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Catalog NDT 2010

NDT Systems
For:

Taking NDT to new heights!

Durability
Assessment
Service Life
Estimation
Fast-Track
Construction
Corrosion
Survey
Structural
Integrity
Repair
Quality
Structural
Monitoring

GERMANN INSTRUMENTS
Test smart - Build right

This catalog is intended to acquaint potential users with the principles that
underpin the proven test systems that are presented and to provide typical examples
of their application. Please contact Germann Instruments for additional technical
and ordering information

On the Cover: Rising to a majestic height of 828 m, the Burj Khalifa shattered the previous height
record and is the World's Tallest Building. It is a testament to our ability to meet difficult challenges
by using our technical knowledge in combination with our creative abilities. We are grateful to
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP for providing the cover photo and inspiring us to new heights.

GERMANN INSTRUMENTS A/S


Emdrupvej 102, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
Phone: +45 39 67 71 17, Fax +45 39 67 31 67
E-mail: germann-eu@germann.org Web site: www.germann.org

GERMANN INSTRUMENTS, Inc.


8845 Forest View Road, Evanston, Illinois 60203, USA
Phone: (847) 329-9999, Fax: (847) 329-8888
E-mail: germann@germann.org Web Site: www.germann.org

GI
GI

Introduction
For over a quarter of a century, Germann Instruments has been the leader in the field of test systems
for nondestructive testing (NDT) and on-site investigation of reinforced concrete structures.
Germann Instruments constantly develops, manufactures, and markets worldwide its innovative and
cutting-edge product line through offices in Denmark, the United States, and Luxembourg and
through distributors in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
The test systems cover varied aspects of concrete construction and investigation, such as

Durability Assessment
Service Life Estimation
Fast-Track Construction
Structural Integrity
Corrosion Survey
Repair Quality
Structural Monitoring
Every year, Germann Instruments adds new products to its long line of test systems and keeps
improving its existing systems. This catalog includes seven new systems that were not in the
previous catalog.
The systems are used to perform totally nondestructive test methods or test methods that require
limited near-to-surface specimen removal. When properly applied, these test systems allow rapid
testing and provide immediate results on-site. Also include are two methods for testing fresh
concrete. While they are the traditional types of NDT tests, they are important methods for on-site
quality control and quality assurance.
For correct operation, the test systems have to be maintained properly and need to be calibrated
according to the procedures outlined in the users manuals and in accordance with applicable
standards.
For optimal use of these systems, field engineers and consultants have to be trained and skilled in
planning testing programs, using the test systems, and interpreting test results. Furthermore, an
understanding of the fundamental deterioration mechanisms of reinforced concrete structures is
essential for proper planning and execution of testing programs. Germann Instruments has,
therefore, formed an international group, the NDT-Titans, to provide consulting, training, technical
support, and on-site testing of structures. This group brings the knowledge and expertise of wellseasoned, engineering professionals to as many users of these test systems as possible. The services
are outlined page 129 and on the homepage of the group:

www.NDT-Titans.com
Germann Instruments continues to affirm its commitment to serve the in-situ and nondestructive
testing community by placing state-of-the-art, technically proven, diagnostic tools in the hands of
field engineers and consultants.

Alphabetical List of Test Systems


Product Name

Property or Parameter Measured

Relevant Standard/Document

pg.

Auto-Shrink

Autogenous shrinkage of specimens in special


molds using sealed curing

ASTM C1698

AVA

Spacing factor and specific surface of air-void


system in air-entrained fresh concrete

AASHTO TP 75

Be4Cast

Simulation of development of temperature


gradients and stresses during hardening of
concrete for evaluation of cracking potential

BOND-TEST

Bond strength of overlay or tensile strength


of substrate

BS 1881:207, ASTM C1583

15

CAPO-TEST

Concrete strength in existing structures

EN 12504-3, ASTM C900,


BS 1881:207

20

CMD

Crack movement

COMA-Meter

Maturity of hardening concrete

ASTM C1074

26

CORECASE

Coring for strength and durability


assessment

ASTM C42/C42M , EN 12504-1

28

CorroEye

Corrosion rate of reinforcement

ACI 228.2R

30

CorroWatch

Chloride penetration into concrete

CoverMaster

Location, depth and size of reinforcement;


plus half-cell potential

CrackScope

Width of cracks

36

Deep Purple and


Rainbow Indicator

Carbonation depth

37

DK-5000

Resonant frequency of specimens for material


properties and monitoring degradation of
specimens in durability tests

ASTM C215, BS 1881:209

DOCter

Thickness measurement and flaw detection,


including depth of flaws by impact-echo

ASTM C1383

DSS-TEST

Shear-bond strength of carbon fiber


reinforced polymer (CFRP) strips

Eddy-Dowel

Location of dowel bars in jointed pavements

Eddy-Thick

Thickness measurement of slab-of-ground


using embedded metal targets and pulseinduction method

52

ERE-Probe

Long-term monitoring of half-cell potential of


reinforcement using embedded probe

55

EyeCon

Flaw detection and thickness measurement


by ultrasonic pulse-echo

GalvaPulse

Corrosion rate and half-cell potential of


reinforcement; electrical resistance of
concrete

Guardian

13

24

32
BS 1881:204, ACI 228.2R
ASTM C876

33

39

41
47

ACI 228.2R

49

ACI 228.2R

56

ASTM C876 (half-cell potential)

61

Actual temperatures and maturity


development in hardening structure

ASTM C1074

65

GWT

Water penetrability

ISO/DIS 7031

67

HUM-Meter

Internal moisture content using probes

69

ICAR Rheometer

Measures yield strength and dynamic


viscosity of fresh concrete

71

Alphabetical List of Test Systems


Product Name

Property or Parameter Measured

Relevant Standard/Document

BS EN 12504-3, ASTM C900,


BS 1881:207

pg.

LOK-TEST

Early-age strength of concrete

Merlin

Bulk conductivity of saturated specimens,


which can be related to the chloride ion
diffusion coefficient

Mini Great Dane

Half-cell potential of reinforcement and


electrical resistance of concrete

ASTM C876

85

MIRA

Tomographic imaging of flaws and thickness


measurement by ultrasonic pulse-echo

ACI 228.2R

87

Moisture Encounter

Near surface moisture content

PetroPlaner

Prepare polished plane surfaces for air void,


petrographic, or SEM analysis

ASTM C457, ASTM C856

94

PetroThin

Prepare polished thin sections, including


fluorescent epoxy impregnation, for
petrographic analysis

ASTM C856

96

POWER

Proof-loading of anchors

Profile Grinder

Chloride diffusion coefficient on-site or after


ponding of specimens in the laboratory

ASTM C1556, NT Build 443,


ASTM C1543

99

PROOVEit

Resistance to chloride ion penetration and


estimation of the chloride diffusion coefficient

ASTM C1202, NT BUILD 492

101

Ultrasonic pulse velocity by through


transmission

ASTM C597, BS EN 12504-4,


BS 1881:203

105

RapidAir

Air content, spacing factor and specific


surface of hardened, air-entrained concrete

ASTM C457

108

RAT

Alkali content of fresh concrete

RCT and RCTW

Chloride content of powder samples using


acid or water to extract soluble chlorides

AASHTO T 260, ASTM C114,


ASTM C1152, ASTM C1218

112

sMASH

Rapid testing for flaws and for length of piles


using impulse-response method

ACI 228.2R

116

STEPPER

Automated testing for flaw detection and


thickness using impact-echo method

ACI 228.2R

121

Surfer

Ultrasonic pulse velocity by surface


measurement

TORQ-TEST

Shear-bond strength of overlays or CFRP


laminates

PUNDIT

75
80

93

98

110

124
127

Test Systems by Application


Application/Property

Test System (pg)

Application/Property

Test System (pg)

Air void system

AVA (7)
Rapid Air (108)

Electrical resistance

CorroEye (30)
Mini Great Dane (85)

Alkali Content

RAT (110)

Electrical resistivity

Merlin (80)

Anchor bolt proof load


test

POWER (98)

Flaw detection

DOCter (41)
Eyecon (56)
MIRA (87)
sMASH (116)
STEPPER (121)

Autogenous shrinkage

AutoShrink (5)

Half-cell potential

Mini Great Dane (85)


ERE Probe (55)
CoverMaster (33)

Bond/Tensile strength

BOND TEST (15)

In-place strength

BOND-TEST (15)
CAPO-TEST (20)
LOK-TEST (75)
TORQ-TEST (127)

Carbonation

Deep Purple and


Rainbow Indicator (37)

Maturity

COMA-Meter (26)
Guardian (65)

Chloride content

RCT and RCTW (112)

Moisture content

HUM-Meter (69);
Moisture Encounter
(93)

Chloride penetrability

Merlin (80)
PROOVEit (101)

Resonant frequency

DK-5000 (39)

Chloride penetration

CorroWatch (32)
RCT and RCTW (112)

Rheology of concrete
(yield strength and
viscosity)

ICAR-Rheometer (71)

Chloride profiling

Profile Grinder (99)


RCT and RCTW (112

Shear strength

DSS-TEST (47)
TORQ-TEST (127)

Core drilling

CORECASE (28)

Shear-bond strength

DSS-TEST (47)

Corrosion rate

CorroEye (30)
GalvaPulse (61)

Specimen preparation

PetroPlaner (94)
PetroThin (96)

Cover over
reinforcement

CoverMaster (33)
Eddy-Dowel (49)

Temperature
measurement

Guardian (65)

Crack depth

DOCter (41)
Surfer (124)

Thermal modeling

Be4Cast (13)

Crack movement

CMD (24)

Thickness measurement

DOCter (41)
EyeCon (56)
Eddy-Thick (52)
MIRA (87)
STEPPER (121)

Crack width

CrackScope (36)

Tomography

MIRA (87);

Dowel bar alignment

Eddy-Dowel (49)

Ultrasonic pulse velocity

PUNDIT (105)
Surfer (124)

Electrical conductivity

Merlin (80)

Water penetrability

GWT (67)

Auto-Shrink
Purpose
The Auto-Shrink system measures the unrestrained autogenous shrinkage of a specimen of cement
paste or mortar cured under sealed conditions (ASTM C1698). Auto-Shrink permits evaluation of
the relative autogenous shrinkage potential of different cementitious systems. Excessive autogenous
shrinkage may lead to microcracking that increases the permeability of concrete.
Principle
When cement hydrates through chemical reactions with water,
the volume occupied by the products of hydration is less than
the original volume of cement and water. This phenomenon is
known as chemical shrinkage. When concrete is cured under
sealed conditions (no external source of moisture), the
reduction in paste volume due to hydration causes internal
tensile stresses that can lead to microcracking. The
microcracking, in turn, reduces concretes resistance to
penetration of water and deleterious substances.

Void
Water

Water

Hydrated
Cement
Cement

If a specimen of paste or mortar is cured under sealed


Cement
conditions and allowed to change in volume, the chemical
Fresh Paste
Hardening
shrinkage of the paste will cause autogenous shrinkage of
Paste
the specimen. The Auto-Shrink digital dilatometer is
designed for linear measurement of autogenous shrinkage in
hardening cement-based materials. A special corrugated plastic mold is used to prevent moisture
loss and allow the specimen to shrink freely. With Auto-Shrink, it is possible to measure the time
dependent deformation of many different specimens simultaneously over periods of weeks or even
years. Auto-Shrink is intended primarily for measurements after setting of cement pastes or
mortars with a maximum aggregate size of 2 mm. To minimize the influence of temperature
variations, the dilatometer should be used in a thermostatically controlled room. Background
information on the measurement technique used in Auto-Shrink can be found in the following
reference:
Mejlhede Jensen, O. and Freiesleben Hansen, P. A Dilatometer for Measuring Autogenous
Deformation in Hardening Portland Cement Paste, Materials and Structures, 1995, 28 (181) 406-409

Auto-Shrink System
The Auto-Shrink digital dilatometer is composed of the following basic elements:
A corrugated plastic mold with tight-fitting plugs to prepare a slender test specimen
A rigid frame to support the specimen
A digital dial gauge with remote control to measure change in specimen length
A reference bar

Principal components of the Auto-Shrink system

Auto-Shrink
The digital displacement gauge is fixed firmly to the frame with a blunted hex screw. The remote
control is mounted on the side of the gauge. A lock function for the remote control is provided.
Specimens are cast vertically by using support tubes, which can be mounted to a vibrating table. To
ensure that the cast specimens have approximately the same length, the corrugated mold should not
be stretched or compressed during filling. The mold is filled to approximately 15 mm below the end
of the tube to allow room for the top sealing plug. Before the top sealing plug is mounted, the
corrugated tube is compressed slightly to bring the cement paste in contact with the sealing plug.
Measurements in the Auto-Shrink dilatometer are conveniently
done relative to a reference bar. To ensure optimal measuring
accuracy, the reference bar as well as the specimens should be
placed in the frame in the same orientation during each
measurement. A line mark with permanent ink at one end of the
corrugated tube may be used to indicate the proper orientation of
the specimen during measurement in the dilatometer.
Testing Example
In 2009, ASTM adopted a standard test method based on the Auto-Shrink system: "Test Method for
Autogenous Strain of Cement Paste and Mortar," ASTM C1698.

