STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DIGEST

Health Monitoring of Retrotted RCC Column

Employing Simulated EMI Technique

Abstract
Health monitoring technique used in this study is
based on electro-mechanical impedance (EMI) it
analyses the vibration signature of the target
specimen or structural system. This has been
considered by many researchers for a long time
globally. EMI technique of Structural Health
Mr. Prashant R. Singh
M.Tech. Student, Structural Engineering, Monitoring (SHM) consists of a Lead Zirconate
GCOE Amravati Titanate (PZT) transducer which is connected to an
LCR meter. Self-weight, imposed loads and
dynamic loads are mainly carried by the columns
in a RCC building which makes the column a
crucial member of the structure. In this research, a
decient RCC frame column subsequently
strengthened with ber-reinforced polymer sheets
was simulated using the nite element analysis
software ANSYS. The health monitoring of this
column was performed using modeled PZT
transducer in ANSYS itself. This column model
Prof. Suraj N. Khante
Associate Professor, Applied Mechanics Department, was monitored employing the EMI technique,
GCOE Amravati using modeled PZT transducer after retrotting
the column by externally bonded retrotting, using
Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) jacket.
The study indicates that the retrotted RCC
columns using CFRP jacketing can perform better
than the original undamaged column without
retrotting up to a certain damage level. This
shows that CFRP jacketing shows a noticeable
strength gain when it was used to retrot an RCC
column which can be identied employing the
simulated EMI technique of health monitoring in
software ANSYS. It was concluded that the

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simulated EMI technique is capable of identifying
the deciency/defect as well as strength gain by
virtue of retrotting.
Keywords : RCC Column, Concrete vibration
sensor, Retrotting, Structural Health Monitoring,
ANSYS.
1. Introduction
In the last few decades, Structural Health
Monitoring (SHM) is used as a tool of the Non-
Destructive Evaluation (NDE) technique for
ensuring safety and integrity by detecting the
development of cracks and evaluate the loss of
performance due to degradation in the structure.
Although there are many improvements in
rmness of materials and precision of analysis and
design using computer-aided design, progressive
development of cracks due to continual utilization
cannot be neglected Bhalla and Soh (2004).
There are various technologies of health
monitoring such as ber optic sensing, wireless
sensors and sensor network, smart cement-based
strain gauge, impedance-based SHM using lead
zirconate titanate (PZT) sensor also known as
Electro-mechanical Impedance(EMI) technique,
corrosion sensor, etc. The sensors used to monitor
the health of structures are Laser Displacement
Sensors (LDS), Velocity Transducers/
accelerometers, Seismometers, Piezo-based PZT
patches, Strain Gauges, etc.most of these sensors
can be connected wirelessly.In contrast to other
sensors, the PZT sensor has gained more
popularity due to its efciency of monitoring and
in some cases, it is reusable Khante and Jain (2017).
EMI based SHM using piezoelectric materials is
considerably recognized amongst all of the health
monitoring techniques. Bhalla and Soh (2004)
presented a procedure to conduct the health
monitoring of structural systems from the
admittance signatures of a surface-mounted PZT
patch. Yan et.al., (2011) compared the results of
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post-embedded a PZT sensor smart aggregate in an
existing RCC bridge pier. Itwas tested by applying
reverse cyclic loading and a pre-embed to an RCC
pier model and tested using a Shake table. It was
observed that the damage indices have a similar
trend as the drift ratio and these results were
veried by in-situ bridge pier results. Priya et.al.,
(2016) conducted an experimental analysis on the
admittance of serially connected piezoelectric
sensors throughout its curing period from day 2 to
day 28 keeping day 2 signature as baseline
signature for calculation of RMSD's and concluded
that serial sensing is quick and efcient. Khante
and Gedam (2016) performed an experimental
investigation on health monitoring of healthy and
damaged RC beams using pre-embedded
SMartAGgregate (SMAG). They concluded that
the health monitoring of structure continuously is
possible using smart aggregate and also
established that conductance signature is more
adequate in detecting the damage than
susceptance signature. Kaur et.al, (2019)
performed an experimental analysis of damage
and retrotting monitoring in RCC structures
along with long period strength fatigue monitoring
using lead zirconate titanate patch. They tested a
beam specimen in various stages of damage, and
retrotting was tested. They concluded that
Natural frequency reduces as the damage level
increases however, it started to increase to normal
after retrotting. Rankhamb and Khante (2016)
presented a procedure to detect the damage of
curved surfaces and also studied the effect of high-
temperature variation along with detecting
progressive weakening of pipe specimen using
advanced PZT patch. They concluded that
advanced PZT is location-sensitive even for
structures subjected to high heat and progressive
weakening was effectively identied.
The result from these studies has established that
structural health monitoring employing the EMI
technique is very effective and easy to carry out and
record data. However, none of the above studies
 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DIGEST
have performed a simulation of the EMI technique
and monitoring of the RCC column. In this paper, a
Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) column was
modeled in ANSYS and health monitored using
modeled PZT. A similar model was created and
monitored but this time inducing damage. This
damaged column was retrotted using CFRP and
health motoring of the retrotted model was
performed. The strength gain was checked using
the damage index of the EMI technique.
2. Health Monitoring Employing
EMI Technique
Piezoelectric ceramic-based PZT patch is used as
an Impedance transducer in the EMI technique
shown in Fig 1. This Impedance transducer can be
surface bonded or embedded inside the structural
member known as smart aggregate and also this
transducer can be wired or wireless. PZT patch is
bonded to the structure that is to be monitored is
excited by a periodically varying voltage, typically
in the kilohertz range, by an LCR meter
(impedance analyzer) which is shown in Fig 2. This
ceramic-based patch acts as an actuator and
transfers its vibration to the structure on which it is
attached or in which it is embedded inside and
concurrently the structure affects the electric circuit
including bonded patch and AC source. The
Impedance analyzer records the admittance at
Fig 1 : Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) patch
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every frequency sub-step. This Admittance is
complex in nature. The real part of admittance
gives conductance of the structure and the
imaginary part provides the susceptance of the
structure. Considering that the imaginary part of
admittance is more sensitive to temperature
Tzouraet.al (2015) therefore, the real part of
admittance i.e. conductance is plotted against the
frequency. A distinctive vibrational signature of
the structure, disclosing the characteristics of the
structure such as inherent stiffness, damping, and
mass distribution is obtained. The stiffness of the
structure is the crucial variable that decides the
distribution of the load of the structure onto the
supports Khante and Nimkar (2021). In this
manner, the same patch acts as an actuator together
with a sensor.
2.1 Damage Index (RMSD):
The quantication of variation in the vibrational
signature of the structure is done using statistical
techniques such as Root Mean Square Deviation
(RMSD), Mean Absolute Percentage Deviation
(MAPD), Relative Deviation (RD), and Correlation
Coefcient Deviation (CCD) Ursuet.al. (2016).
Amongst which the most commonly used
statistical technique is by calculating the
normalized root-mean-square-deviation (RMSD)
and can be used as a damage index. The RMSD
i
value of the measurement G1 concerning the initial
Fig 2 : LCR Meter
 STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING DIGEST

