• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.85-91
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• 2024

To realize stable use of ground treated with cementitious materials, the curing process must be evaluated. In this study, a time domain reflectometry (TDR) measurement system was employed to evaluate the curing process of cementitious grout based on the electromagnetic property. A coated probe was manufactured to prevent electrical connection between the electrodes by the electrically conductive cementitious grout, and a calibration process was performed to estimate the actual relative permittivity using the coated probe. To assess the curing process of cementitious grout using the TDR measurement system, cementitious grout with added retarder was prepared with a water-to-cement ratio of 45%. A preliminary measurement was conducted immediately after pouring the cementitious grout into the mold to test the applicability of the coated probe, and TDR signals and relative permittivity were measured at 3~288 hours of curing time. The experimental results demonstrate that the relative permittivity of the cementitious grout immediately after pouring was greater than 100, decreased rapidly over time, and converged to approximately 13.8 at 144 hours, which is considered the fully cured time. This findings of this study demonstrate that the TDR measurement system with a coated probe is applicable to electrically conductive materials. In addition, the TDR measurement system can be used effectively to monitor the curing process of cementitious grout based on electromagnetic properties.