Shrinkage, microstrain

The following graph is an example of autogenous strain measured over 2 weeks on a cement paste
(w/cm = 0.25) with 10 % silica fume cured at 30 C. Time is measured from the addition of water.
The strain has been defined as 0 at the time of final setting of the paste (from Mejlhede Jensen and
Freiesleben Hansen, 1995).
0

-500

-1000

-1500

-2000
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Time, hours
Auto-Shrink Ordering Numbers
Item
1 Dilatometer support frame with stop pin
1 Digital displacement gauge including remote control
1 Reference bar
1 Spanner 15 mm
1 Hex key 2 mm
50 Corrugated tubes
100 Sealing plugs
1 Support tube for casting
5 grooved support racks each for 10 specimens
2 pairs of gloves

Order #
AS-1000
AS-1010
AS-1020
AS-1030
AS-1040
AS-1050
AS-1060
AS-1070
AS-1080
AS-1090

AVA
Purpose
The AVA (Air Void Analyzer) is used to measure the air-void parameters (spacing factor and specific
surface) of samples of fresh air-entrained concrete. Samples are taken after concrete is placed.
Background
The durability of concrete subjected to wetting and cycles of freezing and thawing can be enhanced
by deliberately introducing many, small and closely spaced air bubbles (air voids) in the cement
paste. During freezing, the ice formed in the capillary pores of the paste will expand into adjacent air
voids without damaging the paste, provided the air-void spacing and the size distribution of the air
voids are within certain limits. To characterize the air voids, the spacing factor (maximum distance
from any point in the cement paste to an air-void boundary) and the specific surface (ratio of the
surface area of the air voids to their volume) are used. In general, a good quality, frost resistant
concrete requires a spacing factor less than 0.20 mm and a specific surface greater than 25 mm-1.
The spacing factor and the specific surface of the air-void system
are determined typically according to ASTM C457 Test Method
for Microscopical Determination of Parameters of the Air-Void
System in Hardened Concrete. This method requires a sample
cored from the hardened concrete on-site and prepared properly
in the laboratory as illustrated in the photo to the left. The
spacing factor and the specific surface are then measured
manually by the linear traverse method using a microscope, or
by an automated image analyses system as illustrated on page
108. Determination of the air-void structure in this manner
cannot produce timely information during construction, which
would be needed to make adjustments to the concrete mixture if
the measured parameters are not within specified limits.
Timely information is important, because practice has shown that the air-void structure created by
air entraining agents can change easily during construction; for example, due to the type and dosage
of normal or high-range water-reducing admixtures, by changes in sources of cementitious materials,
by pressure influences in concrete pumps, by high hydrostatic pressure, or by over-vibration.
With the AVA, the air-void structure is measured after the concrete is placed but while it is still
fresh, thereby providing timely information of the spacing factor and the specific surface of the airvoid system in the cement paste of the in-place concrete. The testing time is 25
minutes or less.
Principle
The air bubbles entrained in a mortar sample, which is removed from fresh
concrete, are transferred to a blue AVA release liquid as the mortar is stirred.
Provided the release liquid has the proper viscosity and hydrophilic character, the
bubbles released from the mortar retain their original size and neither coalesce nor
disintegrate into smaller bubbles.
Above the blue AVA release liquid there is a column of water through which the air
bubbles rise. According to Stokes Law, larger bubbles will rise faster than smaller
bubbles.
The air bubbles rising through the water column are collected under an inverted
and submerged pan attached to a sensitive balance. As air bubbles accumulate in
the top of the pan, the apparent mass of the pan decreases as water is displaced by
air. The apparent mass of the pan is recorded over time.
Based of the recorded change in apparent mass of the pan, an algorithm calculates
the size distribution of the collected air bubbles. From the size distribution, the
spacing factor and the specific surface are calculated. The algorithm ensures the
parameters are the same as obtained from ASTM C457 linear traverse measurements.
7

AVA
Correlation and Variability
The results from the AVA have been correlated to ASTM C457 determinations. Among the published
reports are:
Brite Euram Project No: BE-3376-89, Task 2, Quantitative and Qualitative Determination of
the Air Void structure in Fresh Concrete, Dansk Beton Teknik A/S, Hellerup, Denmark, Feb.
1994
FHWA-SA-96-062, Air Void Analyzer Evaluation, Federal Highway Administration,
Washington DC, USA, 1995
Price, B., Measuring Air Voids in Fresh Concrete, CONCRETE, July/August 1996
Wojakowski, J., Air in Portland Cement Concrete Pavements, Kansas Department of
Transportation, USA, 2002
Crawford, G.L., Wathne, L.G., and Mullarky, J.I.: A Fresh Perspective on Measuring Air in
Concrete, Federal Highway Administration, Washington DC, 2003 Bridge Conference, USA
The general conclusion is that the AVA results in air-void parameters that are within 10 % of
those obtained by ASTM C457. The repeatability coefficients of variation for the AVA spacing factor
and the specific surface determinations are normally 8 to 10 %. In 2008, AASHTO adopted a
provisional test method for the AVA: "Method of Test for Air-Void Characteristics of Freshly Mixed
Concrete by Buoyancy Change," AASHTO TP 75-08.
Testing Example

A sample of the mortar fraction of the air-entrained concrete is taken by vibrating a wire cage
into the plastic concrete (left above). The mortar enters the cage, which excludes particles larger
than 6 mm. A syringe is used to collect a 20 cm3 mortar test specimen from within the cage.
The specimen is injected into the riser column (center above). The riser column has the blue AVA
release liquid at the bottom and water above it. The mortar and the liquid are stirred gently by a
magnetic stirrer for 30 seconds, and the air voids are released (right above).
The bubbles rise through the liquids at rates that depend on their size, which results in a
separation in time when different size bubbles arrive at the top of the column.
The bubbles are collected under a submerged pan attached to a balance. A computer connected to
the balance records the change in mass of the inverted pan as a function of time.
In the early stages of the measurement, the size distribution of the air bubbles collecting under
the pan range from a few mm to a few micrometers. For each succeeding period, the size of the
bubbles that collect under the pan decreases.
The measurement continues for 25 minutes unless no mass change is recorded for 2 consecutive
minutes, in which case the measurement is stopped.
The AVA software processes the time history of the balance readings and calculates the air-void
parameters including spacing factor and specific surface, as shown on the following page.
In addition, the software produces a graph of the bubble size distribution and a histogram of the
different bubble sizes, also illustrated on the following pages.

AVA
AVA System Features
Two AVA systems are available: the AVA-2000 and the AVA-3000.
AVA-2000
The AVA-2000 is the daily workhorse, and is based on the original Dansk Beton Teknik (DBT)
design from the late 1980s. This model features:
A complete system, ready-to-use, including a laptop computer with the AVA-2000 software and
an installed PCMCIA card with driver software
Optimized sensitivity of the balance for eliminating the effects of external vibrations during
testing
AVA-3000
Recently developed, the AVA-3000 features:
Latest microprocessor technology with components minimized in size and number
Only one USB cord is used to connect the laptop computer and the base unit
Incorporates a mini balance that can withstand rough treatment during transport and/or testing
Elimination of the influence of external vibrations on the test results, including the introduction
of a wind shield positioned on top of the riser column
Improved stirrer operation with constant rotational speed independent of the load applied on the
stirrer
Incorporates a 35-L temperature bath tank for automated de-aerating and controlling the
temperatures of the water and the AVA release liquid for testing. The water-filled tank may also
function as ballast for stabilizing the base unit
In addition to the calculation of the spacing factor and the specific surface for chord length less
than 2 mm (as in the AVA-2000), the AVA-3000 calculates the air-void parameters for chord
length less than 1 mm, as required by the current ASTM C457 standard
Example of AVA-2000 printout, documenting:
The change in mass of the buoyancy pan (x-axis) as a function of time (y-axis),
The results of the analyses, including the spacing factor and the specific surface, and
Comments

AVA
Example of AVA-3000 printout, documenting:
The change in mass of the buoyancy pan (x-axis) as a function of time (y-axis),
The results of the analyses, including the spacing factor and the specific surface, and
Comments

Example of AVA-2000 or AVA-3000 printout, documenting:


The size distribution of air voids less than 2 mm (left), and
A histogram of air-void sizes less than 2 mm (right).

10

AVA
The AVA-2000 System

AVA-2000 System
Supplied in a rugged transport case

The AVA-2000 base unit with riser column,


buoyancy pan and laptop computer

AVA-2000 System Ordering Numbers


Item

Base unit
Riser column

Order #

Item

Order #

AVA-2010

Brush
Plexiglas plate with hole for
sampling
Bucket for de-aeration of water
Connector box
Interface cord, connector box to PC
Cord, PC to balance
PCMCIA card and driver software
Manual for PCMCIA card

AVA-2130

AVA-2020

Piston with temperature sensor


AVA-2030
Buoyancy pan
AVA-2040
Vibrating cage
AVA-2050
Vibrating collector
AVA-2060
Electric drill
AVA-2070
Funnel for insertion of AVA
AVA-2080
release liquid into riser column
Sampling syringes, 5 pcs
AVA-2090
CD-ROM for PCMCIA card
Digital thermometer
AVA-2100
AVA-2000 software diskette
Heating element
AVA-2110
AVA-2000 manual
Bottle for heating AVA release
AVA-2120
AVA release liquid, 5 L
liquid
Laptop computer
AVA-2250
The AVA-2240 release liquid comes in 5-L containers with controlled batch number and
certificate that it has the proper viscosity and hydrophilic characteristics.
Each test requires 200 mL of liquid.
Delivered separately is the AVA-2260 verification kit (calibrated masses applied to
weighing rod).
Offered separately is a one-day course by an AVA specialist.

11

AVA-2140
AVA-2150
AVA-2160
AVA-2170
AVA-2180
AVA-2190
AVA-2200
AVA-2210
AVA-2220
AVA-2230
AVA-2240

AVA
The AVA-3000 System

AVA-3000 System composed of base unit, riser


column, temperature bath and laptop computer

AVA-3000 accessories as described below

AVA-3000 System Ordering Numbers


Item
Base unit

Order #

Item

Order #

AVA-3010

Bottle for heating AVA release liquid

Riser column

AVA-3020

Brush

AVA-3130

Piston

AVA-3030

Plexiglas plate with hole for sampling

AVA-3140

Buoyancy pan

AVA-3040

Laptop computer

AVA-3150

Vibrating cage

AVA-3050

Cord, PC to base unit

AVA-3180

AVA-3060

AVA-3000 software diskette

AVA-3220

AVA-3070

AVA-3000 manual

AVA-3230

AVA-3080

AVA release liquid, 5 L

AVA-2240

Vibrating collector
Electric drill
Funnel for insertion of AVA
release liquid into riser column
Sampling syringes, 5 pcs

AVA-3120

AVA-3090

As with the AVA-2000, the AVA-2260 verification kit for checking the balance is offered separately
as well as a 1-day training course by an AVA specialist.

12

Be4Cast
Purpose
Be4Cast is an advanced software package for simulating temperature evolution and stress
development in concrete structures during early-ages. The software allows modeling different
construction methods for a given structure in order to arrive at an optimal solution for reducing the
risk of early-age cracking due to thermal gradients and thermal shrinkage. Be4Cast is based on
heat transfer in 3-dimensions, which permits more accurate simulation of heat transfer in a
structural element of any shape.
It is important to control the early-age hardening process of concrete. Inappropriate construction
methods can cause:
Freezing before the concrete is strong enough to resist expansion stresses
Rapid evaporation leading to a weak cover layer
High temperature gradients leading to crack formation
Reduction in long-term strength due to high early-age temperatures
Delayed ettringite formation due to high curing temperature
Inadequate strength at formwork removal, prestressing, or loading
In all cases, the concrete structure may be damaged permanently and the durability, functionality,
and appearance will be substantially reduced. On the other hand, it is also important to avoid using
costly preventive measures that may unnecessary. By running simulations of alternative schemes
before start-up of a project, engineers can arrive at economical solutions for reducing the risk of
early-age damage.
The Be4Cast computer program is useful for:
Contractors, in planning construction methods to
meet specification requirements and economic
limitations.
Consultants, during the design phase where it is
possible to check feasibility of planned construction
activities.
Precast concrete producers, for optimizing production
schedules

Model of construction scheme in which


the thick upper part of the wall is cooled
by water circulating through the
previously cast foundation

Because Be4Cast is based on the finite-element method and


modeling is in 3D, a wide range of problems can be solved.
The computer-program is menu-driven and simple to use.
Extensive knowledge of the finite-element method is not
required. The information needed to run an analysis includes
description of the construction method, thermal boundary
conditions, and properties of the concrete that will be used. A
mouse click starts the calculations, and various graphical
outputs are available to check if the results are reasonable.

Construction Method

Volumes corresponding to different placements are defined geometrically. Time of placement and the
placement temperature are defined. Volumes are prismatic with arbitrary polygonal cross sections.

Materials

The following properties define the hardening concrete:


E-modulus vs. maturity
Heat of hydration versus
Cement content
maturity
Poissons ratio vs. maturity
Activation energy
Thermal conductivity
Coefficient of thermal expansion
Tensile strength vs. maturity
Heat capacity
Autogenous shrinkage
Compressive strength vs.
Density
maturity
Creep function
Material properties can be imported from and exported to libraries. Thus the same material can be
used in different analyses. The software includes ready-to-use default material properties.
13

Be4Cast
Thermal Boundaries

The following conditions can be assigned to


surfaces:
Temperature related to convection
Wind-speed
Thermal shields: user defined formwork,
insulation, etc.
Heat flux
Temperature related to radiation
Transmission coefficient related to radiation
All boundary conditions are functions of time.
Internal heating or cooling can be modeled by
specifying heating cables and cooling pipes (open
circuits, closed circuits, and cooling plants can be
specified). Thermal barriers can be imported from
and exported to libraries, which allows the same
materials to be used in different jobs. The software
includes several ready-to-use thermal barriers.

Example of Be4Cast input screen to describe


formwork and curing procedures

Displacement Boundaries and External Loads

The structure can be provided with displacement boundary conditions to model external restraints.
Displacement boundary conditions are also used to specify planes of symmetry for reducing analysis
run time. If insufficient displacement boundary conditions are supplied by the user, the software
automatically provides boundary conditions so that the structure is statically determinate.

