Utilizing the Distributed Fiber Optic Sensor (DFOS) Technology for Monitoring the Long-Term Behavior and Structural Performance of Carbon-Reinforced Concrete

Carbon-reinforced concrete is a construction technique that involves reinforcing concrete elements using carbon textile reinforcement. Such a technique is relatively new, and thus there are still some unknowns regarding the long-term behavior of carbon concrete. Therefore, the distributed fiber optic sensor technology DFOS was utilized in several experimental investigations to have an in-depth understanding of the long-term behavior of carbon concrete and its structural behavior under loading. These experimental investigations involved studying the shrinkage behavior of carbon concrete, the long-term behavior of self-stressing carbon concrete, as well as their structural behavior under loading. This paper describes the different DFOS techniques and procedures used to monitor carbon textile-reinforced concrete. Additionally, some of these experiments’ results are also reported and discussed herein. The results have shown that using the DFOS technology can provide a comprehensive overview of the strains developed along the concrete member, which can be interpreted into stresses. Thus, DFOS technology was able to provide an in-depth understanding of the long-term and structural behavior of carbon concrete.