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In this work the non-destructive monitoring of the self-healing progress of cracked mortars is presented through the use of three combined methods: nonlinear Coda Wave Interferometry, 3D microscopy and X-ray computed microtomography (CT). The aim of the acoustic method is to compare, at various healing stages, both the ultrasonic velocity variations and decorrelation coefficients between a reference coda signal and a signal perturbed by a high level lower-frequency elastic wave. The decrease in the relativevariation of the extracted nonlinearities demonstrates its ability to accurately monitor global crack filling.3D microscopy also reveals this capability. Measurement results of these two techniques agree for the influence of age at cracking on healing potential. In reducing the voxel size to 12 l m, X-ray CT images confirm the creation of localized bridges between crack faces and provide information on their location

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The field of civil engineering is in need of new methods of non-destructive testing, especially in order to prevent and monitor the serious deterioration of concrete structures. In this work, experimental results are reported on fault detection and characterization in a meter-scale concrete structure using an ultrasonic nonlinear coda wave interferometry (NCWI) method. This method entails the nonlinear mixing of strong pump waves with multiple scattered probe (coda) waves, along with analysis of the net effect using coda wave interferometry. A controlled damage protocol is implemented on a post-tensioned, meter-scale concrete structure in order to generate cracking within a specific area being monitored by NCWI. The nonlinear acoustic response due to the high amplitude of acoustic modulation yields information on the elastic nonlinearities of concrete, as evaluated by two specific nonlinear observables. The increase in nonlinearity level corresponds to the creation of a crack with a network of microcracks localized at its base. In addition, once the crack closes as a result of post-tensioning, the residual nonlinearities confirm the presence of the closed crack. Last, the benefits and applicability of this NCWI method to the characterization and monitoring of large structures are discussed.

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Over some range of scales, porous media display properties of fractals. It particular both pore sizes and pore-interfaces exhibit the fractal characteristics. One of the fascinating interests of fractals is their capability to model objects with complicate structure. This is due to an important property of fractal objects that their structure is characterized by a small number of parameters. One of them is the fractal dimension which tells how the fractal fills the space in which it lies. Very early, fractal concept has been incorporated in the study of porous media to investigate various phenomena as flow in porous media, pores and fractures of geological media. We present generalized Biot's wave equations for a fractional dimensional system of 3-spatial coordinates used as an effective description of porous media. Some specific examples are given as an application of this model.

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Monitoring localized cracks on under pressure concrete nuclear containment wall using linear and nonlinear ultrasonic coda wave interferometry