Non-Destructive Strength Estimation of Lightweight Aggregate Concretes

Abstract

The porosity, water absorbing capability, internal load bearing system of light weight aggregate concretes differ from ordinary concrete.In case of structural concretes there is often a demand of non-destructive testing, but between the available, connected modifying parameters there are none which are suitable for the special case of light weight aggregate concretes. Particularly big difference in the strength estimation may be observed in case early age concretes, when the moisture content is typically significantly higher than in ordinary concrete.Experiments were executed on structural concretes out of different aggregates (quartz gravel, expanded clay, foamed glass). The tests were carried out at the concretes ages of 3, 7, 28, 91 and 360 days by destructive (cube crushing strength) and two non-destructive testing methods (rebound hammer and ultrasonic). The results are compared and models are drawn.