Speaker
Description
Cracking in cementitious materials is a common challenge in structural engineering, requiring effective repair methods to restore integrity and prolong service life. While epoxy resin injection is widely used for this purpose, evaluating the quality and durability of these repairs remains a key issue. Traditional assessment methods, such as visual inspections or destructive testing, provide limited insight into internal damage progression. Acoustic Emission (AE), a real-time non-destructive evaluation (NDE) technique, offers a more advanced approach by detecting crack activity as it occurs. While AE has been extensively used in laboratory studies, its application in monitoring repaired structures and assessing repair performance is still developing.
This study investigates the mechanical behavior of cementitious specimens repaired with epoxy resin. To assess the effectiveness of the repair, specimens were first subjected to four-point bending tests until failure, then repaired with epoxy resin, and reloaded to evaluate their structural recovery. AE monitoring was used to track damage activity throughout the tests, capture crack development and quantify the effectiveness of the repair. Additionally, Finite Element Modeling (FEM) was conducted to validate the AE findings and offering a clearer picture of stress distribution and mechanical response. The results demonstrate that AE can effectively monitor damage evolution and provide meaningful insights into restoration levels. This combined experimental and numerical approach proves the potential of AE for real-world structural health monitoring, offering a practical tool for assessing repair techniques in civil infrastructure.
