ABSTRACT

Title of Document:

Detection and Analysis of Electromagnetic

Radiation Emission from Cement-Bound-Granular
Material Fracture During Three Point Flexural Test
Paul Ivan B Ceralde, Bachelor of Science in
Applied Physics

Advised By:

D. Joel Maquiling, Physics Department

Countries most prone to earthquake damage have been in pursuit of a possible earthquake
precursor. This thesis aims to detect and measure the Electromagnetic Radiation (EMR) emitted
by quasi-brittle materials that undergo macroscopic fracturing. A Vernier software magnetic field
sensor will be used to detect the magnetic field component of the EMR release. An initial
measurement was done to calibrate any noise in the laboratory. The sensor is then placed 1 cm
away from the setup to measure any magnetic field disturbance during the cracking process. The
quasi-brittle material, a Cement-Bound-Granular Matter (CBGM), is subjected to flexural stress
until failure. Critical load points will be determined during abrupt stress drops experienced by
the concrete. These stress drops indicate fracture and will be compared with the stress
experienced during the release of an EMR. The induced cracks will also be observed and
described using either of the parameters: crack length or crack. This parameter will allow
formulation of an expression relating the magnitude of the EMR with the nature of the crack
induced. It also monitors the crack propagation which according to Rabinovitch et al.s Surface
Oscillation Model (2007) is the generating factor for EMR emissions. Preliminary tests from the

macroscopic cracking of concrete induced by impact stress resulted to EMR detection and
5
measurement in the order of 10 microtesla ( 10
T).