Electromagnetic field-based monitoring system for detecting water penetration in industrial concrete tanks

Abstract

This article presents a high-frequency electromagnetic (EM) monitoring system for the noninvasive detection of water penetration in industrial water-storage reservoirs. The hardware was designed with probes and signal processing circuits to measure water penetration up to 0.3 m inside the concrete from its outer surface. The probes were designed to use an EM field to measure impedance signal changes in industrial water tanks caused by the moisture content in the concrete structure. Specifically, because of the nonconductive nature of concrete, the system developed utilizes the electrical displacement theory to monitor changes in the impedance of concrete as the moisture content in the concrete increases. Experimental validation was conducted using concrete specimens, followed by the industrial application of the system to monitor a water tank in a semiconductor manufacturing plant. The results demonstrate the system’s ability to detect deep moisture penetration and predict leakage patterns, offering a practical solution for structural health monitoring of concrete infrastructure.