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Ultrasound for sensing strain in concrete
Ultrasound for sensing strain in concrete
Concrete is a staple building material, but its functionality and integrity deteriorate with time, requiring structural health monitoring or non-destructive testing to ensure the safety of the structure. Concrete is very strong when loaded in compression but fails quickly if it is under tension. This project will focus on developing a technique that would analyse the type of loading (tension or compression) and its magnitude in a concrete structure without prior knowledge of its state (no baseline measurement). A promising way to achieve this is to use ultrasound. Ultrasound is used extensively in various non-destructive testing and structural health monitoring applications. However, it has not been applied to concrete for strain sensing yet.
Magnetostriction is highly efficient in generating ultrasound and is very promising for generating shear waves in concrete necessary for strain sensing without prior knowledge of its parameters or baseline measurements.
This project will develop approaches and techniques for ultrasound health monitoring and non-destructive testing of steel rod and fibre reinforced concrete using magnetostrictive patch transducers. The main objectives would be
• Determine the most promising wave modes for sensing strain in concrete and distinguishing tension and compression regimes
• Develop strain sensing approaches to testing main types of geometry (pillars with different cross-sections, blocks, columns)
• Develop strategies for plug-and-play inspections without baseline measurements
You will be involved in practical work as well as modelling, will work in an interdisciplinary environment and will have excellent opportunities to engage with industry through Research Centre in Non-Destructive Testing (RCNDE).
This project does not include funding. An offer for admission does not constitute an offer of funding.
You can bid for funding through FIND CDT: https://www.find-cdt.ac.uk/research-projects/ which must start before the end of September 2024.
If you have any questions or would like more information about this project, please contact Dr Oksana Trushkevych
The University of Warwick provides an inclusive working and learning environment, recognising and respecting every individual’s differences. We welcome applications from individuals who identify with any of the protected characteristics defined by the Equality Act 2010.