Calculation Method

The analyses (thermal and stress) in Be4Cast are performed by means of the finite-element method.
The structure is meshed into tetrahedrons. The variation of temperature and stress within elements
is assumed to be parabolic.

Results

The results from a Be4Cast analysis


include the following parameters:
Temperatures
Maturities
Tensile and compressive
strengths
Stresses, principal stresses, and
tensile stress-strength ratio
Variations of given results within the
structure are presented as contour
plots at user-defined cross sections (as
shown to the right).
Variations of given results with time
are presented as graphs of minimum
and maximum values, average values,
or values at user-defined points.

Contours of longitudinal stress component at section shown on right.


Half length-model is shown due to symmetry.

Cross sections with extreme values of the parameters can be located automatically.

14

BOND-TEST
Purpose
The BOND-TEST is used to conduct a pull-off test in accordance with ASTM C1583, "Test Method
for Tensile Strength of Concrete Surfaces and the Bond Strength or Tensile Strength of Concrete
Repair and Overlay Materials by Direct Tension (Pull-off Method)." The obtained pull-off strength
can be used for the following purposes:
To evaluate the in-place bond strength between a repair overlay and the substrate
To evaluate the in-place tensile strength of concrete or other materials
To evaluate the effect of surface preparation procedures on the tensile strength of the substrate
before applying a repair material or overlay
To estimate the in-place compressive strength of surface concrete using the following
approximate relationship between tensile strength ft (MPa) and compressive strength fc (MPa):

fc
10

ft =

Principle
In the BOND-TEST, a disc is bonded to a prepared testing surface and the disc is pulled off after a
partial core has been cut around the disc (extreme left in following figure). The pull-off force, F, is
divided by the cross-sectional area of the partial core to obtain the pull-off strength fp:

fp =

4F
d2

where d is the diameter of the partial core.

BOND-TEST

(a) Failure in substrate

(b) Bond failure

(c) Failure in overlay

The types of failures that can occur in a BOND-TEST are illustrated above. Failure in the substrate
(a) indicates that the bond strength is greater than the tensile strength of the substrate. A failure at
the interface (b) provides a measure of the tensile bond strength between the overlay and the
substrate. A failure in the overlay (c) indicates that the bond strength is greater than the tensile
strength of the overlay. During a test, it is very important that negligible bending is introduced to
the disc by the loading system. Otherwise, low and erratic test results will be obtained.
Failure type (a) is the preferred one, as it shows that the bond strength of the overlay is greater than
the tensile strength of the substrate. Note that failure occurs at the weakest link of the composite
system, and one cannot predict which type of failure will occur. Only tests results with the same typ
of failure should be averaged when computing the average pull-off strength.
The nature of the BOND-TEST has been investigated by finite element analyses (see Petersen,
C.G., Dahlblom, O. and Worters, P., Bond-Test of Concrete and Overlays, Proceedings,
International Conference on NDT in Civil Engineering, University of Liverpool, U.K., 1997). Failure
in the BOND-TEST using a 75-mm disc was predicted to occur at a displacement of 0.02 mm to 0.03
mm and the nominal stress in the partial core before rupture is about 3 % lower than the uniaxial
tensile strength of the substrate concrete.
15

BOND-TEST
Variability
For 75-mm discs, the coefficient of variation of replicate test results is about 8 to 10 % on concrete
with a maximum aggregate size of 38 mm. For 50-mm discs, the coefficient of variation is 14 to 16 %.
The BOND-TEST procedure
Electric drill

1. Surface planing
The surface is ground with a diamond wheel to
expose the aggregates and to obtain a plane
surface. The center knob is removed with a
separate grinder. The dry surface is steel
brushed and any dust or powder is blown away.
The suction plate is used to control the planing
operation.
2. Bonding the disc
A clean disc is bonded to the prepared surface
using a rapid-curing adhesive (GRA). The GRA
adhesive has a tensile strength of 10 MPa when
fully cured, which takes 2 to 5 minutes at normal
temperatures. The progress of hardening is
observed in the pot in which the two-component
GRA was mixed. In cold weather conditions, the
concrete surface and the disc are heated with a
heat gun to accelerate curing of the adhesive.
3. Partial coring
A partial core is cut perpendicular to the surface;
the bonded disc serves as a drill guide (the inner
diameter of the coring bit is slightly larger than
the disc diameter). The partial core is cut with
the CORECASE (page 28). For tests to measure
bond strength, the core is cut to a depth of 25
mm into the substrate or one-half of the core
diameter, whichever is greater; for tensile
strength of the substrate, cut to a depth of 25
mm.
4. Pull-off
The disc is loaded in direct tension at a
controlled rate using a calibrated hydraulic pull
machine. The machine bears against a circular
counter pressure ring positioned centrally on the
planed surface. The peak force in kN is recorded
and used to obtain the pull-off strength by
dividing by the cross-sectional area of the partial
core. The type of failure, (a), (b) or (c), as shown
on the previous page, is recorded.

Diamond planing
wheel unit
Suction plate
Vacuum

Centering plate
Vacuum
75-mm dia.
disc

To spindle assembly
and drill

Water in

Corecase
housing
Waste
water out
Vacuum

Pull off load


measured by gage
Bearing ring of pull
machine

Pull bolt w/
spherical
end
Centering
disc

Counter pressure
ring

The procedure and the special equipment used for the BOND-TEST ensure that the disc is loaded in
direct tension without bending. Such bending may lower results by 20 to 50 %. The discs have
sufficient stiffness to avoid distortion during testing. By bonding a clean disc on a planed, dry surface
with the GRA adhesive, failure should not occur at the disc/overlay interface. Failure at the
disc/overlay interface is an invalid test and must be repeated if the bond strength is to be evaluated.
16

BOND-TEST
Testing Examples

BOND-TEST being performed for quality control of the bond between a wear resistant overlay and a concrete
slab; coring after bonding the 75- mm disc is shown (left), application of pull-off load (middle), and the bond
failure, type (b), between the overlay and the substrate (right) at 1.8 MPa

BOND-TEST being performed on granite


tiles in a subway station

The bond of a repair on a balcony being


evaluated with BOND-TEST

17

BOND-TEST
The BOND-TEST Equipment and Ordering Numbers
B-10000 DSV-Kit: For surface planing, bonding the disc, and
attaching the coring rig to produce the partial core without anchoring.
Item
Diamond planing wheel unit
Suction plate with valve and gauge
Two adjustable clamping pliers
Centering plate for 75 mm disc
Optionally, centering plate for 50 mm disc

Order #
B-10010
B-10020
B-10030
B-10040
B-10050

Vacuum pump with hose


Wrench, 17 mm
Small screwdriver
Attach case

B-10060
B-10070
B-10080
B-10090

B-11000 BOND-TEST Preparation Kit: For removing the center


knob after surface planing, cleaning the surface, bonding the discs,
and heating the discs in cold weather conditions
Item

Order #

Grinder with cup stone


Heat gun
Steel brush
75 mm discs, 6 pcs
Optionally, 50 mm discs, 6 pcs

B-11010
B-11020
B-11030
B-11040
B-11050

GRA glue, box


Putty knife
Araldite epoxy (for acrylic-based materials)
Attach case
Optionally:
GRA glue, can with kg powder
GRA liquid, bottle with 200 mL

B-11060
B-11070
B-11080
B-11090
B-11100
B11110

CORECASE CS-75: For producing the partial core.


Item
Coring rig with coupling
Handles for coring rig, 3 pcs
Coring bit, 75 mm x 110 mm
Water pump with 2 hoses
Clamping pliers, adjustable, 2 pcs
Set of anchoring tools, 8 mm
8 mm expansion anchors, 20
Chisel
Hammer
Corelifter, 75 mm diameter
Wrench, 14 mm
Measuring tape
Set of spare bearings for coring rig
Reinforcement locator
Manual
Attach case

18

Order #
CC-10
CC-20
CCB-75/110
CC-30
CC-40
CC-50
CC-60
CC-70
CC-80
CC-90
CC-100
CC-110
CC-120
CC-130
CC-140
CC-150

BOND-TEST
B-12000 BOND-TEST Pull Machine Kit

Item

The hydraulic pull machine


comes with a 0 to 25 kN
analog dial gauge, with 0.5
kN least division. The pull
machine needs to be
calibrated once a year, or
sooner, if it is serviced or
damaged. The L-30
calibration unit on page 79
may be used for calibration

B-13000 BOND-TEST Pull Machine Kit

Hydraulic pull machine


with analog gauge

B-12010

Centering piece
Coupling
Pull bolt
Bolt handle
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Calibration table
Manual
Attach case

B-12020
L-16
L-17
L-19
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
B-12030
B-12040
B-12050

Item

The hydraulic pull machine


has a 0 to100 kN precision
electronic gauge with memory
for storage of test results
(peak-value, time and date of
testing). The peak-value is
shown after a test has been
completed. The internal
accuracy of the gauge is 0.01
kN. The display shows the
pull force in 0.1 kN digital
increments. The pull machine
needs to be re-calibrated once
a year, or sooner, if serviced
or damaged.

B-14000 BOND-TEST Pull Machine Kit


The hydraulic pull machine
has an automatic loading rate
control and a 0 to 100 kN
precision electronic gauge
with memory for storage of
test results (peak-value, time
and date of testing). The
peak-value is shown after a
test has been completed. The
internal accuracy of the
gauge is 0.01 kN. The display
shows the pull force in 0.1 kN
digital increments. The pull
machine needs to be recalibrated once a year, or
sooner, if serviced or
damaged.

19

Order #

Order #

Hydraulic pull machine


with electronic gauge

B-13010

AMIGAS printout software


Cable for printout
Centering piece
Coupling
Pull bolt
Bolt handle
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Calibration table
Manual
Attach case

L-13
L-14
B-12020
L-16
L-17
L-19
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
B-13030
B-13040
B-13050

Item

Order #

Hydraulic pull machine


with electronic gauge

B-14010

AMIGAS printout software


Cable for printout
Centering piece
Coupling
Pull bolt
Bolt handle
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Calibration table
Manual
Attach case

L-13
L-14
B-12020
L-16
L-17
L-19
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
B-14030
B-14040
B-14050

CAPO-TEST
Purpose
The CAPO-TEST permits performing pullout tests on existing structures without the need of preinstalled inserts. CAPO-TEST provides a pullout system similar to the LOK-TEST system (page
75) for accurate on-site estimates of compressive strength. Procedures for performing post-installed
pullout tests, such as CAPO-TEST, are included in ASTM C900.
Typical applications of the CAPO-TEST include the following:
Quality control of the finished structure
Verification of in-place strength when strength of standard-cured specimens fails to meet
acceptance criteria
Estimating residual strength of concrete in existing structures
Evaluation of fire-damaged structures
Integrity of structures
25 mm

55 mm

25 mm

Principle
When selecting the location for a CAPO-TEST, ensure
that reinforcing bars are not within the failure region.
The surface at the test location is ground flat and a 18.4
mm hole is cored perpendicular to the surface. A recess
(slot) is routed in the hole to a diameter of 25 mm and at
a depth of 25 mm. A split ring is expanded in the recess
and pulled out using a pull machine reacting against a
55 mm diameter counter pressure ring. As in the LOKTEST, the concrete in the strut between the expanded
ring and the counter pressure ring is in compression.
Hence, the ultimate pullout force F is related directly to
compressive strength.

The test is performed until the conic frustum between


the expanded ring and the inner diameter of the counter
pressure is dislodged. Thus there is minor surface
damage, which should be repaired for aesthetic reasons
or to avoid potential durability problems.

Based on testing experiences and laboratory studies, it


has been found that the accuracy of the compressive
strength estimated by the CAPO-TEST using the
general correlations shown on page 76 is similar to
results obtained with the LOK-TEST. For normal
density concrete, the coefficient of variation of
individual CAPO-TEST results is about 8 %.

20

70
Krenchel 1982
Yun et al. SP-112, MSA = 40 mm
Yun et al. SP-112, Mortar
Meyer 1994
Bellander 1983, MSA = 38 mm
Bellander 1983, MSA = 18 mm

60

CAPO-TEST Force, kN

Correlation and Accuracy of Estimated Strength


Several investigations have shown that the pullout
strength measured by the CAPO-TEST is essentially
the same as the pullout strength measured by LOKTEST. This equality is illustrated in the graph to the
right, which includes data from four independent
studies. The maximum aggregate size varied from
mortar up to 40 mm. Thus the general correlations for
the LOK-TEST shown on page 76 are also valid for the
CAPO-TEST.

50

Line of Equality
40
30
20
10
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

LOK-TEST Force, kN

60

70

CAPO-TEST
Comparison with Core Strength
An investigation on 10 bridges compared the strength of cores with strengths estimated on the basis
of the CAPO-TEST and the rebound hammer test (ASTM C805). As shown in the following figure,
strengths estimated by the CAPO-TEST were on average within 6 % of the core strength. This study
confirms the inherent reliability of pullout testing for estimating in-place compressive strength.
Reference: Moczko, A., Comparison Between Compressive Strength Tests From Cores,
CAPO-TEST and Schmidt Hammer, Wroclaw Technical University, Poland, 2002.

Estimated Strength, MPa

80
CAPO-TEST
Rebound Hammer

70
60
50
40
30
20

Line of Equality

10
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

Core Strength, MPa


Example Applications

Routing recess for the expandable


ring in preparation for CAPOTEST to evaluate surface
strength of an industrial floor
slab

Expanded ring

View of valid CAPO-TEST of a


slab. Note the well formed failure
ring on the surface of the slab.

