Implementing a technically and economically viable system for recording data inside concrete

Abstract

As information and communication technologies continuously develop and improve, they are increasingly incorporated into the fields of civil engineering, construction and infrastructure. Decision-making in construction projects is key to being competitive and guaranteeing the quality of structures. Integrated monitoring systems play an important role in concrete structures. Tracking humidity and temperature provides information on concrete hydration and hardening processes. This study focuses on creating a technically and economically viable data recording system. To this end, general purpose dual sensors have been incorporated (for temperature/humidity). With the aim of measuring these values in the interior of concrete, different options for encapsulating the sensors have been examined. An economical proposal of this kind consists of a wireless network that provides data in real time, and therefore facilitates decision-making for builders and project management. Obtaining reliable data from the concrete interior allows us to verify if the hardening process has evolved correctly. In the future, this type of verification test could replace the inspection currently mandated by regulations. The cost of the proposed system offers savings of 45.37% compared to existing controls. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd