Non-destructive Evaluation of Concrete using Electrical Resistivity and Ultrasonic Wave Propagation

With the intent to investigate the relationship between concrete physical properties and non-destructive evaluation techniques (NDE), several experiments were performed. Specimens were made at varying geometries using a range of different concrete mixes under several different curing conditions. These specimens were subjected to a combination of electrical resistivity and ultrasonic wave propagation measurements. One part of this study investigated determining the orientation of steel fibers using electrical resistivity. This resulted in the fabrication of a four-probe square device with the potential capabilities of determining fiber orientation. The other part of this research applied ultrasonic wave propagation via through-transmission along with electrical resistivity via the uniaxial method. The results from this uncovered an exponential relationship between the pulse wave velocity and formation factor for saturated specimens. With the formation factor’s relationship to strength and microstructural properties, this relationship may lead to predicting strength and pore structure using relationships to a simple ultrasonic property