21

CAPO-TEST being performed in


parking garage to evaluate in-place
strength of suspect concrete

CAPO-TEST
CAPO-TEST Equipment and Ordering Numbers
Inserts and Resizing Tool

C-111 Resizing Tool


For resizing C-112 insert 2 to 3 times

C-112 CAPO expandable inserts

CAPO-TEST Kits
The CAPO-TEST kits includes C-101 Preparation Kit, the C-102 DSV-Kit and a pull machine kit,
either the C-103 kit containing a pull machine with the 0 to 60 kN analog dial gauge or the C-104 kit
containing a pull machine with the 0 to 100 kN digital gauge.
C-101 CAPO-TEST Preparation Kit
This kit is used to drill the center hole and to cut the recess to accommodate the expandable insert.
The kit also contains the unit for expanding the CAPO-TEST insert and other miscellaneous tools
for conducting the test.
Item
Counter pressure
Expansion unit
Water pump
Recess router unit
Distance piece, 25 mm
Bottle w. CAPO-Oil
Diamond drill unit
Electric drill
Wrench, 14 mm
Wrench, 19 mm

Order #
C-142
C-101-1
C-150
C-101-2
C-136
C-143
C-101-3
C-101-4
C-151
C-155

Item
Screwdriver
Tweezers
Plastic hose
Marking chalk
Pliers
Allen key, 4 mm
Wrench, 46 mm
Wrench, adjustable
Vernier caliper
Attach case

Order #
C-149
C-148
C-157
C-160
C-147
C-156
C-147-1
C-147-2
C-135
C-160

C-102 DSV-Kit
The kit includes the diamond planer, the suction plate, a vacuum pump, and the necessary tools for
grinding the surface so that it is flat before drilling the center hole and routing the recess. The
diamond planer, the diamond core drill unit, and the recess router are positioned in the recess of the
suction plate for proper alignment and dimensional control.
Item

Order #

Diamond planner
Vacuum pump w.
hose
Centering brass tap
Suction plate

22

C-102-1
C-102-4
C-102-5
C-102-2

Item
Clamping pliers, 2
Small screwdriver
Wrench, 17 mm
Plastic hose
Attach case

Order #
C-102-3
C-158
C-154
C-147
C-161

CAPO-TEST
Two pull machines are available for the CAPO-TEST. These are the same machines as used for the
LOK-TEST.
C-103 CAPO Pull Machine Kit
The hydraulic pull machine comes with a calibrated 0 to 60 kN analog gauge. Alternatively, the
instrument can be supplied with a 0 to 40 kN gauge (Order No. L-10-2) for testing up to 40-MPa
concrete. The pull machine accuracy is within 0.6 %, exceeding the 2 % requirement of ASTM C900.

Item

Order #

Hydraulic pull machine with analog gauge


Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Manual
Attach Case

L-10-3
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
C-165
C-166

C-104 CAPO Pull Machine Kit


The hydraulic pull machine has a calibrated 0 to100 kN precision electronic gauge with memory for
storage of test results (peak-value, time and date of testing). The peak-value is shown after a test
has been terminated. The internal resolution of the gauge is 0.01 kN, but the pull force is displayed
to the nearest 0.1 kN.

Item

Order #

Hydraulic pull machine with electronic gauge


AMIGAS printing software
Cable for printer
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Calibration table
Manual
Attach Case

L-11-1
L-13
L-14
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
L-32
L-33
C-104-1

Note: The calibration of the pull machines needs to be verified at least once a year, or sooner, if
serviced or damaged. The L-30 Load Verification Unit shown on page 79 is available for this purpose.

23

CMD
Purpose
The CMD system is used to monitor the opening and closing of a surface crack as well as relative
lateral movement between the two sides of the crack as a function of time.
Principle
With the CMD (Crack Monitoring Device), a three-point rosette, in the shape of an equilateral
triangle with 50-mm side lengths, is bonded to the surface. Two of the rosette points are positioned
parallel to the crack, and the third one is positioned on the opposite side of the crack approximately
half the distance to the base line.
C

50 mm
A

Temperature and moisture related movements, measured between points A and B, together with
crack movement measurements between points A and C as well as between points B and C are
transformed mathematically into the opening or closing of the crack and into the relative lateral
movement of the two sides of the crack.
The measurements are made manually with the CMD-200 using a caliper, or they can be made
electronically with the CMD-300 using displacement sensors (LVDTs). The CMD-300 also has the
option for remote monitoring from the office by means of a phone line.
Precision and variation
The resolution of the displacement measurements is 0.01 mm and the coefficient of variation for
replicate measurement on the same crack is 5 %.
Testing Examples
0.50

Movement, mm

0.40
0.30
0.20
Open
Lateral

0.10
0.00
-0.10
-0.20
0

Months

The CMD-200 being used for measurement of crack


movement caused by ASR

24

Opening and lateral movement of a crack measured


over 6 months

CMD

The CMD-300 rosettes with LVDT sensors mounted.

Computer display from the logging of the crack


movement downloaded to a PC on-site or at the office
by a phone line

CMD Ordering Numbers


CMD-200

Item
Three rosettes
Positioning plate, acrylic
GRA glue, box
Precision caliper, electronic
Manual

CMD-300

Order #
CMD-210
CMD-220
CMD-230
CMD-240
CMD-250

The CMD-250 manual contains the mathematical


equations for calculating the crack opening or closing
and the lateral movement based on the recorded
distances between the rosette points.

25

Item
Case with electronics and phone line
cord

Order #
CMD-310

Three point rosette mounted with


LVDT sensors (illustrated top of page)

CMD-320

Positioning plate, acrylic


Extension RS-232 cable
GRA glue, box
Set of anchoring tools
Tube with silicone
CMD-300 software, CD-ROM
Manual

CMD-330
CMD-340
CMD-350
CMD-360
CMD-370
CMD-380
CMD-390

COMA-Meter
Purpose
The COMA-Meter (COncrete MAturity-Meter) is used to measure the maturity of newly cast
concrete at a depth of 80 mm from the surface for the following purposes:
Estimating the compressive strength at an early age using a pre-established strength-maturity
relationship (see page 27 for illustration)
Timing of pullout testing with LOK-TEST for early-age strength measurement
Evaluating the effective in-place curing temperature
Principle
A glass capillary contains a liquid for which the rate of evaporation varies with temperature
according to the Arrhenius equation, which is the same function that is used to determine maturity
of concrete from the temperature history. The closed capillary is placed on a card with a calibrated
scale indicating maturity in equivalent age at 20 C. The card is attached to a cap threaded onto a
transparent container. After the concrete is cast, the capillary tube is snapped at the zero mark on
the scale, the cap is threaded in the container, and the container is pressed into the fresh concrete.

Container
Liquid filled glass
capillary

Absorption compound

Cap threaded on container


Scale attached to cap

150

Arrhenius
COMA-Meter

Equivalent Age at 20 C, days

Calculated from Temperature, days

The temperature within the container will stabilize quickly with the temperature of the surrounding
concrete. The liquid in the capillary tube evaporates at a rate determined by the temperature and
time. The level of the liquid, readable on the scale, measures the maturity of the concrete stated in
M20 units, which is the number of equivalent days of curing at 20 C.

100

50

0
0

50

100

150

3
2
1
0
-10

10

20

30

40

50

60

COMA-Meter, days

Temperature, C

Comparison between COMA-Meter maturity and


maturity calculated from temperature readings
(Source: Mller, G. Evaluation of COMA-test, Report
8335-1983, CBI, Stockholm, Sweden

26

Maturity calculated by Arrhenius equation compared


with COMA-Meter readings after one actual day at
temperatures between -5 C and 50 C

COMA-Meter
Resolution and Accuracy
The measuring ranges of the two types of COMA-Meters are 0 to 5 M20 days for the COMA-5 and 0
to 14 M20 days for the COMA-14. The scale allows the maturity to be estimated to within 0.1 M20
days. The meter is accurate to within 5 % compared with maturity values calculated from
temperature readings as shown on the previous page. The activation energy E for the COMA-Meter
is 40 kJ/mol.
Applications
Compressive Sterngth, MPa

50
40
30
Mixture A
Mixture B
Mixture C

20
10
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

M , days at 20 C
20

Maturity measured by the COMA-Meter before inplace strength testing with LOK-TEST for early form
removal.

Examples of pre-established strength- maturity


relationships, allowing in-place strength estimation by
means of maturity.

COMA-Meter installed in concrete for strength


indication before stripping of forms in cold
weather conditions.

COMA-Meter installed in a newly cast airport


runway slab for evaluation of the timing of cutting
the joints.

COMA-5
Pack of five 0 to 5 M20 days COMA-Meters

COMA-14
Pack of five 0 to 14 M20 days COMA-Meters

27

CORECASE
Purpose
CORECASE is a portable light weight coring rig for quickly obtaining drilled cores that are accurate
in diameter, have straight sides, and are perpendicular to the surface. In addition to determining inplace compressive strength, drilled cores can also be used for the following purposes:
Verification of flaws identified by NDT methods such as the sMASH impulse-response
system; the DOCter impact-echo system; and the MIRA and EyeCon pulse-echo systems
Preparing a partially drilled core for conducting a pull-off test with BOND-TEST in accordance
with BS 1881:207 or ASTM C1583
Other laboratory tests such as: rapid chloride penetration using the PROOVEit system, bulk
conductivity using Merlin, air-void parameters using the RapidAir system, or for petrographic
analysis
Principle
A thin-walled coring barrel with a high-performance diamond bit is attached to a water-cooled drill
rig weighing between 1.8 kg and 3.5 kg. The drill rig pushes the drill barrel forward concentrically
thereby avoiding bending forces during drilling. A special plastic coupling is used between the
electric drill and the coring barrel to reduce vibration of the bit, ensuring a long life for the diamond
bit and a smooth core surface. The drill rig is kept securely perpendicular to the surface by
adjustable clamps anchored to the surface or by a suction plate. The end result is a quickly drilled
core that has a smooth surface, accurate diameter, and drilled perpendicular to the surface. Two
versions are available: CORECASE CS-75 for a 75-mm core diameter and CORECASE CEL-100
for a 100-mm core diameter.
Example Applications

Coring with the CS-75 rig clamped to the surface

The CS-75 coring rig attached to the suction plate


before conducting BOND-TEST

Coring with the CS-75 rig for inspection of


cracks following chloride extraction

Coring with the CEL-100 rig to obtain


specimen for testing with PROOVEit for
chloride permeability

28

CORECASE
CORECASEG49 CS-75 (75-mm core)
Item
Coring rig with coupling
Handles for coring rig, 3 pcs
Coring bit, 75 mm x 110 mm
Water pump with 2 hoses
Clamping pliers, adjustable, 2
Set of anchoring tools, 8 mm
8 mm expansion anchors, 20
Chisel
Hammer
Core lifter, 75-mm diameter
Wrench, 14 mm
Measuring tape
Set of spare bearings for coring rig
Reinforcement locator
Manual
Attach case

Order #
CC-10
CC-20
CCB-75/110
CC-30
CC-40
CC-50
CC-60
CC-70
CC-80
CC-90
CC-100
CC-110
CC-120
CC-130
CC-140
CC-150

Optional items
Suction plate
Vacuum pump
1150 W electric drill

CC-160
CC-170
CC-180

Optional suction plate with vacuum pump

CORECASE CEL-100 (100 mm core)


Item
Coring rig with coupling
Handles for coring rig, 3 pcs
Coring bit, 100 mm x 210 mm
Water pump with 2 hoses
Clamping pliers, adjustable, 2
Set of anchoring tools, 12 mm
12 mm expansion anchors, 20
Chisel
Hammer
Core lifter, 100-mm diameter
Wrench, 14 mm
Measuring tape
Set of spare bearings for coring rig
Reinforcement locator
Manual
Attach case
Optional
1150 W electric drill

Order #
CC-15
CC-20
CCB-100/210
CC-30
CC-40
CC-55
CC-65
CC-75
CC-80
CC-95
CC-100
CC-110
CC-120
CC-130
CC-145
CC-155
CC-180

Extension rods, 100 mm long, for drilling deeper than


110 mm (CS-75) or deeper than 210 mm (CEL-100)
are available on request, Order # CC-190.

