Application of Bionic Crack Monitoring in Concrete Bridges

Abstract

In monitoring the structural health of the concrete bridge, one of the most pressing problems is crack identification. Commonly used health monitoring systems could not solve the initial diagnosis of concrete bridge structure and the development of cracks. Thus the smart film for bionic crack monitoring was introduced. The smart film simulated the distribution of neurons such that the neural context of the organism perceived all local changes (such as cracking) internal or external to the organism and thus was able to monitor cracks of concrete bridge structures in critical areas based on the principle of bionic crack monitoring of the concrete bridge. The smart film is capable of monitoring the concrete cracks based on the current experiment and the theories of fracture mechanics. The experiment results showed that (1) the system could monitor cracks when the width was more than 0.02 mm and could analyze and reconstruct the location, shape, and extension conditions of the cracks; (2) since the magnetic wire has a useful On-Off function for crack indication on mechanical aspects, the system is suitable for crack monitoring in concrete bridges. Related research results can be used to monitor cracks in concrete bridges.