• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.585-599
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• 2016

Steel cables serve as the key structural components in long-span bridges, and the force state of the steel cable is deemed to be one of the most important determinant factors representing the safety condition of bridge structures. The disadvantages of traditional cable force measurement methods have been envisaged and development of an effective alternative is still desired. In the last decade, the vision-based sensing technology has been rapidly developed and broadly applied in the field of structural health monitoring (SHM). With the aid of vision-based multi-point structural displacement measurement method, monitoring of the tensile force of the steel cable can be realized. In this paper, a novel cable force monitoring system integrated with a multi-point pattern matching algorithm is developed. The feasibility and accuracy of the developed vision-based force monitoring system has been validated by conducting the uniaxial tensile tests of steel bars, steel wire ropes, and parallel strand cables on a universal testing machine (UTM) as well as a series of moving loading experiments on a scale arch bridge model. The comparative study of the experimental outcomes indicates that the results obtained by the vision-based system are consistent with those measured by the traditional method for cable force measurement.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2018

This paper introduces a magnetic hysteresis monitoring result to apply an EM sensing technique for estimating tensile force of PSC girder to various class of PS tendon. The tensile force of PS tendon is a very important factor in the performance evaluation of PSC bridges. However, in this time, the tensile force was just measured only during construction and it does not monitored after construction. To measure the tensile force of PS tendons, the EM sensing based NDT method was developed but the proposed method cannot be applied to various class of PS tendons. Thus this study performed the magnetic hysteresis measurement according to the tensile force for class B, C and D PS tendons through experimental study. The specific tensile forces(50, 100, 150, 180kN) were induced to the each specimens and the magnetic hysteresis curve was measured at each point. The permeability of specimens were gradually decreased according to increase of tensile force. Especially, the slopes of permeability variation of class B and C were similar while that of class D was different.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.21-31
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• 2010

In this study, a technique that uses wireless impedance sensor nodes is proposed to monitor tensile force of structural cable. To achieve this goal, the following approaches were implemented. First, a wireless impedance sensor node was designed for automated and cost-efficient prestress-loss monitoring. Second, an impedance-based algorithm was embedded in the wireless impedance sensor node for autonomous structural health monitoring of structural cables. Third, a tensile force monitoring technique that uses an interface plate for structural cables was proposed to overcome the limitations of the wireless impedance sensor node such as its narrow-band measurable frequency ranges. Finally, the applicability of the wireless impedance sensor node and the technique that uses the interface washer were evaluated in a lab-scaled prestressed concrete (PSC) girder model with internal and external tendons for which several prestress-loss scenarios were experimentally monitored with the wireless impedance sensor nodes.

• The Journal of Engineering Geology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.673-682
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• 2020

The ground shear force at the expected failure surface and resistance force due to reinforced anchor can act as important factors according to a failure type from the stability viewpoint at a slope. Furthermore, the anchor's axial force may vary at an anchor-reinforced slope due to ground weathering, settlement, and corrosion in the incompletely anti-corrosion treated steel wire strand at a ground where the bearing plate is installed. However, in case that the resistance force of the anchor is locally lost due to the variation of the anchor's axial force, the resistance force may not play the role so that the external force tends to be transferred to the surrounding anchors, causing an increase in the tensile force in the surrounding anchors. Accordingly, a stability problem at the entire slope may occur, which requires much attention. Thus, this study proposed a method to monitor a variation trend of the tensile force of anchors installed at a slope and infer the external stability at the entire slope considering the monitoring result.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.107-122
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• 2016

We propose an effective methodology using electromechanical impedance characteristics for estimating the remaining tensile force of tendons and simultaneously detecting damages of the anchorage blocks. Once one piezoelectric patch is attached on the anchor head and the other is bonded on the bearing plate, impedance responses are measured through these two patches under varying tensile force conditions. Then statistical indices are calculated from the impedances, and two types of relationship curves between the tensile force and the statistical index (TE Curve) and between statistical indices of two patches (SR Curve) are established. Those are considered as database for monitoring both the tendon and the anchorage system. If damage exists on the bearing plate, the statistical index of patch on the bearing plate would be out of bounds of the SR curve and damage can be detected. A change in the statistical index by damage is calibrated with the SR curve, and the tensile force can be estimated with the corrected index and the TE Curve. For validation of the developed methodology, experimental studies are performed on the scaled model of an anchorage system that is simplified only with 3 solid wedges, a 3-hole anchor head, and a bearing plate. Then, the methodology is applied to a real scale anchorage system that has 19 strands, wedges, an anchor head, a bearing plate, and a steel duct. It is observed that the proposed scheme gives quite accurate estimation of the remaining tensile forces. Therefore, this methodology has great potential for practical use to evaluate the remaining tensile forces and damage status in the post-tensioned structural members.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.303-317
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• 2011

