Experimental Study on Damage Identification in GFRP-Strengthened RC Beams Using Novel Cubic Energy-Based Damage Index

Abstract

In this article, based on a series of laboratory experiments, a new cubic energy-based damage index is introduced for identifying damage locations using acceleration measurements of strengthen-free and GFRP-strengthened reinforced concrete beams having different boundary conditions. For this purpose, wavelet-packet energy has been chosen as feature. Furthermore, a new damage localizing parameter is introduced to estimate damage location using proposed damage index data. In the framework of the laboratory results, potential damages could be detected and located correctly using introduced damage index and the results would be compared with some reference-based indexes. The proposed damage index would have minimum estimation error as compared with other indexes in the literature. Damaged beams are then strengthened with GFRP and the strengthening quality is evaluated using degree-of-strengthening index by comparing signals measured from strengthened and healthy beams.