Monitoring and evaluation of deformability, cracking and safety of concrete structures

• Grant number: 04/03049-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2005
• End date: November 30, 2010
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Civil Engineering - Structural Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Tulio Nogueira Bittencourt
• Grantee: Tulio Nogueira Bittencourt
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: João Cyro André ; José Luiz Antunes de Oliveira e Sousa
• Associated scholarship(s): 09/07451-2 - Numerical modeling of failure processes in steel fiber reinforced cementitious materials, BP.DR; 09/16124-5 - Use of Structural Health Monitoring Techniques for Laboratory Prototypes, BP.IC; 07/06457-1 - Application of Digital Image Correlation Technique to the Experimental Analysis in Concrete Structures, BP.MS

Abstract

The project consists of a study of the deformability of current concrete structures due to cracking, shrinkage and creep processes. This study involves aspects of characterization of the material mechanical properties of concrete by shrinkage and creep tests. There is a special interest in characterizing the dosage processes and the properties above presented for the Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC), and also for the standard concretes. SCC is a concrete that flows under the effect of his own weight inside a formwork, passing by the rebar and filling it, without the necessity of vibration equipments. With those characteristics, the application of self-compacting concrete increases the productivity, improves the conditions of work environment with the reduction of the noise and reduces the man power requirements, contributing to the improvement of the quality of the structures. The monitoring of two concrete constructions is planned, using electric and optical instrumentation devices. The development of a computational system for data interpretation is also in the scope of the project. The backanalisys techniques will be used for this mean. The project involves also the development of optical fiber sensors for deformation and temperature. In addition, more economical tools for data acquisition by these sensors will be developed. In order to reach these objectives, a laboratory of optical systems appropriately equipped is fundamental. The available models of deformation predictions in codes of practice will be fed with the coming data from the laboratorial characterization. These results will be compared to the measured ones from the monitoring processes. This comparison is fundamental to check the proposed models and to validate them for Brazilian concretes and cement types. In this sense the use of numerical analysis will be crutial for the construction of more reliable models. The objective of this research project is to build a computational and laboratorial infrastructure capable to support the monitoring procedures necessary to the elucidation of pathologies associated to the deformability of the concrete structures in service. The areas of "experimental analysis and new materials" and "structural systems of concrete" in the "systems and structural materials" especiality will be contemplated in this project. These areas of research are emphasized in the Department of Structural and Foundation Engineering of the Polytechnic School at the University of Sao Paulo. In addition to professors from EPUSP (Polytechnic School of the University of Sao Paulo), the project involves the participation of invited experts from PUC-RJ (Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro), from UNESP (Sao Paulo State University), from UNICAMP (Campinas State University), from UFPR (Federal University of Parana) and from UFSC (Federal University of Santa Catarina). Intensive international collaboration is also expected through the scientific and technical cooperation between EPUSP and FEUP (Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto) under GRICES/CAPES agreement. Interactions with research groups from Canada and Japan are also proposed in the project. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GAMINO, ANDRE LUIS; MANZOLI, OSVALDO LUIS; ANTUNES DE OLIVEIRA E SOUSA, JOSE LUIZ; BITTENCOURT, TULIO NOGUEIRA. 2D evaluation of crack openings using smeared and embedded crack models. Computers and Concrete, v. 7, n. 6, p. 483-496, DEC 2010. (04/03049-1, 06/05843-2)

GAMINO, ANDRE LUIS; BITTENCOURT, TULIO NOGUEIRA; ANTUNES DE OLIVEIRA E SOUSA, JOSE LUIZ. Finite element computational modeling of externally bonded CFRP composites flexural behavior in RC beams. Computers and Concrete, v. 6, n. 3, p. 187-202, JUN 2009. (04/03049-1, 06/05843-2)