A specially designed tendon, which is proposed by embedding an FBG sensor into the center king cable of a 7-wire strand tendon, was applied to monitor the prestress force and load transfer of ground anchor. A series of tensile tests and a model pullout test were performed to verify the feasibility of the proposed smart tendon as a measuring sensor of tension force and load transfer along the tendon. The smart tendon has proven to be very effective for monitoring prestress force and load transfer by measuring the strain change of the tendon at the free part and the fixed part of ground anchor, respectively. Two 11.5 m long proto-type ground anchors were made simply by replacing a tendon with the proposed smart tendon and prestress forces of each anchor were monitored during the loading-unloading step using both FBG sensor embedded in the smart tendon and the conventional load cell. By comparing the prestress forces measured by the smart tendon and load cell, it was found that the prestress force monitored from the FBG sensor located at the free part is comparable to that measured from the conventional load cell. Furthermore, the load transfer of prestressing force at the tendon-grout interface was clearly measured from the FBGs distributed along the fixed part. From these pullout tests, the proposed smart tendon is not only expected to be an alternative monitoring tool for measuring prestress force from the introducing stage to the long-term period for health monitoring of the ground anchor but also can be used to improve design practice through determining the economic fixed length by practically measuring the load transfer depth.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.269-277
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• 2017

Recently, there has been significant interest in structural health monitoring for civil engineering applications. In this research, a specially designed tendon, proposed by embedding FBG sensors into the center king cable of a 7-wire strand tendon, was applied for long-term health monitoring of tensile forces on a ground anchor. To make temperature independent sensors, the effective temperature compensation of FBG sensors must be considered. The temperature sensitivity coefficient ${\beta}^{\prime}$ of the FBG sensors embedded tendon was successfully determined to be $2.0{\times}10^{-5}^{\circ}C^{-1}$ through calibrated tests in both a model rock body and a laboratory heat chamber. Furthermore, the obtained result for ${\beta}^{\prime}$ was formally verified through the ground temperature measurement test, expectedly. As a result, the ground temperature measured by a thermometer showed good agreement compared to that measured by the proposed FBG sensor, which was calibrated considering to the temperature sensitivity coefficient ${\beta}^{\prime}$. Finally, four prototype ground anchors including two tension ground anchors and two compression ground anchors made by replacing a tendon with the proposed smart tendon were installed into an actual slope at the Yeosu site. Tensile forces, after temperature compensation was taken into account using the verified temperature sensitivity coefficient ${\beta}^{\prime}$ and ground temperature obtained from the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) have been monitored for over one year, and the results were very consistent to those measured from the load cell, interestingly.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.270-276
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• 2020

The long-term durability of an FKM O-ring used as parts of a hydrogen station was investigated by exposing it to high-pressure gaseous hydrogen for 1, 3, and 7 days at room temperature. Changes in its sealing force were subsequently measured at 150℃ using intermittent compression stress relaxation (CSR). No changes in the tensile properties of FKM O-ring were observed, but its initial and overall sealing forces at 150℃ significantly decreased with increasing exposure time to hydrogen gas. Microvoid formation in the FKM O-ring upon exposure to high-pressure hydrogen was minimized over time after the ring was exposed to atmospheric pressure at room temperature, which prevented changes in its tensile properties. However, applying heat accelerated FKM O-ring oxidation, which decreased its sealing force. These results indicated that identifying changes in the sealing force of rubber materials using intermittent CSR is not sufficient for monitoring changes in mechanical properties under high-pressure hydrogen atmospheres; however, it is suitable for evaluating the long-term durability of sealing materials for hydrogen station applications under similar conditions.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.375-386
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• 2021

In this paper, a study of stability and health of a newly-built railway tunnel is presented. The field test was implemented to monitor the secondary lining due to the significant cracking behaviors influenced the stability and health of the tunnel structure. Surface strain gauges were installed for monitoring the status of crack openings, and the monitoring outputs demonstrated that the cracks were still in the developing stage. Additionally, adjacent tunnel and poor condition of surrounding rock were identified as the causes of the lining cracking by systematically characterizing the crack spatial distribution, tunnel site and surrounding rock conditions. Reconstruction of partial lining and reconstruction of the whole secondary lining were designed as the maintenance projects for different cracking regions based on the construction feasibility. For assessing the health conditions of the reinforced lining, embedded strain gauges were set up to continuously measure the strain and the internal force of the reconstructed structures. For the partially reconstructed lining, the outputs show the maximum tensile elongation is 0.018 mm during 227 days, which means the structure has no obvious deformation after maintenance. The one-year monitoring of full-section was implemented in the other two completely reconstructed cross-sections by embedded strain gauge. The outputs show the reconstructed secondary lining has undertaken the pressure of surrounding rock with the time passing. According to the calculated compressive and tensile safety factors, the completely reconstructed lining has been in reliable and safe condition during the past year after reinforcement. It can conclude that the aforementioned maintenance projects can effectively ensure the stability and health of this tunnel.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.121-125
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• 2018

This paper presents the assessment of 7-wire strand monitoring using acoustic emission technique for bridges. 7-wire strand is widely used construction materials to provide additional tensile force to bridges. PSC (PreStressed Concrete) bridge and cable-stayed bridge are representatives for such cases. However, as the bridge aging progresses recently, corrosion problems of strand are emerging. For this reason, various NDT (Non-Destructive Test) methods for cable inspection are being studied and applied to the field. One of the NDT methods, acoustic emission technique, is known as an effective technique to detect cable damage and breakage. In this study, to evaluate the applicability of acoustic emission technique to bridges, acoustic emission signals according to damage of the strand were acquired and analyzed by tensile test. Moreover, The optimal AE sensor type was selected for field application. As a result, it is considered that the acoustic emission technique will be able to detect corrosion breakage and signs of rupture.