A Model to Monitor Cracked Reinforced Concrete Structures Using Coda Waves

Abstract

Monitoring of reinforced concrete structures is of paramount importance in ensuring structural health and reliability. To this end, this paper formulates a novel model for evaluating cracked reinforced concrete structures using ultrasonic coda waves. The proposed εsm-dv/v model combines the well-established σs-εsm relationship with the highly sensitive ultrasonic coda waves, allowing the prediction of strains in the reinforcement independent of geometry, material, and reinforcement ratio. After derivation, the proposed model is validated by experiments on reinforced concrete beams with different dimensions and concrete properties. The results show that the model accurately predicts strains in the reinforcement and thus offers great potential for practical applications in monitoring of reinforced concrete structures.