Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea ISSN:1229-3059(Print) 2287-2302(Online) 한국전산구조공학회 논문집

In this paper, we have verified a low-voltage EM(elasto-magnetic) sensing technique for tensile force management of PSC(prestressed concrete) internal tendon in order to apply the technique to actual construction sites where stable power supply is difficult. From observation of past domestic and overseas PSC structural accident cases, it was found that PS tension is very important to maintain structural stability. In this paper, we have tried to measure the tensile force from a magnetic hysteresis curve through EM sensors according to voltage value by using relation between magnetostriction and stress of ferromagnetic material based on elastic-magnetic theory. For this purpose, EM sensor of double cylindrical coil type was fabricated and tensile force test equipment for PS tendon using hydraulic tensioning device was constructed. The experiment was conducted to confirm relationship between changes of permeability and tensile force from the measurement results of the maximum / minimum voltage amount. The change of magnetic hysteresis curve with magnitude of tensile force was also measured by reducing amount of voltage step by step. As a result, the slope of estimation equation in accordance with magnitude of magnetic field decreases with the voltage reduction. But it was confirmed a similar pattern of change of magnetic permeability for the magnetic hysteresis loop. So, in this study, it is considered that it is possible to manage the tensions of PSC internal tendon using EM sensing technique in low-voltage state.