Title: Assessing Quality of Concrete with Wave Propagation Techniques

Author(s): Soheil Nazarian, Mark Baker, and Kevin Crain

Publication: Materials Journal

Volume: 94

Issue: 4

Appears on pages(s): 296-305

Keywords: concrete; delamination; impact test; nondestructive tests; quality control; stress waves; voids;

DOI: 10.14359/312

Date: 7/1/1997

Abstract:
An instrument for monitoring the quality and thickness of slabs has been designed. The quality is assessed by estimating the slab's Young's and shear moduli from ultrasonic surface wave and ultrasonic body wave velocities. The thickness is determined from results obtained with the impact echo and above tests. In this paper, the conceptual and actual designs of the device are described, the advantages of, and problems with the approaches reported, the theoretical limitations of the methodologies expanded, and the results from several field-testing programs discussed. Based on test results, the device is quite promising, and its capabilities are more diverse than those of existing devices.