Additional coring bits


For CORECASE CS-75
Core diameter length
Coring bit #
25 mm 110 mm
CCB-25/110
35 mm 110 mm
CCB-35/110
50 mm 110 mm
CCB-50/110
75 mm 110 mm
CCB-75/110

For CORECASE CEL-100


Core diameter length
Coring bit #
25 mm 210 mm
CCB-25/210
35 mm 210 mm
CCB-35/210
50 mm 210 mm
CCB-50/210
75 mm 210 mm
CCB-75/210
100 mm 210 mm
CCB-100/210

29

CorroEye
Purpose
CorroEye is used to monitor the corrosion rate of steel reinforcement in critical areas of a reinforced
concrete element or structure by means of a post-installed sensor.
Principle
The reinforcement in question is located and the cover depth and the bar size are measured with a
covermeter, e.g., with the CoverMaster shown on page 33.
The CorroEye sensor is mounted on the surface above the reinforcement. A slot is cut into the
surface; an ERE-Probe (page 55) is placed in the slot parallel to the surface and covered with
mortar. An 8 mm hole is drilled to a depth of 25 mm and a mounting anchor is inserted into the hole
and expanded. A firm connection to the reinforcement is made with an adaptor installed in another
drilled hole. Electrical connections are made to the pulse generator and the data logger, which has
input options for up to eight CorroEye sensors.
The 90 mm long CorroEye sensor has four 15 mm diameter contact points. The two outer points act
as guard electrodes and the two inner points act as counter electrodes, as illustrated below.
The sensor measures, at pre-set time intervals, the corrosion rate by the same galvanostatic pulse
principle as used for the GalvaPulse instrument (page 61). The readings are stored in a watertight
data logger, which is also attached to the surface at a convenient location. The recorded data are
downloaded on-site to a portable computer whenever required. Alternatively, the data logger has an
option for connection to a mobile phone for remote monitoring. Each phone line can handle up to 200
data loggers by the RS 485 communication port.
Two types of sensors are available. The CorroEye Mark I is used on a vertical surface or on a
horizontal surface where the sensor will not interfere with traffic or access. The CorroEye Mark II
is used in all other cases and is covered with a thin layer of protective mortar.
CorroEye Mark I
ERE Probe

Pulse Generator
and Data Logger

CorroEye Mark II
ERE Probe

Pulse Generator
and Data Logger

Accuracy and variation


The accuracy of the CorroEye is better than stated in the table on page 62 for actively corroding
areas because the position of the reinforcement is known before the sensor is attached and the
polarized area of the reinforcement is also better defined. The variation from sensor to sensor for
measurements on reinforcement with the same corrosion rate is within 10 %.
30

CorroEye
Testing Examples

Two CorroEye Mark II sensors on a bridge deck


before application of a protective mortar overlay (EREProbe is not shown mounted)

The CorroEye Mark I sensor installed on a


vertical surface close to a construction joint in a
parking garage (ERE-Probe is not shown
mounted)

The CorroEye pulse generator and data logger unit

CorroEye Ordering Numbers


Item
CorroEye, Mark I sensor with 20 meter cable
CorroEye, Mark II sensor with 20 meter cable
CorroEye Pulse generator and data logger, box
CorroEye PC card for downloading test results to a PC
Anchors, 8 mm, 20 pcs
Set of anchoring tools
ERE-Probe, with 3 m cable

31

Order #
CE-MkI-20-100
CE-MkII-20-110
CE-PGDL-120
CE-PC card-130
CE-140
CE-150
ERE-Probe-3

CorroWatch
Purpose
CorroWatch is a monitoring system for early warning of the onset reinforcement corrosion. It can
also be used to estimate the time before corrosion of reinforcement begins so that corrective
measures may be taken early enough to minimize repair costs.
Principle
The CorroWatch is a multi-probe device consisting of four black steel bars acting as anodes and a
noble metal as the cathode. The bars are positioned at different elevations and when cast into
concrete, CorroWatch allows determination of corrosion activity as a function of cover distance.
In addition, the ERE-Probe (page 55) may be cast into the concrete for monitoring the potentials of
the four black steel anodes of the CorroWatch.
ERE-Probe
Anodes

By monitoring the potential drop of the four anodes as a function of time, the gradual penetration of
the depassivation front can be tracked and the service life can be estimated reliably, based on the
actual depth of the reinforcement.
Accuracy
In terms of measuring the ingress of the depassivation front, the CorroWatch is just as accurate as
if the penetration were monitored using normal black-steel reinforcement.
Testing Example

Potential, mV (Ag/AgCl)

CorroWatch Ordering Numbers

-50

-100

Item
CorroWatch with 3 meter cables
CorroWatch with 5 meter cables
CorroWatch with 10 meter cables

Depth 1
Depth 2
Depth 3
Depth 4

-150

-200

-250

10

15

20

Time, years

CorroWatch measurements from a marine structure


showing the advancement of the depassivation front

32

Order #
CW-3
CW-5
CW-10

CoverMaster
Purpose
CoverMaster covermeters are used for the following purposes:
Locate reinforcing bars and metal cable ducts in concrete
structures
Measure the cover depth of reinforcement
Estimate the size of reinforcing bars
Locate other metal objects embedded in concrete
Principle
CoverMaster instruments are based on the pulse-induction
technique. A repetitive current pulse is applied to the coils in the
search head (below left). During each pulse, current increases
gradually in the coils but is turned off rapidly. The sudden end of the
pulse causes a sudden collapse in the magnetic field produced by the
coils, which induces eddy currents in a bar located within the coils
influence zone. As the eddy currents decay, a decaying magnetic field
induces a secondary current in the coils (below right). The instrument measures the amplitude of the
induced current, which depends on the orientation, depth, and size of the bar. The search head is
directional and maximum signal is obtained when the bar is aligned with the long axis of the search
head. The pulse-induction technique is uniquely stable, is not affected by moisture in concrete or
magnetic aggregates, and is immune to temperature variations and electrical interference.

Applied current pulse

Magnetic field induced by decaying eddy


currents in bar

Recommendations on the use of covermeters can be found in BS 1881:204


CoverMaster P3312
Basic features:
Large graphics display of cover depth
Signal strength indicator and variable
tone to identify proximity to bar
Precise indication of bar direction
Easy-to-use, menu driven instrument
Single-handed operation; search head
includes key function buttons
Maxpip mode (emits sound when
search head is over center of bar)
Under cover mode (emits sound
when minimum cover has been
detected)
International bar sizes included

33

CoverMaster
Basic Features (continued)
Quick release battery pack and charger
Can be used with different search heads (See below)
Includes standard search head, cable, carrying case, and instruction manual
Rechargeable battery pack
Optional Search Heads
In addition to a choice of four search heads, the CoverMaster P3312 can also be used with half-cell
probes to measure the half-cell potential (see page 85). A borehole probe is also available for locating
a second layer of reinforcement or deeply embedded tendon ducts. The borehole probe can be
switched from the forward looking to the side looking mode.

Standard

Narrow Pitch

Deep Scan

Dual Search Head

For general purpose use;


maximum cover 70 to 95
mm

For resolving closelyspaced bars; maximum


cover 60 to 80 mm

Maximum cover 160 to


180 mm

For high strength and


stainless steel

Borehole Probe
For measurement of
second layer of
reinforcement and tendon
ducts

Sample Display
Half-Cell Potential Kit
Cu/CuSO4 or Ag/AgCl

CoverMaster P3312 Models


Model B includes the basic features listed on previous page.
Model BH inlcudes all of the features of Model B with the additional of capability to make half-cell
potential readings
Model SH includes all the features of Model BH plus the following:
Automatic bar sizing (autosize mode for quick estimate or orthogonal method for greater
accuracy)
Orthogonal mode bar diameter determination
Min-Max cover limits (enter minimum and/or maximum cover to check with specifications)
Data storage (up to 1000 individual cover measurements in linear sequence)
Software to upload stored data to PC

34

CoverMaster
Model TH includes all the features of Model SH plus the following:
Data storage up to 240,000 points
Linear and grid data storage (data stored in 2-D format)
User defined 2-D testing grid
Graphics plot and threshold plot
Model THD includes all the features of Model TH plus a stainless steel measurement probe.
CoverMaster P3312 Feature Comparison
Model

Description

BH

SH

TH

THD

Rebar location, orientation and depth of cover

Cover thickness reading in mm and inches

Graphics display with backlight

Multiple language menu structure

Signal strength display

Interchangeable heads with LED and keypad

User selectable bar range sizes and numbers

Measurement sound modes:

Locate (tone increases as head approaches rebar)

Under Cover (tone only sounds for low cover)

Maxpip (tone only as head passes rebar center)

Autosize mode for bar diameter determination

Orthogonal mode for bar diameter determination

RS232 output to printer or PC

EDTS Excel Link Software

CoverMaster Software

Statistics

Minimum and maximum cover limits

Date and time

Memory

Graphics plot

Threshold plot

Half-cell potential capability

Stainless steel probe


Rugged waterproof case (IP65)

Adjustable beep volume and earphone socket

Bar Diameter Ranges


5 to 50 mm in 21 values

Metric
U.S. Bar Numbers

#2 to #18 in 16 values

ASTM/Canadian

10 to 55M in 8 values
6 to 57 mm in 17 values

Japanese

35

CrackScope
Purpose
The CrackScope CS-100 can be used for accurate measurement of the width of surface opening
cracks as well as measurement of the depth of surface holes or irregularities.
Principle
The CrackScope is a small size, lightweight and conveniently portable microscope with a 25
magnification. It has a build-in scale for crack-width measurement and another scale on the focusing
adjustment ring for depth indication.
Resolution
The magnification of the CrackScope is 25 times. The built-in 3-mm scale has a least division of
0.05 mm, allowing the width of cracks to be estimated within 0.025 mm. Depth measurement is
achieved by focusing at the bottom of a depression and then focusing at the perimeter of the
depression. By reading the scale engraved on the focusing ring and the needle of the lens barrel,
depths can be measured with an accuracy of 0.05 mm.
Application Example

Ordering Number:

CrackScope CS-100

36

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

Deep Purple and Rainbow Indicator


Purpose
Deep Purple and Rainbow Indicator are used to determine the depth of carbonation in samples
of field concrete. Carbonation depth can be used for the following purposes:
To evaluate the cause of corrosion when conducting corrosion surveys
To estimate service life where penetration of the carbonation front is critical
To monitor the effectiveness of procedures for re-alkalization of the cover layer
To make a rough estimate of concrete strength from the age of concrete and the relative humidity
Principle
The natural alkalinity of cement paste in concrete results in a protective oxide coating on steel
reinforcement that prevents the steel from rusting. When carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air penetrates
into concrete, it reacts with the calcium hydroxide (CaOH2) in the cement paste producing calcium
carbonate (CaCO3). This reaction is called carbonation, and it causes the alkalinity of the paste to
decrease, that is, the pH decreases below its normal value of about 13. When the pH drops below 9,
the protective oxide coating is destroyed and, in the presence of moisture and oxygen, the steel will
corrode. Thus measurement of the depth of carbonation is an essential step for corrosion evaluation
of a reinforced concrete structure.
To measure the pH of the cement paste, a freshly broken piece of concrete or a newly cut core is
sprayed with the indicator, and allowed to dry. The approximate pH of the paste is indicated by
colors as illustrated below.
Deep Purple Indicator
Color:
pH:

8.5 to 9.5

Rainbow Indicator
Color:
pH:

11

13

Accuracy
The carbonation front measured with the Deep Purple Indicator represents where the cement
paste has a pH within the range of 8.5 to 9.5 as shown above.
The results of the Rainbow Indicator were correlated with the depth of carbonation determined by
petrographic thin section analysis for a wide range of concretes with varying slump, with or without
calcium chloride or fly-ash, different water-cement ratios, varying degrees of consolidation and
different finishing methods. The results were published in:
Campbell, D.H., Sturm, R.D. and Kosmatka, S.H., Detecting Carbonation, Concrete
Technology Today, Vol. 12, No. 1, March 1991, Portland Cement Association, USA

The results indicated that the depth of carbonation determined from thin section analysis correlated
with the depth where the Rainbow Indicator indicated a green color or pH of 9 as shown above.
On normal concrete, the depth of the carbonation front can be determined with an accuracy of 10 %
to 15 %.
Testing Examples
The depth of carbonation evaluated by the
Deep Purple Indicator. An average depth of
carbonation of 16 mm was measured.

37

Deep Purple and Rainbow Indicator


Shown in the photo to the left, the pH profile was evaluated
by the Rainbow Indicator on a newly cut core. The first 2
to 3 mm from the surface is colored red to yellow indicating a
pH of 5 to 7. The green color, corresponding to a pH of 9, is
dominant at a depth from 4 mm to 7 mm. A pH higher than
11 is indicated by the blue and purple colors, deeper than 7
mm. Also note that some of the aggregates had a reddish
color indicating a pH of 5.

The figure to the right illustrates the approximate


relationship between depth of carbonation lc in mm,
the compressive strength fc in MPa, and the age of the
structure h in years for exposure to a 50 % relative
humidity. In the example shown, the depth of
carbonation was measured to be 16 mm for a 10-year
old structure. This implies that the concrete
compressive strength is about 25 MPa. Alternatively,
the graphs, or the given equation, can be used for
service life estimation, where service life is defined as
when the carbonation front reaches the depth of the
reinforcing steel. As an example, for a cover depth of
25 mm, if the depth of carbonation is 4 mm at the
time of testing and the compressive strength is 25
MPa, the carbonation front will reach the steel (an
additional penetration of 21 mm), in approximately 22
years. For a relative humidity different from 50 %, a
correction factor has to be applied to the graphs.
Average relationships between depth of
carbonation, compressive strength, and time
of exposure in air at 50 % RH. Source: The
Concrete Book, CTO, Aalborg, Denmark

Ordering Numbers

RI-7000 Deep Purple Indicator


Set of 4 spray bottles, 80 mL each

RI-8000 Rainbow Indicator


Set of 4 spray bottles, 80 mL each

38

DK 5000
Purpose
The DK-5000 determines the resonant frequency of prismatic or cylindrical specimens in accordance
with the impact resonance method described in ASTM C215, "Test Method for Fundamental
Transverse, Longitudinal, and Torsional Resonant Frequencies of Concrete Specimens." The impact
resonance method is a simple test that determines the resonant frequency very quickly. Resonant
frequency testing can be used for the following applications:
Determination of the dynamic elastic properties (modulus of elasticity, Poissons ratio, and shear
modulus of elasticity)
Monitoring damage as a result of exposure to accelerated weathering, such as cycles of freezing
and thawing in accordance with ASTM C666/C666 M
Quality control of manufactured products
Principle
When a test specimen is subjected to mechanical impact, such as being struck by a hammer, it will
vibrate at it natural or resonant frequency. The DK-5000 uses a small hammer to impact the test
specimen and a small accelerometer to monitor the vibration of the specimen. By using the correct
specimen support condition, the proper position of the impact point, and the correct location of the
accelerometer, the resonant frequencies for different modes of vibration can be determined. The
illustration below shows the locations of the specimen support(s), the impact point, and
accelerometer position to measure the longitudinal, flexural, and torsional resonant frequencies. In
the impact resonance method, the resonant frequency is determined by transforming the time
history of the accelerometer signal into the frequency domain. The resultant amplitude spectrum
will contain one or more peaks that correspond to the excited frequencies.
Impact

Accelerometer

Longitudinal mode

Flexural mode

The DK-5000 consists of a laptop


computer, a data acquisition and
signal conditioning system, the DK
Tester software, a hammer, and an
accelerometer. In addition, a test
bench is provided for supporting the
test specimen. The DK Tester
software is used to set up the testing
parameters, to input specimen size
and mass, and display test results. In
accordance with ASTM C215, the test
is repeated three times on the same
specimen. The software displays each
test result, and calculates the average
resonant frequency.
From the specimen mass, specimen
geometry, and measured frequencies,
equations given in ASTM C215 are
used to compute the dynamic elastic
properties.

