Rapid Bridge Deck Condition Assessment Using Three-Dimensional Visualization of Impact Echo Data

Abstract

Seismic/ultrasonic methods can be successfully used in condition assessment of bridge decks by evaluating changes in material characteristics and detection of development of defects and zones of deterioration. The impact echo method is of special benefit in evaluation of corrosion induced deck delamination due to its nondestructive nature and ability to detect delaminated zones at various stages of deterioration: from initial to progressed and developed. The traditional approach in condition assessment of bridge decks by impact echo is based on a review of individual test point records. A new approach based on three dimensional data visualization is proposed. The developed three dimensional visualization platform allows both the advanced presentation and an automated interpretation of impact echo data. The data presentation is provided in terms three dimensional translucent visualizations of reflectors in a bridge deck section, and horizontal and vertical cross sections through all distinctive zones, including a zone of delamination. The associated interpretation platform allows both the overall assessment of the condition of the deck, through cumulative distributions of reflection intensity of different reflective layers, and identification of deteriorated zones of the deck for repair or rehabilitation in an efficient and intuitive way. RésuméLes méthodes vibratoires/ultrasonores peuvent être utilisées avec succès dans l'évaluation de l'état des tabliers d'ouvrages, en permettant de détecter et d'évaluer les changements de caractéristiques des matériaux, les défauts associés et le développement de zones de dégradation. La méthode d'impact écho apporte des avantages spécifiques en matière d'évaluation de la délamination induite par la corrosion des armartures, en raison de son caractère non destructif et la capacité de détecter les zones de délamination à divers stades de dégradation. L'approche traditionnelle d'évaluation de l'état des tabliers d'ouvrages par l'impact d'écho est fondée sur un examen de chaque point d'enregistrement de l'essai. Une nouvelle approche fondée sur la visualisation de données en trois dimensions est proposée. La plateforme de visualisation en trois dimensions permet des avancées majeures en termes de présentation et d'interprétation automatique des données d'impact d'écho. La présentation des données est fournie sous la forme d'une visualisation translucide d'un réflecteur en trois dimensions, suivant chaque section horizontale ou verticale du tablier, et à travers toutes les sections distinctes, y compris les zones de délamination. La plate-forme d'interprétation associée permet à la fois l'évaluation globale de l'état du pont, par le biais de distributions cumulatives de l'intensité de réflexion des différentes couches réfléchissantes, et l'identification des zones dégradées du pont pour la réparation ou la réhabilitation d'une manière efficace et intuitive. La nouvelle approche par visualisation permet une évaluation de l'état du tablier proche des résultats obtenus à part...

Remaining Fatigue Life Assessment of Damaged RC Decks -Data Assimilation of Multi-scale Model and Site Inspection-

“…The authors expect that the protocol will be possibly made according to each specific method of inspection such as the impact echo method (Gucunski et al 2009) and X-ray. For practical application to assess remaining life of decks, Fig.…”

Practical Visualization of Local Vibration Data Collected over Large Concrete Elements

“…One approach to overcome this limitation in 4‐D volume imaging is to control image transparency to see beyond the outer boundary set of data. Preliminary work to explore the feasibility controlling image transparency in 4‐D type plots to characterize deep delaminations and bottom surfaces (Gucunski et al., ) and near‐surface delaminations (Popovics et al., ) in concrete slabs have been reported recently; however, consistent and reliable processes by which optimal image parameters can be obtained was not described in either of these papers. Because proper selection of image control parameters is critical for obtaining accurate and reliable images, this issue must be addressed before 4‐D imaging can be widely applied, created, and interpreted by engineers in the field.…”

“…However, the chain‐drag method tends to be time‐consuming, subjective, and inconsistent, and furthermore has been shown to be less accurate for detecting near‐surface delamination than the impact‐echo (IE) test method (Oh et al., ). Although sensor network‐based structural health monitoring (Hu et al., ), optical visualization techniques (Nishikawa et al., ), infrared thermography (Fuchs and Washer, ), and electromagnetic nondestructive test methods (Belli et al., ) have recently been applied to characterize concrete bridge structures, IE still is widely considered as the most effective and accurate nondestructive test technique for detection of delaminations in concrete structures (Gucunski et al., ).…”

Multisensor data fusion for impact-echo testing of concrete structures

“…However, to the best knowledge of the authors of this paper, few have investigated the use of data fusion to improve the accuracy of the IE test. Although some research has been performed to use visualization for advanced data presentation [14][15][16], the main idea was to integrate the frequency spectra (or the corresponding depth spectra) of the individual test data into one platform for the overall condition assessment. The simple visualization platform alone cannot increase detection accuracy around the delamination boundary.…”