Detection and Monitoring of Cracks in a Concrete Buffer from DIC and AE Measurements

A second half scale test has been performed in 2013 to obtain further insight into the feasibility to construct the Belgian Supercontainer (SC). This test incorporated new and innovative monitoring techniques to study the initiation and propagation of cracks in the buffer. They included Digital Image Correlation (DIC), Acoustic Emission (AE) and optical fibre sensors. The DIC and AE monitoring installations successfully identified the time of initiation of the first micro-cracks formed on the surface of the concrete buffer. The cracks measured approximately 15 ±5 microns in width and formed less than one day after the start of the heating phase. The DIC and AE results have been confirmed by both optical fibre as well as vibrating wire strain measurements.