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Dielectric Sensors Used in Environmental and Construction Engineering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 February 2011

M. A. Hilhorst
Affiliation:
IMAG-DLO, P.O. Box 43, NL-6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
K. van Breugel
Affiliation:
Delft University of Technology, Civil Eng., P.O. Box 5048, NL-2600 GA Delft, The Netherlands
D. J. M. h. Pluimgraaff
Affiliation:
Conewel b.v., P.O. Box 106, NL-2170 AC Sassenheim, The Netherlands
W. Stenfert Kroesea
Affiliation:
OFFIS b.v., P.O. Box 26072, NL-3002 EB, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Abstract

Dielectric properties of materials can give insight into the microstructure or concentrations of their constituents and can be determined by measuring the complex impedance of a capacitor formed by a set of electrodes with the material as the dielectric. Measuring frequencies between 1 MHz and 1 GHz appeared to be most informative for soil and concrete. A new dielectric sensor containing an integrated circuit that includes all analog and digital circuitry is described briefly. This sensor is used to demonstrate the potential of dielectric sensor technology for applied materials research in the field in two recently developed applications. One application concerns the determination of the state of hardening of young concrete. The relationship shown is between changes in the dielectric properties and changes in the structure for curing concrete. The other application is a dielectric probe for contaminated site investigation. It appeared to be possible to locate chemically polluted soil layers, such as with chlorinated solvents or oil, using small changes in their dielectric properties.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 1996

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References

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