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Damage Detection of concrete elements retrofitted with TRM or FRP jackets: A

comparison between equivalent strengthening systems

Conference Paper · May 2016

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Damage Detection of concrete elements retrofitted with TRM or FRP

jackets: A comparison between equivalent strengthening systems

Tzoura, E. A.1, Laory, I.2, Triantafillou, T. C.3, Choutopoulou, E.3, Kollia C.3, Basheer, P.A.M.1,

1 School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

2 School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
3 Department of Civil Engineering, University of Patras, Patras, GR-26500, Greece

Abstract

This paper presents the experimental procedure for damage detection on concrete cylinders
retrofitted with TRM (textile-reinforced mortar) or FRP (fiber-reinforced polymer) jackets. The
strengthening systems were equivalent so that a direct comparison of the results were
possible. A comparison between the two composite materials (TRM and FRP) was made
according to their behaviour in damage detection. For the damage detection of the elements
an innovative wireless measurement system was used. For this purpose lead zirconate
titanate (PZT) transducers were externally placed on the retrofitted elements. Measurements
of the voltage across the PZT transducers were obtained at various strain values during the
experimental procedure. The variation of the voltage measurements indicated the
propagation of the damage which was quantified by two damage indices, which were
compared. It is concluded that the sensitivity in damage detection of the PZT transducers in
combination with the proposed measurement system is quite high. However, damage
detection at an early stage is mainly dependent on the load and deformation capacity of the
element and not on the strengthening material itself.

Keywords: damage detection; fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP); PZT transducers; textile

reinforced mortar (TRM); wireless system

Corresponding author’s email: e.tzoura@leeds.ac.uk

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Introduction
Reinforced concrete has been widely used for over a century as the main construction
material of structures and other infrastructure facilities. Ageing and deterioration of reinforced
concrete in these structures necessitated strengthening them by using various retrofitting
techniques. The most common retrofitting technique applied for more than 20 years mainly in
the USA and Europe is the externally bonded reinforcement by using fibre reinforced
polymers (FRPs). A highly promising retrofitting method introduced in the last decade in
order to overcome the disadvantages of FRPs concerns also a composite material consisting
of textile and a cement-based matrix material, commonly known in the literature as TRM
(textile reinforced mortar), TRC (textile reinforced concrete) or FRCM (fibre reinforced
cementitious matrix). Although FRPs exhibit high performance in terms of strength and
durability, a major drawback is the inability to visually inspect the reinforced concrete
substrate when using TRM jackets. Eventually the damage becomes visible, but there is a
delay until the damage of the RC substrate becomes visible on the TRM jacket as proved by
the experimental procedure. For this reason, a structural health monitoring system would be
the most effective way to inspect the structure for potential damage mainly at an early stage
either for FRP or for TRM retrofitting technique. In this study a newly developed wireless
measurement system [1] is applied in order to obtain Voltage versus Frequency
measurements for a specific range of frequencies at various strain values based on the
Electromechanical Impedance (EMI) approach. PZT transducers were placed on concrete
cylinders retrofitted either with TRM or FRP jackets; the transducers operated both as
actuators and as sensors. The aim of this experimental research was to compare the
behaviour between TRM and FRP composites in damage detection. The damage was
quantified by using both the RMSD and the Ry/Rx index that was recently proposed by [2]
comparing the results.

Experimental Program
Measurement System and Electromechanical Impedance (EMI) method

The measurement system developed by [1] denoted as WiAMS (Wireless Admittance

Measurement System), presented in Fig. 1, was used for the SHM application described in
this paper.

Figure 1: WiAMS

The main benefits of WiAMS are its low cost, small size, wireless 24 hour monitoring of the
structure, storage of the data in a central data base and portability.
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The EMI technique employed for this study is based on the use of PZT transducers exploiting
its unique property to act both as an actuator and as a sensor due to the piezoelectric effect.
Thanks to this property when a PZT transducer is excited with a voltage, it undergoes
mechanical deformation; conversely, when a mechanical stress is applied on its surfaces,
electric current is generated. In this way the structure and the PZT transducer react and
when a change in the output voltage is observed this indicates a change in the structural
integrity of the host structure. The most significant variation of the output voltage from one
measurement to the other is recorded at the two resonant frequencies where voltage exhibits
a peak value. These frequencies vary between 185–195 kHz (1st resonant frequency) and
235– 245 kHz (2nd resonant frequency).

The output data of the measurement system were uploaded on a database and then
downloaded through MySQL (an add–in for Excel). The ability to control the system remotely
was achieved by using the free open source application PUTTY.

