Re: dumb as a rock

[Marc F Hult <MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 20 Sep 2005 02:44:29 GMT, nobody@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Dave Houston)
wrote in message  <432f767b.132471403@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>"RF Dude" <post@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>>Just how conductive is concrete?  Can its conductance be improved?
I'm
>>thinking of UFER grounds where the rebars or mesh in concrete in
contact
>>with earth can be used as a ground electrode.
>
>I suppose it depends on the composition.
>
>Dr. Chung is adding carbon fibers, turning it into a large strain guage
the
>resistance of which increases with stress.
>
>     http://www.new-technologies.org/ECT/Civil/smartconcrete.htm

LOL

This technology has been developing for _at least_ a dozen years.
Apparently Dave and CSM jist picked it up for whatever reason,

http://www.iop.org/EJ/abstract/0964-1726/2/1/004

Pu-Woei Chen and D D L Chung
Dept. of Mech. & Aerosp. Eng., State Univ. of New York, Buffalo, NY, USA
Print publication: Issue 1 (March 1993)

Abstract. Electrically conducting concrete, as provided by the addition
of a short carbon fibers (0.2-0.4 vol.%) to concrete, can function as
smart structure material that allows non-destructive electrical probing
for the monitoring of flaws.

Lisa Randall had an interesting op ed in Sunday's NYT that deals, among
other things, with piecemeal extraction and popularization of the latest
scientific "breakthrough" -- well worth the read. Reprinted here:

http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/randall05/randall05_index.html

Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.ECOntrol.org