39

Torsional mode

DK-5000
DK Tester Software

The DK Tester software displays each


replicate test result. The graphs are the
amplitude spectra obtained by transforming
the recorded accelerometer signals into the
frequency domain. The horizontal axis is
frequency and the vertical axis is amplitude.
The dominant peak represents the resonant
frequency. In this example, the resonant
frequencies from two replicate tests on the
same specimen are both 6738 Hz, which
indicates the highly repeatable nature of the
impact resonance method. The green window
indicates that the instrument is active and
ready for the third replicate test. The
software allows the user to compute the
dynamic modulus of elasticity (from transverse or longitudinal modes), the dynamic shear modulus
of elasticity (from the torsional mode), and the dynamic Poissons ratio in accordance with ASTM
C215.
Resolution
The frequency resolution depends on the sampling frequency and the number of data points in the
accelerometer signal. For example, for 1024 points at a sampling frequency of 20 kHz, the frequency
resolution is 20 Hz.
DK-5000 Ordering Numbers
Item

Order #

Laptop PC with data acquisition card and DK Tester


software

DK5000-1

Accelerometer and cable

DK5000-2

Impactor

DK5000-3

Test bench

DK5000-4

Manual

DK5000-5

Specimen supported on test bench for measurement of


longitudinal resonant frequency. Specimen is struck at end
opposite to transducer postion.

40

DOCter
Purpose
The use of traditional stress wave methods, such as ultrasonic through transmission (page 105), to
identify the presence of anomalies in structures requires access to both faces of a member.
Furthermore, it is not possible to determine the depth to anomalies. These drawbacks are eliminated
by using the impact-echo method, which requires access to only one surface. The impact-echo method
is based on monitoring the periodic arrival of reflected stress waves and is able to obtain information
on the depth of the internal reflecting interface or the thickness of a solid member.
The DOCter is a versatile, portable system based on the impact-echo method, and can be used for
the following applications:

Measure the thickness of pavements, asphalt overlays, slabs-on-ground and walls


Detect the presence and depth of voids and honeycombing
Detect voids below slabs-on-ground
Evaluate the quality of grout injection in post-tensioning cable ducts
Integrity of a membrane below an asphalt overlay protecting structural concrete
Delamination surveys of bridge decks, piers, cooling towers and chimneystacks
Detect debonding of overlays and patches
Detect ASR damage and freezing-and-thawing damage
Measure the depth of surface-opening cracks
Estimate early-age strength development (with proper correlation)

Principle
A short-duration stress pulse
is introduced into the member
by mechanical impact. This
impact generated three types
of stress waves that propagate
away from the impact point. A
surface wave (R-wave) travels
along the top surface, and a Pwave and an S-wave travel
into the member. In impactecho testing, the P-wave is
used to obtain information
about the member.

Data Acquisition
and Analysis
System

Impact

Reflected
P-wave

Transducer
Incident

P- P-wave

When the P-wave reaches the back side of the member, it is reflected and travels back to the surface
where the impact was generated. A sensitive displacement transducer next to the impact point picks
up the disturbance due to the arrival of the P-wave. The P-wave is then reflected back into the
member and the cycle begins again. Thus the P-wave undergoes multiple reflections between the two
surfaces. The recorded waveform of surface displacement has a periodic pattern that is related to the
thickness of the member and the wave speed.
The displacement waveform is transformed into the frequency domain to produce an amplitude
spectrum, which shows the predominant frequencies in the waveform. The frequency of P-wave
arrival is determined as the frequency with a high peak in the amplitude spectrum. The thickness
(T) of the member is related to this thickness frequency (f) and wave speed (Cp) by this simple
approximate equation (see page 42):

T=

Cp
2f

The same principle applies to reflection from an internal defect (delamination or void). Thus, the
impact-echo method is able to determine the location of internal defects as well as measure the
thickness of a solid member.
41

DOCter
Example
The upper plot in this example
shows the surface displacement
waveform obtained from a test
of a solid concrete slab. The
figure below the waveform is the
amplitude spectrum obtained by
transforming the waveform into
the frequency domain. The peak
at 11.47 kHz is the thickness
frequency. For a wave speed of
4240
m/s,
this
frequency
corresponds to a thickness of
4240 /(211,470) = 0.185 m, or
185 mm.

Thickness Measurement by ASTM C1383

Data Acquisition
and Analysis
System

300 mm

150 10 mm
Spacer
Impact

Transducer 1

Transducer 2

Accurate measurement of thickness


requires knowledge of the in-place Pwave speed. ASTM C1383, "Test
Method for Measuring the P-Wave
Speed and the Thickness of Concrete
Plates
Using
the
Impact-Echo
Method," permits two methods for
obtaining the P-wave speed. One
method is by determining the
thickness
frequency
and
then
measuring the actual plate thickness
at that point. The equation on page 41
is used to solve for Cp, i.e., Cp = 2 f T.

Alternatively, Cp may be determined


by measuring the time for the P-wave
to travel between two transducers
with a known separation. With the LONGSHIP two-transducer assembly, the transducers are
placed 300 mm apart and the impactor is about 150 mm from one of the transducers one the line
passing through the transducers. The distance L (300 mm) between the transducers, is divided by
time difference t between arrival of the P-wave at the second and first transducers. In the figure
shown on the next page, t was measured to be 67 s, and the P-wave speed is 0.300 / 0.000067 =
4480 m/s. When the wave speed is determined by the surface measurement method, the resulting
value is multiplied by 0.96 when it used to calculate thickness. Thus the correct equation for
thickness calculation is:

T=

0.96 C p
2f

The explanation for this 0.96 factor can be found in the following reference:
Gibson, A. and Popovics, J.A., 2005, "Lamb Wave Basis for Impact-Echo Method Analysis," J. of
Engineering Mechanics (ASCE), Vol. 131, No. 4, April, pp. 438-443.

42

DOCter
Measurement of P-wave Speed
The figure to the right is an example
of the measurement of P-wave speed
by using two transducers a known
distance apart. The time of arrival of
the P-wave at each transducer is
determined as the point when the
signal for each transducer rises above
the background value. The Viking
software allows the user to place
cursors at the points corresponding to
the P-wave arrivals, and calculates
the value of Cp. In this case, the
calculated speed is 4480 m/s, and 96
% of this value is 4300 m/s.
Detection of Internal Defects
The P-wave generated by impact will reflect at interfaces within the concrete where there is a
change in acoustic impedance, which is defined by the density and wave speed of a material. At a
concrete-air interface, there is complete reflection of the P-wave, and this permits detection of
internal defects such as delaminations, cavities, and honeycombed concrete. If the plan area of the
reflecting interface is large, the impact-echo response will be similar to that of a solid plate except
that the thickness frequency will be shifted to a higher value. If the defect is just large enough to be
detectable, the amplitude spectrum will show two peaks: one corresponds to reflection from the
interface and the other corresponds to the portion of the P-wave that travels around the defect and
reflects from the opposite surface of the plate. By positioning the cursor at the frequency associated
with the flaw, the flaw depth is shown by the Viking software. The frequency associated with the
portion of the P-wave that travels around the defect will be shifted to a lower frequency value than
the solid plate thickness frequency. This is because the wave has to travel a longer distance as it
diffracts around the flaw. The frequency shift is a good indicator of the presence of a flaw if it is
known that the plate thickness is constant.
Depth of Surface-Opening Cracks
The DOCter can also be used to
measure the depth of surface-opening
cracks, using a time domain analysis.
The LONGSHIP transducers are
placed on opposite sides of the crack
(as shown on in the sketch to the
right) and impact is generated on the
line passing through the transducers.
When the P-wave reaches the tip of
the crack, the crack tip acts as a Pwave source, a process called
diffraction. The diffracted P-wave is
detected by the transducer on the
opposite side of the crack from the
impact. By measuring the time
interval between the arrival of the
direct P-wave at the first transducer
and the arrival of the diffracted wave
at the second transducer, the depth of the crack can be calculated. The example shown is from
testing a fire-damaged structure, and a crack depth of 87 mm was estimated for a time difference of
35 s and a P-wave speed of 3155 m/s.
43

DOCter
Accuracy
For P-wave speed determined by calibration with a known thickness, the error in thickness
measured by the DOCter system is estimated to be within 2 %. This assumes that the same Pwave speed is applicable at all test points.
In the case of thickness measurement based on measuring the P-wave speed from surface
measurements, the error in thickness dues to systematic errors associated with the digital nature of
the measurements is about 3 %. This assumes that the P-wave speed is uniform with depth.
The depth of surface-opening cracks can be estimated within 4 %.
Testing Examples

Detection of cracks in large anchor


blocks of bridge

Measurement of thickness of
cast-in-place tunnel lining

Measurement of depth of surfaceopening cracks in fire-damaged


slab

Detection of delaminations and


honeycomb in sewer pipe

Measurement of P-wave speed by


surface method

Testing for quality of grout


injection in cable ducts located by
ground penetrating radar

44

DOCter
DOCter Ordering Numbers
The DOCter comes in two versions: the DOC-700 for flaw detection and thickness measurement;
and the DOC-4000 for flaw detection, thickness measurement, crack depth measurement, and Pwave speed measurement. The Spider multiple impactor unit can be purchased as an option to
increase the operating range of the systems.
DOC-700
The DOC-700 system is a one-channel system for thickness measurement and flaw detection. The Pwave speed is determined by testing over a solid portion of a plate with known thickness. The system
includes a laptop computer, a data acquisition module, one Mark IV transducer with impactors, and
software. The hardware components and computer are delivered in attach cases (not shown).

Item

Order #

Laptop computer

DOC-10

Data acquisition module with USB cable

DOC-20

Viking software, CD-ROM Data

DOC-30

Mark IV transducer

DOC-40

Star support with 5, 8 and 12 mm impactors

DOC-60

Protection caps for transducer tips, 4 pcs

DOC-80

Single cable

DOC-90

Attach case for Mark IV transducer

DOC-120

Attach case for laptop computer

DOC-140

Manual for Viking software

DOC-150

Operation manual for DOC-700 system

DOC-160
DOC-170

Testing case studies

45

DOCter
DOC-4000
The DOC-4000 system is a two-channel system that complies with the surface method for P-wave
speed measurement given in ASTM C1383. Besides thickness determination and flaw detection, the
DOC-4000 can be used to estimate the depth of surface-opening cracks.

Item

Order #

Laptop computer

DOC-10

Data acquisition module with USB cable

DOC-20

Viking software, CD-ROM Data

DOC-30

Viking LONGSHIP with long handle


and two Mark IV handheld transducers

DOC-50

Star support with 5, 8 and 12 mm impactors

DOC-60

Short handle for crack depth measurement

DOC-70

Protection caps for transducer tips, 8 pcs

DOC-80

Double cable

DOC-100

Attach case for LONGSHIP

DOC-130

Attach case for laptop computer

DOC-140

Manual for Viking software

DOC-150

Operation manual for DOC-4000 system

DOC-160

Testing case studies

DOC-170

Spider, Order # DOC-210


The Spider contains 8 spherical impactors, with diameters
ranging from 2 mm to 15 mm. The frequency content covered
by the Spider impactors is approximately 1.2 kHz to 100
kHz on a hard concrete surface. The Spider is placed
adjacent to the Mark IV transducer as shown to the right.

46

DSS-TEST
Purpose
The DSS-TEST is used to measure the direct shear bond strength of a carbon fiber reinforced
polymer (CFRP) laminate bonded to concrete.
Principle
CFRP laminates are used as external reinforcement to strengthen existing concrete structural
elements. The laminates are bonded to the concrete with epoxy adhesives. The effectiveness of the
CFRP laminates to act as external reinforcement relies on adequate shear bond strength with the
concrete. The DSS-TEST (Direct Shear Strength-TEST) measures the shear bond strength of 50mm wide CFRP strips with a 200-mm bonded length to a concrete element in-situ or in the
laboratory.
The CFRP strip is bonded to the concrete element using the manufacturers recommended adhesive.
The strip is bonded perpendicular to the edge of the concrete so that it extends 200 mm beyond the
edge.
CFRP
Strip

Reaction plate

Pedestal
200 mm

200 mm

Coupling
Gripping jaw

After the adhesive has cured, a pedestal is placed over the strip and made to rest against the edge of
the concrete member.
The 200-mm length of the CFRP strip that extends beyond the member is bonded to a pair of
gripping jaws using a fast-setting adhesive (GRA). The jaws are firmly tightened to the strip with
transverse fasteners.
A pull assembly with an attached coupling device is connected to the jaws. The reaction to the
applied tensile load is transferred to the pedestal through two reaction plates.
A hydraulic pull machine is attached to the coupling and rests against the reaction plates. The
tensile load applied by the pull machine results in a shear stress at the CFRP/concrete bond line.
The load is increased until rupture occurs between the CFRP strip and the substrate.
The ultimate load in kN is a direct measure of the anchorage force of the strip for the 200 mm
bonded length.
Examples of test results have been published in:
Jensen, A.P., Petersen, C.G., Poulsen, E., Ottosen, C. and Thorsen, T., On the Anchorage to Concrete
of Sika CarboDur CFRP Strips: Free Anchorage, Anchorage Devices and Test Results, International
Congress, Creating with Concrete, Dundee, Scotland, September 1999.

Variability
The coefficient of variation of the ultimate load is about 5 % for replicate tests using the same
concrete substrate.