Test Specimens and Experimental Procedure

A total of 8 specimens were constructed with the same geometry and subjected to axial
monotonic compression. All specimens were concrete cylinders having a height equal to 300
mm and diameter equal to 150 mm. The parameters investigated were the matrix material,
the number of layers, the radius influence of the PZT transducers and the material of the
textile. In this paper the experimental procedures and results for only four specimens are
presented. More information can be found in [5] for all of the specimens.

The specimens tested are described in Table 1 and their notation is as follows: the first
symbol denotes the number of layers (2, or 3); T denotes a TRM jacket while F denotes an
FRP jacket; C denotes carbon fibres in the textile while G denotes glass fibres.

Table 1. Specimen’s notation

Specimen
Strengthnening scheme
notation
confined with 2 layers of TRM
2TC-3
jacket (carbon textile)
confined with 3 layers of TRM
3TG
jacket (glass textile)
confined with 2 layers of FRP
2FC-2
jacket (carbon textile)
confined with 3 layers of FRP
3FC
jacket (carbon textile)

The average 28-day compressive strength of the concrete was 36.7 MPa. The strengthening
system for the specimen 2TC-3 consisted of a one-component dry thixotropic mortar mix
containing redispersible polymers and carbon textile. The mortar had a 28-day compressive
strength of 25 MPa and a tensile bending strength of 7 MPa. Concerning the textile the
guaranteed tensile strength and the elastic modulus of the carbon fibres, as taken from data
sheets of the producer, were 3800 MPa and 225 GPa, respectively. The mass per unit area
was 348 g/m² and the nominal thickness of each layer (based on the equivalent smeared
distribution of fibres) was 0.096 mm. Specimen 3TG was confined with glass fibre textile
which had a tensile strength and an elastic modulus equal to 1400 MPa and 74 GPa,
respectively. The mass per unit area was 320 g/m² and the nominal thickness of each layer
(based on the equivalent smeared distribution of fibres) was equal to 0.064 mm. For the
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specimens identified as 2FC-2 and 3FC the strengthening system comprised an epoxy resin
as matrix material while the textile was the same carbon textile used for the specimen 2TC-3.
The epoxy resin had a tensile strength and elastic modulus equal to 22.7 MPa and 1.2 GPa,
respectively.

The transducers were placed externally on the TRM or FRP jackets in an effort to detect the
damage of the concrete substrate at an early stage in both cases. The arrangement of the
transducers is illustrated in Fig. 2.

Figure 2: PZT transducers’ arrangement

Only one transducer was placed on specimen 3TG while for the other specimens two
transducers were placed on each one of them. The distance of the transducers was varied in
order to draw conclusions about their influence radius and how the distance from the failure
area affects the results. The PZTs placed at the upper part along the height of the specimens
are noted as PZT_u while those placed at the lower part of the specimens are noted as
PZT_l. The failure mode for the specimens confined with TRM jackets was more ductile
combined with rovings’ pull-out. For all the specimens confined with FRP jackets the failure
was brittle combined with rupture of the textile fibers. The properties of the transducers are
given in Table 2. Their width and height were 10 mm while their thickness was 2 mm.

Table 2. Properties of the transducers

Property Remarks

Density 7.80 (g/cm3)

Electric Permittivity / 1750

Piezoelectric Strain Coefficient d31 -180 (10-12 C/N)

Elastic Compliance Coefficients 16.1 (10-12 m2/N)

20.7 (10-12 m2/N)

Dielectric loss factor tanδ (10-3) 20

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Experimental Results and Discussion

In Fig. 3 the final image of the specimens at the end of the experimental procedure is
presented. The stress–strain curves obtained during the experimental procedure are
presented in Fig. 4. All four specimens had a similar load capacity. That means that the
damage level was also similar for all four specimens.

The measurements obtained from the WiAMS were the spectra of the Voltage versus
Frequency, for a range of frequencies from 160-250 KHz. An indicative spectrum of Voltage
versus frequency is presented in Fig. 5 It should be noted that the most significant variations
of the Voltage from one measurement to the other are observed at the resonant frequencies
(peak Voltage) as previously mentioned. The first resonant frequency is in the range of 185-
195 KHz and the second is in the range of 235-245 KHz.

Figure 3: Final image of the specimens

Figure 4: Stress-Strain curves

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Figure 5: Voltage-Frequency spectrum

For the quantification of the damage two different damage indices were used; the RMSD
index and a newly proposed [2] Ry/Rx index, as previously mentioned. The RMSD index is
provided by the equation:

 n 


 [V    V  ]
0 k i k
2 

RMSD   k 0

n (1)

  [V  ] 0 k
2


 k 0 

where n is the number of frequency points, V0(ωk) is the initial measurement of the voltage of
the kth frequency point (undamaged condition) and Vi(ωk) is the measurement of the voltage
at the ith displacement value of the kth frequency point.

