Structural health monitoring methods, dispersion of fibers, micro and macro structural properties, sensing, and mechanical properties of self‐sensing concrete—A review

Self‐sensing composites are now becoming extremely attractive for the applications in civil engineering structures in order to enhance the safety and service life. In the new generation carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and nanotubes (CNTs) have shown good electrical, mechanical, and thermal parameters which inspired in the development of innovative nanocomposites with great and multifunctional properties. Among the numerous advances in civil engineering, the introduction of such carbon fibers to cement based materials produces cementitious materials as a smart or self‐sensing. Such smart composites reveal a noticeable change in their electrical conductivity with applied stress/strain and this special characteristic makes them helpful for monitoring of structures. However, there are still issues with CNFs and CNTs dispersion in case of cementitious composites, which impede the effective transfer of nanomaterials properties into the composites. Present paper presents a critical review on the dispersion of CNFs and CNTs within cementitious matrices, mechanical and electrical properties for the health monitoring of civil engineering structures.