Interdisciplinary Research on the Application of New Ultrasonic Methods for Improved Structural Health Monitoring

Monitoring and assessing infrastructure health are prerequisites for efficient maintenance. New technologies and methods enable deeper insights and thus offer improved information for decision makers. The development of such new methods for application requires holistic understanding not only of the method itself, but also of the specific challenges arising when dealing with reinforced concrete structures. The research group DFG FOR 2825 ‘Concrete Damage Assessment by Coda Waves (CoDA)’, funded by the German Research Foundation investigates the application of a novel ultrasonic based method for the monitoring of reinforced concrete structures [1]. The novelty relies in the use of Coda Wave Interferometry methods, originally developed in the field of geophysics. Therefore, closely linked interdisciplinary research is conducted including laboratory experiments at the specimen (nm - cm) and structural (cm - m) scale, numerical modelling, as well as investigations on real structures. The research is conducted within six subprojects at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the German Federal Research Institute for Material Science and Testing (BAM), the Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), and the Bochum University of Applied Science (BU). Within this contribution, the concept and objectives of the research group are presented. Thereby, it is particularly focused on how complementary competencies and objectives of the individual subprojects create synergies for achieving the overall goals of the project. The Gänstor Bridge, a prestressed concrete bridge passing Danube River is currently monitored by the research unit. The discussion includes selected results from research activities derived in the completed first (2019-2022) and ongoing second (2022-2025) funding period.