The Ry/Rx index can be calculated as:

(2)

where xi and yi are the voltage values obtained during the testing before and after the
damage, and are the average values of x and y. As the damage propagates, the damage
indices should increase. The graphs of the RMSD and Ry/Rx indices are presented in Fig. 6.
The results are discussed for each specimen separately first and comparisons are made
afterwards.

2TC–3: For both transducers the damage detection is achieved at an early stage as the
variation of RMSD index is smooth enough mainly for PZT_u, which is closer to the area
where the cracks started to become visible. The Ry/Rx index fails to illustrate the detection of
damage in an accurate way. In a distance equal to 60 mm the behaviour of the transducers
is quite similar.
3TG: Although glass fibres do not conduct electricity as much as carbon fibres, it is clear
that the measurement system employed still provides early stage damage detection
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concerning the RMSD index. It is worth noting that cracks started becoming visible long after
the stress has reached its peak value corresponding to a strain value equal to 0.2%.

2FC – 2: PZT_u was placed on the area where the FRP failed and as it can be observed the
RMSD index increases smoothly from the beginning of the experimental procedure. The
behaviour of PZT_l is similar to the one of PZT_u at a distance equal to 65 mm, although for
PZT_l the RMSD index has a higher value since the beginning.

3FC: PZT_u was placed on the area where the FRP failed hence it is more sensitive to
damage detection than PZT_l, but again the behaviour of PZT_u and PZT_l is similar
enough. This can be attributed to the fact that the distance between the transducers is just
30 mm.

Figure 6. Damage Indices

Figure 6: Damage Indices

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Conclusions
From the results presented and discussed in this paper, the following main conclusions
have been made:

• Regardless of the strengthening matrix material, the higher the load and the
deformation capacity of an element the more feasible is the damage detection at
an early stage. This can be supported by comparing the results with those obtained
in other research [3, 4] for the column specimens. This means that the proposed
measurement system is sensitive to damage detection at an early stage, no matter
if the damage is visible or not.

• Damage detection at an early stage can be achieved as long as the PZT

transducer is placed close to the area where the failure is expected to occur (at a
distance of 60–65 mm approximately).

• In general the Ry/Rx index cannot be considered a reliable damage index while
the RMSD index seems to be the only accurate and reliable index proposed so far
for the quantification of the damage.

• Even though glass fibres have a dramatically lower electrical conductivity than
carbon fibres, the results concerning specimen 3TG prove that early stage damage
detection can be achieved in the same satisfactory way in this case too.

• Despite the reasonable number of tests presented herein and also in previous
papers [3,4] employing the same measurement system, it is clear that the
experimental database is far from complete and should be expanded (e.g. to larger
scale beams), in order to increase the level of confidence.

References
[1] Providakis, C., Tsistrakis S., Voutetaki, M., Tsompanakis, J., Stavroulaki, M.,
Agadakos, J., Kampianakis, E. and Pentes, G. (2015) “An innovative active sensing
platform for wireless damage monitoring of concrete structures”, Structural Control
and Health Monitoring, (submitted)
[2] Hu, X., Zhu, H., and Wand, D., (2014). “A study of Concrete Slab Damage Detection
Based on the Electromechanical Impedance Method”, Sensors, 14(10), 19897-19909
[3] Tzoura, E., Triantafillou, T. C., Providakis, C., Tsantilis, A., Papanicolaou, C., and
Karabalis, D., (2015) “Damage Detection of Reinforced Concrete Columns Retrofitted
with FRP Jackets by Using PZT Sensors”, Journal of Structural Monitoring and
Maintenance, Techno Press, 2(2), 165-180
[4] Tzoura, E. A., Choutopoulou, E., Triantafillou, T. C., Providakis, C., Tsantilis, A.,
Papanicolaou, C., and Karabalis, D., (2016) “Damage Detection of Reinforced
Concrete Elements Retrofitted with FRP by Using a Wireless Measurement System”,
Journal of Structural Monitoring and Maintenance, Techno Press, (submitted)
[5] Tzoura, E. A., Laory, I., Triantafillou, T. C., Choutopoulou, E., Kollia, C., (2016)
“Damage Detection of concrete elements retrofitted with TRM or FRP jackets: A
comparison between equivalent strengthening systems”, Journal of Structural
Monitoring and Maintenance, Techno Press, (submitted)

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