i
measurement G0 of the conductance is dened as with 30mm clear cover. Lateral ties were provided
Tzouraet.al. (2015), using 8mm diameter bars @ 120c/c.In this column,
the pre-dened properties of concrete and
structural steel were assigned. Structural steel was
RMSD = (1) used as reinforcement and lateral ties. The
properties of concrete and structural steel are given
in Table :
Where,
Table 1 : Properties of Concrete and Structural
i
"G0 " is the conductance of baseline or initial model Steel
& Property Concrete Steel
i
"G1 " is the conductance of model that is to be Density ( kg/m3) 2300 7850
compared with baseline model.
Young's Modulus (Pa) 3×1010 2×1011
Poisson's ratio 0.18 0.3
3. Retrotting Using FRP :
Bulk Modulus (Pa) 1.5625×1010 1.6667×1011
Retrotting is used for strengthening the existing
structures or structural members to improve their Shear Modulus (Pa) 1.2712×1010 7.6923×1010
functioning with novel technology, features, and Tensile Yield Strength (Pa) - 2.5×108
elements. Strengthening of a standing decient or
Compressive Yield - 2.5×108
damaged RC structure consists of repair, Strength (Pa)
rehabilitation, and retrotting terms. The word
Tensile Ultimate Strength 5×106 4.6×108
retrot is used if the decient or damaged structure
(Pa)
functioning is acceptable than before with
increased resilience then the term retrot will be Compressive Ultimate 4.1×107 -
illustrative. Strength (Pa)

