Nanocarbon-enhanced cement composites for self-sensing and monitoring in transport infrastructure

Nanocarbon materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNT), carbon nanofiber (CNTF), and graphene, have been extensively utilized for the development of electrical conductive cement composites (ECCC) due to their exceptional electrical conductivity. This review focuses on the current state of research on nanocarbon materials-engineered ECCC in the context of self-sensing applications, namely, self-sensing cement composites (SSCC), with a particular emphasis on the progress made in the last decade (2014–2024). Initially, the primary methods for preparing nanocarbon materials-engineered ECCC, including conductive cement-based ECCC and conductive aggregate-based ECCC, are comprehensively reviewed and compared. Subsequently, this review illustrates the electrical signal measurement and conductive theory of nanocarbon materials-engineered ECCC. Furthermore, the impact of nanocarbon materials on the performance of cement composites, encompassing microstructures, workability, mechanical, electrical behavior, and self-sensing properties, is thoroughly discussed. The review also presents case studies on the practical applications of nanocarbon materials-engineered SSCC. Finally, this review discusses the knowledge gaps and remaining challenges for future research. This review contributes to a deeper understanding of the preparation principles behind nanocarbon-engineered SSCC, providing insights for optimizing the design of high-performance SSCC, and holding the potential to drive the practical applications of nanocarbon-engineered SSCC in transportation infrastructures.