Degradation Analyses of Systemic Large-Panel Buildings Using Comparative Testing during Demolition

Abstract

Assessment of the technical condition of large-panel buildings, due to their on-going use and covering resulting from thermomodernization works, is problematic. Results from non-destructive tests (NDT) are subjected to high uncertainty. Destructive tests, which give results with the highest level of confidence, are practically not used. Local sampling for testing gives only a partial image of the condition of a prefabricated building. In this type of construction, joints connecting the precast elements are the most vulnerable to degradation. Access to them is technically difficult. Demolition of this type of building is extremely rare. However, it is a unique opportunity to perform a full spectrum of both NDT and destructive testing. This gives an opportunity for large-scale demolition sampling to identify hidden defects and compare the results obtained by different methods. The comparison of results allows for the scaling of NDT methods and reveals the presence of typical relationships. The paper presents visual, non-destructive, and destructive tests’ results of an over 40-year-old large-panel building scheduled for demolition. The design of this building is repetitive and similar to solutions found in thousands of other buildings. The usefulness of particular research methods for evaluating the technical condition of prefabricated buildings has been determined.

Diagnostics of Large-Panel Buildings—An Attempt to Reduce the Number of Destructive Tests

“…However, it is recommended to compare the results obtained using the two methods. Using only surface methods (e.g., the sclerometric method) runs the risk of not identifying some areas of poorer quality, which can be successfully detected by ultrasonic methods, as described in [ 36 ].…”

“…This article is a continuation of the analyses related to the improvement of testing methodology for large-panel structures and the implementation of modern non-destructive testing methods in engineering practice. The authors described their earlier analyses in detail [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 ], wherein they presented a wide range of tests using different methods. The research results presented in this article are novel and have not been taken from other sources.…”

Research on 18th-Century Building Structures in Terms of Static Scheme Changes

“…Examples of testing procedures using NDT or semi-destructive techniques (SDTs) are popular in the literature [19][20][21], especially due to increasingly widespread access to devices enabling this type of analysis [22,23]. Numerous described analyses and examples of specific studies [24,25] also confirm the validity of using these methods in historic buildings.…”

Full-Scale Experimental Study of Shear and Flexural Behavior of 16-m Retired Reinforced Concrete T-Beams

“…Understanding the potential load-bearing capacity of existing bridges can enable more effective allocation of highway maintenance funds [14]. However, due to the high cost and test configuration size, it is not easy, in comparison with the laboratory-scale tests, to investigate the load-bearing capacity of full-scale aged beams [15,16]. A full-scale load-carrying capacity test is an effective way to explore the actual load capacity of the aged concrete beams, but the reports in the literature are limited.…”