A Low-Cost Embedded Data Acquisition System For Concrete RCP Test

The durability of reinforced concrete structures is strongly governed by chloride ion penetration, which accelerates corrosion of embedded reinforcing steel and shortens service life. The Rapid Chloride Permeability Test (RCPT) is a widely adopted method for evaluating concrete’s chloride resistance, involving a 60V DC voltage applied across a specimen with current monitored over six hours to determine total charge passed. However, commercially available RCPT systems with automated data acquisition remain costly, limiting accessibility in resource-limited contexts. This study addresses this gap through a low-cost, microcontroller-based embedded data acquisition system for RCPT applications, integrating voltage and current sensors, an LCD display, and an ESP32-S2 microcontroller for real-time monitoring, control, and data storage. The system logs voltage and current at defined intervals, computes total charge passed, and stores results for post-test analysis, with calibration against digital multimeters ensuring measurement accuracy. Results show the system delivers precise, automated performance comparable to commercial equipment at substantially lower cost, while addressing key challenges including noise reduction, calibration accuracy, and long-term reliability. The proposed system offers a practical, affordable alternative for chloride permeability testing, particularly for laboratories in resource-limited settings.

Keywords—Rapid Chloride Permeability Test, RCPT, Concrete Durability, Chloride Permeability, ESP32-S2, ADS1115, voltage sensor, current sensor, Embedded System, Data Acquisition System (DAS).