Advanced Structural Monitoring Technologies in Assessing the Performance of Retrofitted Reinforced Concrete Elements

Climate change induces extreme effects with lower-than-designed restoration periods, imposing the necessity of strengthening the structural integrity of existing and mainly older RC structures, which are often demonstrated to be under-reinforced in terms of the shear capacity, mainly due to outdated and old design codes/standards. Thus, finding cost-effective and feasible methods to strengthen RC elements is becoming increasingly important. Thin RC layers for jacketing represent a modern advancement in repairing and retrofitting RC members. In this context, U-shaped mortar jackets were employed to strengthen three shear-critical beams. In addition, a critical aspect in the success of any jacketing method is the degree of bonding and interaction between the original member and the new jacket. Additionally, the performance of these U-shaped jackets was assessed using an Electro-Mechanical-Impedance-based (EMI-based) method using a Piezoelectric-Transducer-enabled (PZT-enabled) technique. The integration of advanced monitoring technologies in retrofitting applications offers valuable insights into the performance and longevity of the retrofit system. Therefore, this study aims to experimentally investigate the cohesion between construction materials and assess the effectiveness of U-shaped jackets. Through the proposed Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) technique, any degradation at the interface or slippage of the retrofitting jacket can be promptly detected, restraining further damage development and potential failure of the structure.