Computer simulations of limited angle tomography of reinforced concrete

Abstract Computed tomography (CT) with x-rays or γ-rays has the potential of being a powerful tool in assessing the degree of damage in reinforced concrete structures. The traditional CT method consists of taking measurements from all direction around the structure. However in reinforced concrete structures the measurement device cannot be positioned around all the structure, and the measurement data are thus available only from a limited range of angles. In this paper a new algorithm is presented for reducing the effects of the limited angle problem. Computer simulations of limited angle tomography of reinforced concrete columns show that the proposed algorithm is robust and can significantly increase the power of tomography in civil engineering applications.