47

DSS-TEST
Testing Example

DSS-TEST being performed to determine anchorage load of bonded CFRP strips (left) and typical failures (right)

The DDS-TEST Equipment and Ordering Numbers


DSS-500 Kit
Item
Jaw plates, 2 pcs
Transverse fasteners, 4 pcs
Pedestal
Counter pressure
Pull assembly
Pull cylinder, 19 mm diameter
Coupling
GRA glue, box
Set of anchoring tools, 12 mm
12 mm anchors, 20 pcs
Manual
Attach case

Order #
DSS-510
DSS-520
DSS-530
DSS-540
DSS-550
DSS-560
C-141
B-11060
DSS-570
DSS-580
DSS-590
DSS-600

C-104 CAPO-TEST Pull Machine Kit


As shown page 23, consisting of

Item
Hydraulic pull machine with electronic
gauge, 0-100 kN, 0.1 kN digital division

Order #
L-11-1

AMIGAS printout software


Cable for printout
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Manual
Attach case

L-13
L-14
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
L-33
C-104-1

48

Eddy-Dowel
Purpose
The Eddy-Dowel is a rail-mounted system for accurate
measurement of the position of dowel bars and tie bars
used in jointed concrete pavements. The device was
developed by MIT Mess- und Prftechnik GmbH,
Dresden, Germany, who named it the "MIT Scan-2." The
measuring unit includes five computer controlled eddy
current sensors. Data are acquired at a high sampling
rate as the measuring unit is pulled along rail system
resting on the pavement. The large amount of acquired
data allows reconstruction of bar alignment, which can
be compared with specification tolerances.
The main features of the Eddy-Dowel system include:
Bar depth and alignment can be measured immediately after concrete has undergone setting
Portable hand-held computer with wireless communication with the measuring unit for
immediate on-site analysis using MagnoNorm software
Comprehensive analysis and visualization of dowel alignment with desktop MagnoProof
software
Efficient inspection: up to 500, 16-m traverses per day
High precision; 4 mm for depth and horizontal alignment; 8 mm for longitudinal alignment
(side shift)
The Eddy-Dowel system has been evaluated by several departments of transportation in North
America and it has been found to be capable of making highly accurate measurements of bar location
and alignment. See the following reference:
FHWA Concrete Pavement Technology Program, "Tech Brief: Use of Magnetic Tomography Technology
to Evaluate Dowel Bar Placement," FHWA-IF-06-002, October 2005,
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/pccp/pubs/06002/06002.pdf

Principle
The Eddy-Dowel uses the pulse induction, eddy current technique to determine the distance to the
bars (see page 33 for a description of this method). Because the measuring unit includes five sensors,
a fast sampling rate, and an accurate distance sensing system, the acquired signals can be used to
reconstruct accurate 3-dimensional images of the embedded bars. These images show the depth and
alignment of the bars.
The age of the concrete does not affect the results, so it is possible to take measurements as soon as
the concrete is strong enough to support foot traffic. The presence of iron in the aggregates does not
interfere with the measurement process. Because measurements are based on sensing low amplitude
magnetic fields, precautions are necessary to ensure that magnetic materials, such as steel-toed
shoes, tools, and vehicles, are sufficiently distant from the measuring unit.
Method of operation
The Eddy-Dowel field system includes three principal components: 1) the measuring unit, 2) a
portable rail system; and 3) a handheld Pocket PC. Making a measurement of the bars crossing a
transverse of longitudinal joint is simple and rapid.
First, the mobile rail system is placed on the pavement so that it is centered along the joint. The rail
system is made of lightweight glass fiber reinforced plastic composite. Information about the testing
location and type of bars is entered into the Pocket PC. The measuring unit is placed at the starting
end of the rail system, and it is then pulled slowly over the rails at a steady speed (0.25 to 0.5 m/s).

49

Eddy-Dowel

Rails provide precise scan

Real-time display of scan

Post processing report

Control of the measurement process and data acquisition is done by the Pocket PC, which
communicates wirelessly with the measuring unit. During a scan, the acquired data are shown on
the display of the Pocket PC for immediate feedback of data quality. After the scan is completed, the
program MagnoNorm, running on the Pocket PC, calculates the positions of the bars and displays a
table listing bar depth, bar spacing, and bar misalignment. The results can be printed immediately
on-site. Detailed reports of the measurements and three-dimensional images of bar positions and
alignment can be created with the post processing software MagnoProof. This Windows based
software allows rapid analysis of large quantities of data and includes tools for the analysis of bar
alignments that deviate greatly from planned locations. It can also assist in analyzing the results of
complex measurement situations such as crossing bars at the intersection of longitudinal and
transverse joints.
Application
Dowel bars are designed to allow load transfer across transverse joints cut into the slab but at the
same time allow pavement sections to expand and contract freely. Tie bars serve the same functions
across longitudinal joints. If the bars are not aligned properly these two functions are compromised
and joint failures may occur. The following figure shows five types of misalignments that are of
concern. Horizontal skew and vertical tilt are of especially problematic because they prevent the bars
from slipping freely across the joint and introduce restraint forces that can lead to joint spalling and
slab cracking.
Planned position
Actual position

x
y
Horizontal
translation

Joint

PLAN
Longitudinal
translation
(side shift)

z
Horizontal
skew

Vertical
translation

SECTION
Vertical tilt

The MagnoNorm software running on the Pocket PC analyzes rapidly the data acquired during a
scan and provides a gray-scale image and a summary table of the results. The gray-scale image is a
contour plot of signal amplitude (which is related to depth) as a function of distance from the
starting point. The contour plot provides an overall assessment of relative bar depth and bar
position. The image below on the left shows an example of a contour plot for bars with relatively
uniform depth and alignment, but irregular spacing. By changing the intensity level of the display,

50

Eddy-Dowel
different details can be viewed. The image on the right shows irregular contour plots due to
variations of bar depth.

The table of results provides the following information about each bar:

Sequential bar number


Distance from the starting point of the scan
Average depth
Longitudinal misalignment (side shift)
Horizontal misalignment
Vertical misalignment
Distance between adjacent bars

Eddy-Dowel Specifications
Measurement
Depth
Side shift
Horizontal translation
Vertical translation

Measurement range

Accuracy

110 to 190 mm
80 mm maximum
40 mm maximum
40 mm maximum

4 mm
8 mm
4 mm
4 mm

Operating conditions
Operating temperature
Storage temperature
Humidity
Daily output

-5 to 50 C
-10 to 50 C
Operates on wet surfaces and young concrete
500 to 600 joints for 16 m joint length

Eddy-Dowel Ordering Numbers


Item

Order #

Measuring unit
Size 1160 x 655 x 95 mm
Weight 16.5 kg
12 V rechargeable battery (8 h operating time; 4 h recharging time)
Carrying case
Manual

ED-2001

Rail system
Segment length 1 m
Rail width 1.18 m
Total length 10 m standard
Wheeled cross ties
Carrying case

ED-2002

Pocket PC
Large battery pack
Memory card
USB cable
MagnoNorm and MagnoProof software
Manual

ED-2003

51

Eddy-Thick
Purpose
Eddy-Thick is lightweight portable device for measuring the
thickness of concrete slabs-on-ground. The device was also
developed by MIT Mess- und Prftechnik GmbH. The system
uses metal targets that are placed on the supporting base
before concrete is placed. After the concrete has hardened
sufficiently to support the weight of a person, the instrument
is used to locate the target and then to measure the thickness
of the slab. Eddy-Thick can be used for the following
purposes:
Measurement of pavement thickness in support of
performance-based specifications
Measurement of slab thickness for the purpose of
determining the stress-wave velocity of the concrete for
use with stress-wave based methods for measuring
thickness at other locations
On-site quality control of pavement thickness
Principle
Eddy-Thick is based on the pulse-induction
technique that is used for measuring cover over
reinforcing bars (see page 33). In this case, eddy
currents are induced in a metal plate (target)
resting on the base instead of reinforcing bars in
the concrete. For a given target, the amplitude of
the signal induced by the decaying eddy currents
in the target is proportional to the distance from
the surface to the plate. Targets can be round or
rectangular pieces of aluminum foil or plates of
aluminum or steel. The target material and target
size will affect the amplitude of the response for a
given concrete thickness. Before using the
instrument, the operator uses the menu system to
select the target from a pre-defined list. If a target
is used that is not included in the pre-defined targets, a standardization procedure is required to
define a correction factor to be applied to the depth calculated using a pre-defined target (see the
FHWA reference at the end of this section).
The sensor head of the instrument is housed a three-wheeled enclosure that is rolled along the
concrete surface. The head includes four sensors that make many measurements as the head passes
over the target. From the multiple measurements and the known characteristics of the target, the
depth of the target is calculated and shown on the LCD on the instrument handle. The depth
measurement accuracy is 0.5 % of the measured value plus 1 mm. For example, for a 200 mm
nominal depth slab, the measurement accuracy is 2 mm.
Because of the high sensitivity of the instrument, there should not be any other embedded metal
objects within 1 m of the target plate. In addition, there should be no parked vehicles within 2 m and
no construction equipment within least 4 m of the test point. Operators should not wear steel-toed
shoes because they can affect instrument response. Measurement accuracy is not affected by wet
surfaces and measurements can be made on hydraulic cement concrete or asphalt cement concrete.
Method of operation
The targets are placed on the prepared base before concrete placement. The number and locations of
targets depend on the purpose of the thickness measurements and should be stated clearly in the
contract documents for the project. The size of the target to be used depends on the nominal

52

Eddy-Thick
thickness to be measured. The following circular targets made of 0.65 mm thick sheet metal are
available for different slab thickness measurements:
Target ID

Target
Diameter, mm

Depth Measurement
Range, mm

ST RO 07

70

15 to 120

ST RO 12

120

40 to 180

ST RO 30

300

120 to 350

Eddy-Thick can be operated in two modes:

SEARCHThis mode is used to locate the approximate center of the embedded target.
MEASUREMENTThis mode is used to measure the depth of the target.

In the SEARCH mode, the sensor head is elevated above the concrete surface and moved across the
surface in a sweeping motion as is done with a common "metal detector." The instrument is in a
continuous sampling mode and the LCD shows a bar graph of the amplitude of each of the four
sensors. When the head is located at the approximate center of the target, each bar will have equal
amplitude.
After the target is located, the sensor head is positioned on the surface of the concrete at
approximately 300 mm in front of the target edge. Eddy-Thick is then placed in the
MEASUREMENT mode, and the search head is rolled over the target until the sensor head is about
1.8 m from the start position. During the scan, data are automatically recorded. When data recording
is completed, the depth is calculated and displayed in the LCD. The following summarizes the
measurement process:

SEARCH mode to locate target

MEASUREMENT mode to
measure thickness

53

Display of measured thickness

Eddy-Thick
Evaluations
Eddy-Thick (also called MIT Scan T-2) was evaluated by the FHWA Concrete Pavement Technology
Program and by Caltrans. In both cases, it was concluded that the device was easy to use and
resulted in accurate thickness measurements (see References).
Eddy-Thick Specifications

Measurement range: 15 to 350 mm depending on target size


Accuracy: (0.5 % of measured thickness plus 1 mm)
Operating temperature range: -5 to 50 C
Memory capacity: up to 16,000 test results
NiMH rechargeable batteries with approximately 8 h of operation
Interface for data transfer to PC

Eddy-Thick Ordering Numbers


Item

Order #
ET-001

Basic measurement system including:

Sensor head and control unit

Battery recharger

Microcontroller firmware

Carrying case and strap

User manual

Cable for data transfer to PC

ET-002

Software for data transfer to PC

ET-003

Charging system for use with 12 V auto battery

ET-004

Printer with charging unit and thermal paper

ET-005

Targets: diameter

70 mm

ET-ST R0-07

120 mm

ET-ST R0-12

300 mm

ET-ST R0-30

References
FHWA Concrete Pavement Technology Program, 2009, "TechBrief: Determination of
Concrete Pavement Thickness Nondestructively Using the Magnetic Imaging Tomography
Technique," www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/pubs/hif09023/index.cfm
Rao, S. and Kumar, T., 2007, "Final ReportMethod to Determine Pavement Thickness
Using Recommended Technology," Division of Engineering Services, Caltrans, Sacramento,
CA.

