Guided wave based methods for damage detection : experimental study on concrete joint

Since Guided wave (GW) is sensitive to small damage and can propagate a relatively longer distance with relatively less attenuation, GW-based method has been found as an effective and efficient way to detect incipient damages. In this study, a full-scale concrete joint was constructed to further verify the effectiveness of GW-based method on real civil structures. GW tests were conducted in three stages, including baseline, serviceability and damage conditions. The waves are excited by one actuator and received by several sensors, which are made up of independent piezoelectric elements. Experimental results show that the mehod is promising for damage identification in practices.