Up to date, the conventional reinforcing technology of construction structures consists on the adhesive joining of steel plates to the concrete surface. Such method, presents several disadvantages: steel plates are heavy and difficult for handling on site, corrosion of the steel occurs at the steel concrete interface,etc. In this contest, the purpose of this project is to develop a structure reinforcing technology based on composite laminates with embedded optic fibre sensors. Composites have several advantages: Low weight, easy handling, high corrosion resistance, etc. At last, composites offer the possibility of embedding optic fibre sensors into its matrix. ln this way, once the structure is strengthened, it is possible to control in real time the stress state at any point of the material. Benefits:
(1) Optimisation of structure design (reducing construction costs)
(2) Real time monitoring and reporting (savings in maintenance costs)
(3) Smart structure (improving safety and reliability)