Active infrared thermography in civil engineering - quantitative analysis by numerical simulation
(2003)
The cooling-down process of building structures after heating-up with an external radiation source was analysed to detect voids inside and below the surface. Quantitative results of concrete test specimen containing voids with different sizes at various depths will be presented here. The experimental results were compared to numerical simulations performed with a Finite Difference program developed at BAM.
Impulse-thermography is an active method for quantitative investigation of the near surface region of various structures which has recently been applied to civil engineering. It is well suited for the detection of voids and honeycombing in concrete up to concrete covers of 10 cm and more. For quantitative analysis, a computer program for numerical simulation of the heating up and cooling down processes was developed based on Finite Differences. With this program parameter studies have been performed for investigating the influence of environmental conditions, material parameters and geometry on the thermal behaviour. The comparison between experimental and simulated results enables the Inverse Solution.
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.
An advanced quantitative approach of pulse-phase-thermography for nondestructive
testing in civil engineering is described in this contribution. The
characteristic frequency of the maximum phase-contrast between defects and sound
areas is used as a means for the characterization of its depth.
The new approach is tested in the laboratory on concrete structures with defects of
polystyrene. The surfaces of the structures were heated with IR-radiators for varying
time periods.
The presented investigations were funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft
(DFG) and were carried out in co-operation with the Technical University of Berlin
(TUB).
The active approach for non-destructive-testing in Civil Engineering (NDT-CE) with infraredthermography (IR), developed at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), is described in part one of this contribution. The active IR-approach is based on the principles of impulse- (IT) and pulse-phase-thermography (PPT). The concept is a direct result of a research project at the BAM in cooperation with the Technical University of Berlin (TUB) and was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). In the second part results of the new thermography-scanning system (thermo-scanner) of BAM on debonding of multi-layered structures, especially carbon fibre reinforced plates (CFRP) on concrete are presented. Both, the thermo-scanner developed at BAM, and the investigations carried out, are part of the
EU-Project Sustainable Bridges. In the third part of the paper the characteristic frequency of the optimum phase-contrast as a means for the characterization of defects depth in CE by means of PPT is introduced. A new quantitative approach is tested and discussed on concrete structures with defects of polystyrene and gas concrete.
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.
Impulse-thermography has been established as a fast and reliable tool in many areas of non-destructive testing. In recent years several investigations have been done to apply active thermography to civil engineering. For quantitative investigations in this area of application, finite difference calculations have been performed for systematic studies on the influence of environmental conditions, heating power and time, defect depth and size and thermal properties of the bulk material (concrete). The comparison of simulated and experimental data enables the quantitative analysis of defects.