Nowadays, Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP)
composites jacketing are largely used in the
construction industry as a retrotting technique.
As the name suggests FRP consist of continuous
carbon, basalt, glass, or aramid ber polymer
wrapped to the structural member using epoxy or
polyester, this wrapping is known as FRP
jacketing. FRP is the load-carrying component and
the plastic, or the matrix material is accountable for
transferring shearKamiński et.al. (2010).
4. System Development:
A RCC column was modeled using workbench
extension of Finite element modeling software
ANSYS. This column has dimensions
230×450×3000mm having 4 Nos. 20mm diameter
The model came to shape in the design modeler of
workbench ANSYS which is called the geometry of
the project. This model of RCC column was
provided with steel plates of 50 mm on top and
bottom for xing one end and applying load on the
other. The steel plates helped in distributing the
load throughout the c/s. the force applied. The
dimensions of PZT were taken as 100×100×10mm.
Fig 3. shows the Schematic diagram of the column
with PZT patch location and CFRP wrapping. The
meshing was performed in the model section of
workbench ANSYS. Patch conrming algorithm
was used applying the tetrahedron method, and all
the other options were selected as default and
program-controlled. Then the preliminary analysis
was done by 100kN gradually applied load.

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Fig 3 : Schematic diagram of the column with PZT patch location and CFRP wrapping

Then the whole model was imported in APDL Table 2 : Properties of Lead zirconate titanate patch
ANSYS for the harmonic analysis of the column. In Properties Symbols Values Unit
APDL the properties of the PZT patch was assigned
3
which was assigned as a steel component in the Density r 7800 kg/m
workbench. Table 2. shows the properties of Lead Anisotropic S11 15 10
—12
m /N
2

Zirconate Titanate (PZT). These values were fed

elasticity S22 = S33 19
manually in the APDL by assigning the patch as
SOLID 5. Whereas the concrete and steel (compliance) S12 = S21 -4.5
properties were directly imported from the
S13 = S31 -5.7
workbench.
S23 = S32 -5.7
Density, anisotropic elasticity, and piezoelectric
strain coefcients were applied to the PZT as S44 = S55 39.0
mentioned in the table but, the permittivity values S66 49.4
were converted into relative permittivity to feed
Electric e11T 1.75 10—8F/m
into the ANSYS APDL so, the values of electric
permittivity by 8.8541878128 × 10-12Fm -1 i.e. Permittivity e22
T
1.75
permittivity constant to get relative permittivity. T
e33 2.12
After applying the properties of the PZT patch the
—10
loads were applied on the patch i.e. potential Piezoelectric d31 -2.1 10 m/V
difference was applied on it. So a constant load of Strain d32 -2.1
1 volt on all the nodes of the outer face was
applied on it and 0 volts was applied on all the Coefcients d33 5.0
nodes of the inner face which was attached to the d24 5.8
concrete.
d15 5.8
Then the model was analysed as a harmonic
analysis type for 20 sub-steps of the frequency Similarly, a total of three models were created and
range of 0-400kHz. Damping was applied to the their signatures were obtained. The conductance
structure with a stiffness matrix multiplier of 3-9. signature of the rst model was considered as
The results were obtained in Time-History post- Baseline signature because this model represents
processing. the healthy column. The second model was created

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as a cracked model in this model a crack was 100kN gradually applied load for all three models
induced on the face of the column as a to get the maximum deformation which was
delamination crack. Further, this cracked model further used to calculate the stiffness. The
was monitored employing the EMI technique. In deformation and stiffness values of all three
the third model, the cracked model was retrotted models are shown in Table 3.
using CFRP jacketing of 2mm thickness using Table 3 : Deformation and Stiffness of column
epoxy and then the retrotted model was models
monitored using the same process as the other two
models were monitored. In all three models the Sr. Model Name Deformation Stiffness
properties of concrete and steel, the dimensions of No. (mm) (kN/mm)
column, position of PZT, load applied for
preliminary analysis, and reinforcement detailing 1 Healthy 0.090032 1110.716
was kept constant so that the comparison can be column model
made between these three models.
2 Cracked 0.090865 1100.534
column model
5. Results and Discussion:
5.1 Preliminary Analysis: 3 Retrotted 0.086102 1161.413
column model
As mentioned above the nite element modeling
and simulation in ANSYS Workbench was done by

(a) Healthy model (b) Cracked model (c) Retrotted model

Fig 4 : Total deformation of column model

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5.2 Electro-mechanical Admittance: plotted up against frequency to get the

The electro-mechanical admittance of the PZT
patch was obtained during ANSYS APDL nite
element modeling and simulation. All three
models were then evaluated with the EMI
technique of SHM and the admittance values for 20
sub-steps ofthe frequency range of 0-400kHz were
obtained. This admittance had two parts real and
imaginary part because the admittance has a
complex value. The real part of admittance
represents the conductance of the structure and the
imaginary part represents the susceptance of the
structure. These values of conductance were
conductance signatures of these models. Similarly,
the susceptance was also plotted up against
frequency to get the susceptance signatures.
The conductance and susceptance signature of the
healthy column model (Baseline signature) is
shown in Fig 5(a) and Fig 5(b) respectively.
Similarly, the conductance and susceptance
signature of the cracked column model is shown in
Fig 6(a) and Fig 6(b) respectively and that of the
retrotted model is shown in Fig 7(a) and Fig 7(b)
respectively.

