The research project "Ultrasonic Net for Concrete Monitoring (UNeCOM)" aims at developing a methodology for an embedded ultrasonic network for the condition assessment of infrastructure constructions. Civil engineering structures made of concrete, which are located in tectonically active regions or undergo special loading conditions, may require continuous monitoring. It is important to assess the condition of the building and its stability to recognise and classify the effect of a seismic event or evolving damage at early stages before failure occurs. Embedded ultrasonic sensors offer the possibility to detect changes in the material and degradation mechanisms from inside the structure in areas which are difficult or impossible to inspect otherwise. In contrast to conventional ultrasonic testing methods, where the concrete surfaces are scanned with ultrasound probes, this new approach uses sensors, which are embedded into concrete, eliminating the effect of variable coupling conditions between sensors and concrete. This method allows an integral detection of changes in the concrete structure, for example due to seismic activities, to detect mechanical impacts, as well as degradation of the material due to overloading. Such methods have great relevance especially for the monitoring of constructions like power plants, bridges, offshore structures and other structures with high technical safety requirements. The sensor network can be controlled remotely through the internet which is also being used for data transfer. The embedded sensor network is designed to monitor structural damage and concrete degradation globally with high sensitivity.
The delamination of concrete slabs is the separation along a plane roughly parallel to, and generally near, the surface. Corrosion-induced delamination is a common problem in old concrete bridge decks. If undetected, delaminations could expand, reach the surface, and result in spalling. Early detection of delamination is necessary for planning timely repairs that prevent costly deck replacement projects. Most bridge owners rely on routine visual and traditional surveys of bridge deck conditions. These surveys are highly subjective and can locate only large shallow delaminated zones. Several nondestructive testing (NDT) techniques have recently been employed for bridge deck evaluation to obtain more objective and comprehensive assessment. The reliability of applicable methods needs to be established before a greater role for NDT in routine inspections can be encouraged. This paper presents a validation study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of three NDT techniques, namely impact echo, ultrasound (US) echo, and US linear array, in detection of delamination. This study is unique because the subject test specimens were deteriorated bridge deck segments preserved from the demolition of a prestressed box girder bridge. The results of the tests conducted on one of the specimens are presented and discussed here: impact echo provided satisfactory overall assessment, but the individual results were often difficult to interpret; US echo detected deep delaminations but not shallow ones; and US linear array located the extent of deep delaminations and provided indications of shallow ones.
Ultrasonic Reflection Properties at Interfaces Between Concrete Steel and Air: Imaging and Modelling
(2006)
Ultrasound sensors should be embedded into concrete for monitoring concrete properties. These new longitudinal wave sensors with a center frequency of 60 kHz were examined regarding their suitability for ultrasonic measurements in concrete structures in terms of emission characteristics, sensitivity and frequency ränge.
For the measurement of the radiation patterns, the sensors were embedded vertically and horizontally in concrete cylinders. The directivity pattern was measured using a laser vibrometer.
The sensitivity of the sensor was determined in water using different sensors of the same type. It shows changes in the signal amplitude as well as variations in the frequency ränge for different transmitter-receiver combinations.
The attenuation of the concrete affects the achievable resolution of the measurements and thus, the maximum possible spacing of the sensors within a concrete element. Experimental tests helped optimizing the distances with respect to the required resolution and the effort of embedding the sensors. The signal attenuation in the concrete was measured in the frequency ränge of 60 kHz in response to various degrees of reinforcement and grain size. For this purpose, the sensors were cast at different distances in the specimens studied. The recorded Signals were evaluated for their amplitude and frequency spectrum.