Soil Support Characterization in Slab-on-Grade Constructions with Fiber-Optic Distributed Strain Sensing

This study offered a novel method for characterizing the soil support in slab-on-grade constructions such as rigid pavements and raft foundations. The method applies to slabs that are instrumented with fiber-optic cables for distributed strain sensing; it is based on analyzing the spatial profiles of slab bending strains generated by randomly applied surface loads. The concept was demonstrated for a synthetic case involving an infinite plate resting on a Pasternak support model. The method was shown to deliver non-destructive, non-disruptive, and load-independent quantitative information on the prevailing soil support. Therefore, it is deemed well suited for longterm health monitoring applications of slab-on-grade constructions. Such monitoring can help facility owners evaluate and intercept external events that undermine the integrity of the structure. In the long-term, continued monitoring of soil support can help the engineering community improve analysis approaches and design decisions concerning soil-structure interaction.