Crack monitoring by fibre optics and image correlation: a pilot study

<p>As reinforced concrete structures reach the end of their design lives, technology for improving accuracy and efficiency inspections structural health monitoring rapidly progresses. Concrete cracking reinforcement strains are two relevant parameters in assessing damage safety these structures. The use Digital Image Correlation (DIC) systems distributed Fibre Optic Sensors (FOS) to evaluate technologies that have been gaining momentum due advantages over other approaches. This study presents an experimental investigation crack propagation a beam specimen through FOS DIC. were positioned inside groove carved rebar immediately outside bar comparison. results showed significant difference between both positions, with more reliable data coming from bar. addition DIC images analysis complemented results, good visual correlation was identified methods. is part broader research program, which aims at applying real scale bridge structure.</p>