Experimental study of the electrical resistance of graphene oxide-reinforced cement-based composites with notch or rebar

The effects of graphene oxide (GO), notch depth, rebar and load on the resistivity of cement paste and mortar were investigated. The electrical conductivity of GO/cement reaches its largest value when the GO content is 0.03%, which is about 50% higher than that of the composite without GO. The resistivity of the GO/cement changes obviously with the load increasing from 0 to 40 kN. The gauge factor for compressive loading ranges from about 26 to 73 for different GO contents. The resistivity variation with the notch depth in GO/cement is much greater than that in the GO/mortar reinforced by rebars. The findings of this work could contribute to further research on the design of self-sensing concrete in structural health monitoring. •The electrical conductivity of cement paste with GO and notch was obtained.•The 0.03% GO content is a viable choice for enhancing piezoresistivity of GO/cement.•The resistivity of GO/cement is very sensitive to notch depths.