Web-based concrete strengthening monitoring using an innovative electromechanical impedance telemetric system and extreme values statistics

Any possible and reliable monitoring of early age concrete strengthening can be considered as an essential aspect for operations such as removal of frameworks, prestress, or cracking control. This paper presents the development of a portable and innovative telemetric electromechanical impedance monitoring system, to experimentally monitor concrete strength development procedure from the initial states of casting and hydration to the final stages of hardening 28 days after casting. The proposed system functionality is based on piezoelectric (lead zirconate titanate) sensor/actuator technology and exploits the interaction between voltage-stimulated piezoelectric material and host concrete structure in a coupled lead zirconate titanate concrete electromechanical system. It is found that the proposed electromechanical impedance technique associated with decision boundaries based on extreme value statistics is very sensitive to the strength gain of concrete structures from their earliest stages.