ABSTRACT
The validation of behaviour of existing structures and its materials characteristics requires the application of tests and monitoring to gather information about the actual response. The comparison of the actual performance and the designed performance enables the validation of the design assumptions in terms of implied loads and materials resistance. In case of non-compliance of the design with the current performance, the design assumptions need to be updated. The application of prescribed loads to a structure to check its load carrying capacity is a powerful tool for evaluating existing structures. In particular, in this research, different types of load tests are employed on a tunnel profile. The system responses to validate the structural performance is recorded with innovative monitoring in tunnel systems, such as accelerometer arrays, fibre optic sensors, and laser distance sensors. Special attention is paid to the capabilities of digital image correlation and nonlinear finite element analysis.
