Smart film for crack monitoring of concrete bridges

Abstract

In the field of structural health monitoring of concrete bridges, one of the most challenging problems is the crack identification. In our previous study, we proposed a crack-sensitive skin to monitor the crack initiation and development in a structure and to visualize them remotely using computer. However, the material used in the sensitive skin is not suitable for large-scale structural monitoring. In this article, magnetic wire smart film is proposed for crack monitoring of large-scale concrete structures. Fabrication of the smart film, the working principle of the film, and the application of the film on a real bridge will be presented and discussed. The results show that the smart film is a good technique for crack monitoring of large-scale concrete structures.