(a) Conductance

(b) Susceptance
Fig 5 : Signatures of the Healthy (Baseline) model.

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(a) Conductance

(b) Susceptance

Fig 6 : Signatures of the Cracked model.

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(a) Conductance

(b) Susceptance
Fig 7 : Signatures of the Retrotted model.

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Fig 8. Shows the conductance signature of all three
models together and similarly, Fig 9. Shows the
susceptance signatures of all three models. In both
of these graphs the blue line shows the baseline
signature, the orange line shows the signature for
the cracked model, and the green line shows the
retrotted column signature. These signatures of
the structure were disclosing the characteristics of
the structure such as inherent stiffness, damping,
and mass distribution. As the cracked model was

Fig 8 : Conductance signatures of all three models.

Fig 9 : Susceptance signatures of all three models.

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retrotted using CFRP the stiffness of the structure
increases and the conductance values of the
retrotted model decreases as seen in the
conductance signarure. The conductance of the
model increases due to induced crack in the
healthy model which concludes that conductance
generally increases as the stiffness of the model
decreases and vice versa. From these results a
general conclusion can be made that the
conductance signature is directly related to the
stiffness of the column models.
5.3 Root-Mean-Squared-Deviation :
The RMSDs were calculated keeping the healthy
model conductance value as a baseline value (i.e.
i i
G0 in the equation {1} and the value of G1 was taken
from conductance values of cracked model and
retrotted model simultaneously to get the RMSD-
cracked & RMSD-retrotted values. The RMSDs
were calculated for different frequency range
because the deviations were large at some range as
compared to others. RMSDs of the different
frequency ranges can be seen in Fig 10. And when
we calculate the overall RMSD for the frequency
range of 0-400kHz it comes out to be 0.291 for the
cracked model and 0.452. These values state that
the deviation of signature of the cracked model
from the baseline model was about 29.1% and that
of the retrotted model was 45.2%from the baseline
model.
6. Conclusions
In this paper, the PZT sensor was modeled for
health monitoring of RCC column models
employing the simulated EMI technique. The PZT
sensor employed for damage sensing in reinforced
concrete column healthy cracked and retrotted
models performs very well. As the stiffness of the
column model decreases the damage indices
increase as the conductance signature deviates
away from the conductance signature of the
baseline model. RMSD value of the retrotted
model is even more than the cracked model this is
because the deviation of the retrotted model is in
the opposite direction than that of the cracked
model when compared with healthy signature.
This deviation is greater than the deviation of the
cracked model signature. This shows that the
cracked model has gained back its strength which
is even more than the healthy model this result is

Fig 10 : Root-Mean-Square-Deviation.

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validated when compared to the stiffnesses of these
models. The RMSD index is frequency range
sensitive. The impending damage is very
effectively identied by swapping frequency in the
range of 100 to 200kHz. It is very important to note
here that a very small degradation in stiffness was
identied and reported by the present EMI
simulation. It can also be concluded that in absence
of experimentation the simulation adopted in this
study serves as a very cost-effective solution.
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About the Author

Dr. Suraj N. Khante

Dr. Suraj N. Khante is presently serving as Associate professor at Govt. College of Engineering, Nagpur,
(M.S.) He completed his graduation Civil Engineering and post Graduation in Structural Engineering
from VNIT, Nagpur (then VRCE). He obtained his Doctoral Degree From SGSITS, Indore. He is teaching
from last 32 years in various Engineering Colleges. He published more than 50 research papers in various
international, national journals and conferences. He contributed few book chapters also. His areas of
interest from structural Engineering are mainly FEM, Non-linear Dynamics, Structural Health
Monitoring, EMI Technique, etc.

Mr. Prashant R. Singh

Mr. Prashant R. Singh graduated in civil engineering from Government college of Engineering,
Chandrapur (Gondwana University) 2018. Completed his M. Tech. degree in Structural Engineering from
Government college of Engineering, Amravati in 2021. Area of interest includes Structural Health
Monitoring, Finite Element Analysis and retrotting and rehabilitation.

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