About the Possible Limitations in the Usage of the Non-Destructive Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Method for Assessment of Cracks in Reinforced Concrete Structures, Subjected to Direct Environmental Exposure

Abstract

Failures occur in the structures of reinforced concrete buildings and facilities during their continuous exploitation, without being overloaded or exposed to extreme impacts, the most common being cracks. Their detection and change in time are related to the assessment of the state of the structures, their safety, and reliability during their construction and especially for their safety exploitation. This paper describes the results of the experimental studies conducted by authors aiming to verify the possibility of using the non-destructive ultrasonic pulse velocity method (NDUPVM) for detection and evaluation of cracks. Results of an experimental study of 12 reinforced concrete beams are presented. In previous experiments, some of them were subjected to bending until the maximum crack width of 0.3 mm was reached and others until yielding of the longitudinal reinforcement. The results obtained from the measurements of the depths of the normal cracks with different widths with NDUPVM were compared with the visually measured ones. In the present research cracks with the same width and with a similar depth were chosen. The influence of extreme external conditions to the accuracy of the measured crack depths by the NDUPVM was investigated. Non-destructive ultrasonic research was done by a portable device Proceq TICO.

Research on the application of ultrasonic pulse velocity method in fire-damaged concrete

“…UPV is widely used because it has many advantages, such as not affecting the analyzed structure's appearance or function. Cables, fibers, and other equipment do not need to be installed on the concrete structure; Data from the same test points can be gathered repeatedly; Crack detection can also be done using the ultrasonic pulse velocity, although the accuracy of using it alone is not satisfactory, it can be improved by using other technologies together [12].…”

Piezoceramic-Based Damage Monitoring of Concrete Structure for Underwater Blasting

“…The most popular nondestructive testing techniques in blasting engineering are the ultrasonic-velocity method [6,7], ground-penetrating-radar (GPR) techniques [8,9], and impact-echo approaches [10]. Natural initial damage (microcracks and holes) in rock mass develops and extends until a crack develops under the blasting load.…”

Study of the behavior of a experimental reinforced concrete slab at different stages of loading from the production of the reinforced concrete slab over it

“…A big part of the reports are summarized in [6]. In other studies, it is based on the use of the method for Early striking [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15]. This study is an extension of research from a report by [1], focusing on the behavior of one of the first slab at a certain point in the production of the structure including two reinforced concrete slabs, when made it with an Early striking formwork system.…”