Characterization of a surrogate swelling polymer as a functional sensor for distributed liquid sensing

In this paper, the kinetics of swelling for a cylindrically shaped hydrogel element intended for use as the sensing component of a water sensor for geological materials or infrastructure are examined. The anisotropy of swelling in transient state is quantified in aqueous solution. The changes in elastic and shear moduli and Poisson ratio values are obtained by ultrasonic methods during the swelling process. A mathematical simulation model is developed using stress diffusion coupling formulations. A parameter estimation approach is used in identification of collective diffusion coefficient from experimental and computational swelling results for the cylindrical gel. Finally, the validated and calibrated model is used to examine the impact of changes in elastic moduli and Poisson ratio on kinetics of swelling.