FBG Strain Sensors for Creak Measurement Due to Hydration Heat in Massive Concrete

Abstract

A massive concrete structure has a lot of micro-cracks due to the hydration heat. In general, conventional electric sensors have a certain limit in measuring cracks because of the noise. The durability is also badly influenced by corrosion. Recently, optical fiber sensors have demonstrated their superiority over conventional sensors and are able to solve these problems. Thus, in this work, embedded Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors for measurement of cracks in massive concrete due to hydration heat are developed and investigated. The developed sensor has the potential to perform strain measurement under harsh conditions in the presence of electrical noise and electromagnetic interference. Particularly, these FBG strain sensors are easily installed and found to be durable for massive concrete structures such as dams, bridges, nuclear structures, etc.