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- Impulse thermography (6) (entfernen)
New thermography systems enable the application of active investigation techniques, i.e. the observation of the cooling down process after heating the surface of a structure under investigation. Defects like voids in concrete having a different thermal diffusivity in comparison to the bulk material are visualised by different surface temperatures. The differences between temperature transient curves above sound regions and above inhomogeneities are expected to include information about the defect parameters.
Experimental investigations with impulse thermography and radar on a concrete test specimen containing voids were analysed. Radar was used to determine the depth of the voids. The influence of size and depth of the voids on the temperature transient curves was studied for different heating times. The transient curves were also fitted with a simple semi-empirical model.
The applicability of pulse phase thermography (PPT) for the investigation of structures is studied systematically on concrete test specimens and on a plastered sandstone column. In the test specimens, voids and delaminations are implemented in different depths and with different sizes, modelling real voids, honeycombing and debonding. Delaminations of plaster in concrete and masonry and behind tiles on concrete are investigated. PPT is based on the frequency analysis of the cooling down process of actively heated surfaces. Therefore, it is contactless and thus completely non-destructive (if overheating of the surface is prevented), fast and allows the inspection of large surface areas. The interpretation of amplitude and phase images gives semi-quantitative information about the observed defects. The phase images provide a deeper probing up to 1015 cm in relation to the interpretation of the thermograms and to the amplitude images. In addition, the influence of surface inhomogeneities and non-uniform heating is reduced.
The structural safety, durability and performance of the infrastructure is of primary interest in every country. An efficient system for early and regular structural assessment as well as for quality assurance during and after the construction of new structures and of reconstruction processes is urgently required. At BAM, NDT methods to be applied in civil engineering are developed and their application improved. From the experience of on-site assessments, quality assurance systems and methodologies for regular inspections are elaborated. This work is mainly performed in the frame of externally funded research projects.