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A flexible sensor-based crack identification method for infrastructure structures

  • Zheng Zhou
  • , Xiang Zhou
  • , Yan Wang
  • , Yang Liu*
  • *Corresponding author for this work
  • School of Transportation Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

In complex environments, the service performances of infrastructure structures are influenced by various coupling effects that result in resistance attenuation and various types of structural defects, with apparent cracks posing the sevious threat to structural safety. Currently, traditional crack identification primarily relies on manual inspection and machine vision-based inspection; however, these methods are unable to monitor the progression of cracks in real time and have low detection efficiency. To address these issues, a structural apparent crack monitoring method using flexible sensor is proposed in this study, enabling real-time tracking of crack development. Firstly, the designed crack-monitoring flexible sensor is fabricated through screen printing, entailing the selection of TPU film as the base material and silver nano ink as the conductive material, and its mechanical-electrical behavior under varying tensile conditions is evaluated; subsequently, a coupling model of the flexible sensor covering structural cracks is established to analyze the evolution of multi-physical field properties during crack development, on this basis, a flexible sensor-based crack identification method for infrastructure structures is proposed; ultimately, the efficacy of the proposed method is demonstrated through concrete crack progression detection during a load test. The results reveal that a linear relationship between crack length and the resistance value of the flexible sensor in small deformation condition, highlighting the precision of the proposed method in micro-crack detection.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2025
EditorsMaria Pina Limongelli, Ching Tai Ng, Didem Ozevin
PublisherSPIE
ISBN (Electronic)9781510686564
DOIs
StatePublished - 2025
Externally publishedYes
EventSensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2025 - Vancouver, Canada
Duration: 17 Mar 202520 Mar 2025

Publication series

NameProceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume13435
ISSN (Print)0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)1996-756X

Conference

ConferenceSensors and Smart Structures Technologies for Civil, Mechanical, and Aerospace Systems 2025
Country/TerritoryCanada
CityVancouver
Period17/03/2520/03/25

Keywords

  • Crack identification
  • Flexible sensor
  • Infrastructure structures
  • Screen printing

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