Investigation of Concrete Electrical Resistivity as a Performance-Based Test

2019FinalPDFTech ReportUT-19.0916-8382Bridge decksConcreteDurabilityElectrical resistivityField testsLaboratory testsMix designPerformance testsConcreteresistivitypermeabilitychloriderapid chloride permeability test (RCPT)electricalperformance basedUtahUnited StatesUtah. Dept. of TransportationMalakooti, AmirThomas, Robert J.Maguire, MarcUtah State University. Dept. of Civil and Environmental EngineeringUtah. Dept. of TransportationUnited States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway AdministrationUS Transportation CollectionThe purpose of this research project was to identify the extent that concrete resistivity measurements (bulk and/or surface) can be used as a performance based lab test to improve the quality of concrete in Utah bridge decks. By allowing UDOT to specify a required resistivity, concrete bridge deck quality will increase and future maintenance costs will decrease. This research consisted of two phases: the field phase and the lab phase. In the field phase, concrete samples were gathered from local concrete producers in Utah. These concrete samples were made with common concrete mixes used in bridge decks across the state of Utah. Testing multiple different mix designs allowed the research team to investigate several variations of concrete constituents, for instance, water to cement ratio, common Utah supplementary cementitious materials, curing type, and aggregate type. Mechanical and durability testing was performed on concrete of different ages. These tests included strength, surface resistivity, bulk resistivity, rapid chloride permeability, and freeze and thaw tests. In the lab phase, one of the field mixes was chosen as the control mix. This mix was then duplicated in the lab in order to see the performance differences of each mix in the controlled and field experiments. In addition, changes were made to the lab control mix, to see the effect of different materials on the resistivity and durability of concrete.82