully solidified but still exhibits viscous behavior. The study seeks to enable a more accurate evaluation of the optimal time for the quasi-liquid product of concrete using both contact and noncontact sensors, as current set time measurement approaches based on group velocity may not provide a comprehensive understanding of the hydration phenomenon. To achieve this goal, the wave dispersion behavior of P-wave and surface wave with transducers and sensors is studied. The dispersion behavior with different concrete mixtures and the phase velocity comparison of dispersion behavior are investigated. The analytical solutions are used to validate the measured data. The laboratory test specimen with w/c = 0.5 was subjected to an impulse in a frequency range of 40 kHz to 150 kHz. The results demonstrate that the P-wave results exhibit well-fitted waveform trends with analytical solutions, showing a maximum phase velocity when the impulse frequency is at 50 kHz. The surface wave phase velocity shows distinct patterns at different scanning times, which is attributed to the effect of the microstructure on the wave dispersion behavior. This investigation delivers profound knowledge of hydration and quality control in the quasi-solid state of concrete with wave dispersion behavior, providing a new approach for determining the optimal time of the quasi-liquid product. The criteria and methods developed in this paper can be applied to optimal timing for additive manufacturing of concrete material for 3D printers by utilizing sensors.

In this study, a 4-node lattice element was formulated based on the general lattice model. The experimental program was conducted to verify the 4-node lattice element analysis. In the experimental program, four kinds of RC beam-column specimens were constructed. Anchorage shapes of beam and bonding interfaces between the reinforcement and concrete in the beam part were used as parameters of the specimen. The material properties of unbonded reinforcement used in the 4-node lattice element analysis were derived from nonlinear fiber-section analysis. The load-displacement hysteresis behavior of the 4-node lattice element analysis results are compared with that of the experimental study. The improved lattice analysis method could be used to predict the hysteresis behavior quicker and more simply. It should now be possible not only to use the prediction of the unbonded reinforcement behavior more accurately, but also to apply nonlinear dynamic analysis to general reinforced concrete structures.