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Mortar-diatom composites for smart sensors and buildings

To address the challenge of appropriate cementitious materials that can support future optical fibre sensors with reduced strains for smart city infrastructure, reducing structural heterogeneity by integrating diatomous earth is proposed. A series of samples made up of commercial grade instant mortar and an increased percentage of diatomous earth are fabricated and characterised. Mindful of the growing importance of “in-the-field” measurements and diagnostics to wider construction technology evolution, hardness properties are measured using Mohs scratch test and portable field durometers; the latter was shown to be effective in post-plasticity assessment of these cement composites. Within experimental error low added concentrations improve cement hardness whilst making the cement more plastic. Structural colour is introduced by the diatoms and novel characterisation using a smartphone and polymer lens proposed and demonstrated. The implications for CO2 trapping and intelligent structural health monitoring (ISHM) for internet-of-things (IoT) in smart city infrastructure are discussed.