Detecting Cross-Sectional Degradation in TRC Elements by Advanced TDR Technique

This study explores the capability of smart self-sensory carbon-based Textile Reinforced Concrete (TRC) elements to locate and detect cross-sectional degradation. The concept involves connecting carbon yarns into electrical circuits using Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technique to measure electrical changes caused by wetting events. To detect cross-sectional degradation, the monitoring approach compares measurements from the current wetting event to those of a healthy reference measurement. The study presents the capability of the new monitoring concept by experimental investigation. It is demonstrated that the smart sensory carbon yarns successfully detect the location and estimate degradation of the cross-section of the elements.