Optimization of Electrode Distribution for Detecting Defects in Electrical Resistivity of Embedded Electrode Arrays in Cement-Based Materials

Defects in the internal structure of cement-based materials can be identified through the electrical resistivity of cement-based materials. This letter focuses on detecting defects using an electrode array with optimized distribution. The defects were imaged and analyzed by demonstrating the effectiveness of this detection method. Based on the results of resistivity measurements with different main electrode spacing and auxiliary electrode positions, the optimal electrode distribution was determined to be 150 mm for the main electrode spacing and 5 mm for the auxiliary electrode from the edge of the test block. Defects were successfully detected using the electrode array with optimized distribution; the imaging results can accurately show the location of the defect and can initially reflect the shape of the defect. Therefore, this optimized electrode array makes it possible to detect defects through resistivity measurements of the cement-based materials, which provides us a new solution to the application of the optimized electrode array for the detection of cement paste or concrete defects in the practical engineering project.