Shielding Effectiveness and Impact Resistance of Concrete Walls Strengthened by High-Strength High-Ductility Concrete

Materials (Basel). 2021 Dec 16;14(24):7773. doi: 10.3390/ma14247773.

Abstract

Following the fourth Industrial Revolution, electronic and data-based technology is becoming increasingly developed. However, current research on enhancing electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and the physical protection performance of structures incorporating these technologies is insufficient. Therefore, in this study aiming for the improvement of EMI shielding and structural performance of structures, twelve concrete walls were fabricated and tested to determine their shielding effectiveness and drop-weight impact resistance. Concrete walls strengthened by three thickness types of high-strength, high-ductility concrete (HSDC) have been considered. The test results showed that the shielding effectiveness with strengthening thickness increased by approximately 35.6-46.2%. Specimens strengthened by more than 40% and 10% of the strengthening area ratio of single- and double-layer, respectively, exhibited more than 20 dB of shielding effectiveness. Moreover, the relationship between the damaged area ratio and shielding effectiveness was evaluated by means of the drop-weight impact test. The structural performance and EMI shielding effectiveness improved as the HSDC thickness increased.

Keywords: electromagnetic shielding; high-strength high-ductility concrete; impact resistance; steel fiber; strengthening.