54

ERE-Probe
Purpose
The ERE-Probe is a reference half-cell that is embedded in concrete and can be used to:

Monitor the reinforcement potentials in critical areas for corrosion such as construction joints,
splash zones in marine structures, bridge decks, and bottoms of bridge columns exposed to
ingress of chlorides
Monitor the efficiency of cathodic protection
Monitor the ingress of the depassivation front, due to chloride penetration or carbonation, in
combination with installing the CorroWatch (see page 32)
Principle
The ERE-Probe (Embeddable Reference Electrode) is a stable, long life reference electrode for
monitoring the half-cell potential of reinforcement. It is based on a manganese dioxide electrode in a
steel housing with a chloride-free, alkaline gel and having a porous cement plug at one end. The
housing is made from a corrosion resistant material. Diffusion of ions through the porous cement
plug is low because the pH of the alkaline gel corresponds to that of pore water in normal concrete.
The diameter of the ERE-Probe is 20 mm and the length is 85 mm

MnO2

Alkaline
solution

Porous cement
plug

In new structures, the ERE-Probe is attached to the reinforcement by plastic straps before
placement of the concrete. In existing structures, a hole is drilled to the required depth and the
ERE-Probe is embedded using an appropriate mortar. A high impedance voltmeter is used to
measure the half-cell potential between the probe and the reinforcement.
Accuracy and variation
At 23 C in a saturated Ca(OH)2 solution, the potential of the ERE-Probe is +160 mV 20 mV
versus a saturated calomel electrode (SCE). The in-place operating temperature is from 0 C to
+40 C.
Over a long period of time, the variation of each ERE-Probe is within 5 mV compared with the
initial value at the same temperature and for the same electrolyte environment. The expected life
time is 100 years.
Testing Example
ERE-Probe Ordering Numbers
Item
ERE-Probe with 3 meter cable
ERE-Probe with 5 meter cable
ERE-Probe with 10 meter cable

Order #
ERE-Probe-3
ERE-Probe-5
ERE-Probe-10

The ERE-Probe comes with a calibration certificate stating


the potential value measured at 23 C in a saturated Ca(OH)2
solution versus a saturated calomel electrode (SCE).
The ERE-Probe attached to
reinforcement before placing concrete

55

EyeCon
Purpose
EyeCon is a portable hand-held instrument for
flaw detection and thickness measurement. It is
based on the ultrasonic pitch-catch method and
uses an antenna composed of an array of dry
point contact (DPC) transducers, which emit
shear waves into the concrete. Test results can
be displayed as individual A-Scans (reflection
amplitude versus time or depth) or as B-scans
showing the cross section of the test object
along a scan line. EyeCon can be used for the
following applications:
Thickness measurement
Detection of voids in grouted tendon ducts
Detection of poor quality bond in overlays
and repairs
Detection of delaminations
Detection of voids and honeycombing in concrete members
Principle
EyeCon is based on the ultrasonic pulse-echo
method using transmitting and receiving
transducers in a "pitch-catch" configuration as
illustrated on page 87. EyeCon uses an antenna
composed of 24 transducers arranged in a 4 by 6
array as shown to the right. Each transducer is
independently spring loaded to conform to surface
irregularities. As is shown below, the first three
rows of transducers act as transmitters and the
other three rows act as receivers. By using the
multiple transmitters and receivers, the signalnoise ratio is improved because random reflections
from aggregate particles will tend to cancel, while
reflections from large concrete-air interfaces will
be superimposed.
The averaged signal recorded by the
receiving transducers is stored in the
hand-held unit as a time-domain
waveform. An example of such a
waveform is shown at the top of the
next page. In this case, the test was
done on a solid concrete slab with a
thickness of about 200 mm. The
figure on the left side of the next
page shows signal amplitude as a
function of time (A-Scan). The three
peaks are due to multiple reflections
of the pulse by the back wall (bottom) of the slab. The figure on the right is the rectified version of
the signal in which the negative portion of the original signal is plotted as a positive signal. EyeCon
allows the user to display the signal as recorded originally (left side) or as a rectified signal. The
latter is preferred because it allows more detail in the display. These time-domain signals of the
received pulse are used to measure the solid thickness or detect the presence of voids or cracks
within the test object.

56

EyeCon
Rectified A-Scan

Amplitude

Amplitude

A-Scan

100

200

300

400

500

600

Time, s

100

200

300

400

500

600

Time, s

The key features EyeCon include the following:

The use of a 4 by 6 array of point transducers to introduce into the concrete pulses of shear
waves with a nominal center frequency of 50 kHz. The use of the array increases the signalnoise ratio at the test point.
The transducers are spring loaded to conform to an irregular surface, and they do not require a
coupling medium, that is, testing is done in the dry.
The signals captured by the antenna are stored as a time-domain waveforms (A-Scans).
Signals captured in a 2-dimensionl scan can be displayed on the hand-held unit as a black and
white cross section of the test object (B-Scan) along each scan line.
Data can be transferred to a computer for subsequent analysis and construction of a 3dimensional view of reflecting interfaces with color to represent different signal amplitudes.

Method of operation
The handheld unit includes a 320 by 240 pixel LCD with backlighting. Setup parameters for
recording and displaying signals are entered using a menu system. These parameters can be stored
in memory for reuse. A series of icons is used to select the active display mode for the instrument.
There are two basic display modes for the EyeCon:

A-ScanThis display mode is used to show the results of individual measurements. The
amplitude of the received signal can be displayed as a function of time or as a function of
distance (depth) if the shear-wave speed is known. The signal can be displayed in its actual form
or in rectified form (preferred). There are two A-Scan display modes: REVIEW and ZOOM. These
are described later.
B-ScanThis display mode uses the stored A-Scan records to create cross-sectional views along
scan lines. There are two modes available: BAND for displaying the cross section along a single
scan line and MAP for displaying cross sections along a series of parallel scan lines. These are
also described later.
To carry out an inspection of a concrete member, the
user first lays out a 2-dimensional grid on the testing
surface. The grid lines should have the same spacing
(step) in both directions. The step spacing depends on
the size of defects to be detected, with a smaller
spacing for smaller defects. The long axis of the
antenna is oriented perpendicular to the scan direction
and data are recorded at each step along each scan
line. The grid layout (step distance, number of steps
per line, and the number of lines) is entered into the
hand-held unit and that information is used in
referencing the displayed test results to the testing
position on the test object.

57

EyeCon

can be converted to distance from the surface by multiplying


by one-half of the wave speed (because the travel time is for a
round trip equal to twice the depth). If the shear wave speed
is assumed to be 2400 m/s, the distance axis is as shown in
figure (b). To construct a cross-sectional view, a threshold
level of signal amplitude is chosen and a black dash is drawn
at the depth where the signal exceeds the threshold
amplitude. In this example, a low threshold is used and the
second echo from the back wall is plotted. If a higher
threshold were used, only the first back wall echo would be
shown. This process is repeated for each signal along the scan
line, and the end result is a 2-dimensional representation (or
a B-Scan) of the locations of reflecting interfaces along each
scan line. As shown on the right, each scan line has an
associated B-Scan plane that can be viewed as shown below.

After the scanning is completed,


the results can displayed be in
two ways. The individual A-Scans
can be analyzed or cross sections
(B-Scans) along each scan line can
be viewed. The following explains
the approach used to construct a
cross-sectional view of the test
object and show the depth of
reflecting interfaces. The signal at
each test point is plotted with
time in the vertical direction as
shown in left hand figure (a). If
the shear-wave speed in the
concrete is known, the time axis

Examples of Display Modes


The following are examples of the various displays that are available in EyeCon.
REVIEWThis display mode shows
the recorded signal at a single antenna position.
The signal can be from one set of pulses or an
average of several sets of pulses, depending on
the set up of the instrument. Different display
formats are available. In this case, the signal
has been rectified and filled in. The horizontal
axis is in units of time (microseconds), but it
could also be displayed in units of distance if
the wave speed is entered when the instrument
is set up. Various measurements can be made
such time to first peak or peak-to-peak interval.
A portion of the signal can be selected for a
more detail view by using an adjustable window
and switching to the ZOOM mode.

58

EyeCon
ZOOMThis display mode shows the
full signal in the top half of the display. The
bottom half of the display is an expanded view
of the portion of the signal within the selected
window. The user defines the location and
length of the window. The right side of the
display shows the shear-wave speed entered
during instrument setup. The depth and time
corresponding to the position of the horizontal
cursor is shown in the upper right corner.

BANDThis is one of the B-Scan


modes that can be used after testing along a
scan line is completed and the individual AScans have been stored. The scan line is defined
by the number of steps and the step distance.
There are five boxes in the display. The lower
left shows the B-Scan for the scan line. The
cursor can be used to select a test point along
the scan line. The upper left box shows the AScan for the selected test point. The upper right
box shows which point along the scan is selected
(4), the step distance (50 mm), and the location
of the selected point along the scan line (0.2 m).
The middle box on the right is the amount of
memory used. The lower right box shows the
wave speed entered during instrument set up.
MAPThis mode is used to review
results acquired when a 2-dimensional testing
grid is used. The upper left box shows the grid
layout (5 lines, 5 steps/line). The horizontal
cursor is used to select the scan line for which
the B-Scan cross section is to be shown. The
vertical cursor selects the step along a scan
line for viewing the individual A-Scan. The
lower left box is the B-Scan along the selected
scan line. The lower right box shows the AScan for the test point defined by the two
cursors. The positions of the horizontal and
vertical cursors in terms of steps in each
direction (and corresponding distance) are
shown in the two remaining boxes on the right
side of the display.

59

EyeCon
EyeCon Specifications
Dry point contact shear-wave transducers with ceramic wearing tip
50 kHz center frequency
Transducers are spring loaded to conform to rough surfaces
Antenna array: 4 by 6
Maximum testing depth: 600 mm
Error in depth measurement: less than 10 %
Rechargeable batteries
Time for one measurement and saving to memory: 10 s
Saves up to 200 non-rectified A-Scans
320 240 pixel black and white LCD
Backlight illumination
A-Scan and B-Scan display
Operating temperature -20 C to 45 C
Connection for data transfer to computer
Software for 3-D visualization on PC
EyeCon Ordering Numbers
Item

Order #

Hand-held unit with rechargeable


battery and soft carrying case

EYE-1001

Antenna array (4 by 6)

EYE-1002

Cables

EYE -1003

Battery charger

EYE -1004

AC adapter

EYE -1005

Software on CD-ROM

EYE -1006

User manual

EYE -1007

Hard shell carrying case

EYE -1008

Approximate dimensions of case and total mass of equipment


405 mm x 315 mm x 165 mm, 5.5 kg
16 in. x 12 in. x 6.5 in, 12 lb

60

GalvaPulse
Purpose
The GalvaPulse is used to measure the corrosion rate of reinforcement in concrete for the following
typical applications:
Monitoring corrosion activity in reinforced concrete structures
Service life estimation
Evaluating the efficiency of corrosion arresting measures such as application of inhibitors,
membranes, or electrochemical removal of chlorides
Condition surveys of suspect reinforced structures, especially structures in wet environments
where the classic potential mapping may provide misleading or insufficient information
Measuring corrosion activity in repaired areas
Principle
The GalvaPulse evaluates the corrosion rate of reinforcement by measuring polarization resistance
using the galvanostatic pulse technique, as described below.

Reference
Electrode

300

Emax
IRP

Guard Ring

Voltage, mV

200

Counter
Electrode

Sponge

100

IRo

0
-100

Ecorr

-200
0

Time, s

A current pulse I is imposed on the reinforcement from a counter electrode placed on the concrete
surface. A guard ring confines the current to an area A of the reinforcement below the central
counter electrode.
The applied current is usually in the range of 5 to 400 A and the typical pulse duration is 5 to 10
seconds. The reinforcement is polarized in the anodic direction compared to its free corrosion
potential, Ecorr. The resulting change of the electrochemical potential of the reinforcement is
recorded as a function of time using a reference electrode (Ag/AgCl). A typical potential response for
reinforcement actively corroding is shown in the right figure above.
When the current is applied to the system, there is an ohmic potential drop IRo as well as change in
potential due to polarization of the reinforcement, IRp. The polarization resistance of the
reinforcement Rp is calculated by curve fitting to the transient portion of the potential data. By
means of the Stern-Geary equation for active corrosion (Icorr = (26 A)/Rp) and Faradays law of
electrochemical equivalence, the corrosion rate is estimated as:
Corrosion Rate (m/year) = 11.6 Icorr /A
where A is the confined area (in cm2) of the reinforcement below the central counter electrode. The
factor 11.6 is for black steel.
The value of Ro, the electrical resistance of the concrete between the counter electrode and the
reinforcement, is also determined.

61

GalvaPulse
Variation and Accuracy
The half-cell potential is measured to an accuracy of 5 mV with the Ag/AgCl electrode. The
electrical resistance is estimated to be measured with an accuracy of 5 %.
The accuracy of the corrosion rate estimation can only be evaluated by comparison with actual mass
loss measurement of the reinforcement subjected to long term corrosion conditions. One such
laboratory investigation produced the following comparison between corrosion rates calculated from
measured mass loss measurements and from the GalvaPulse.

Corrosion Rate (m/year)


Reinforcement

Mass Loss

GalvaPulse

53

36

56

29

A+B connected

55

61

Reference: Baessler, R. and Burkert, A., Laboratory Testing of Portable


Equipment, Brite/Euram Project Integrated Monitoring System for
Durability Assessment of Concrete Structures, BAM (Federal Institute
for Materials and Testing), Berlin, Germany, 2001

The findings support the general conclusion that the GalvaPulse is accurate well within a factor of
two for estimating the corrosion rate in anodic areas. In addition, other uncertainties should be
taken into account when evaluating on-site test results, e.g., the actual area of the reinforcement
being polarized and the variation over time in corrosion rates due variation in temperature and
moisture conditions.
In passive regions (corrosion rates < 1 m/year), the GalvaPulse will overestimate the corrosion
rate by a factor of 3 to 4. Such areas are, however, not interesting in terms of corrosion.
In a long term field study, 30-year old bridge columns subjected to deicing salts were examined
regularly over a 20-year period since corrosion began. The chloride levels and moisture content in the
concrete of the bridge were high. When the last measurements were performed, the temperature was
15C and the following test results were obtained.
Corrosion Rate A/cm2
200
166

Dra in

210 to 230 m/yr

133
100
66
33

30
1 8 -2 0

60

90

1 6 -1 8

120

1 4 -1 6

150
1 2 -14

180
1 0 -1 2

210
8 -1 0

240
6 -8

270
4 -6

2 -4

300

330

0
360

0 to 2 kOhm

0 -2

Half Cell Potentials mV vs Ag/AgCl

Resistance KOhm

200

2 00

166

-450 to -500 mV

0
- 5 0 0 -- 4 5 0

30
-4 50 --4 00

60

90
-4 0 0 - -3 5 0

120
- 3 5 0 - -3 0 0

150

180

- 3 0 0 -- 2 5 0

210
- 2 5 0 -- 2 0 0

240
-2 0 0 - - 1 5 0

270

300

- 1 5 0 - -1 0 0

330
- 1 0 0 -- 5 0

1 66

133

1 33

100

1 00

66

66

33

33

0
360
-5 0 - 0

0
0 -5 0

5 0 -1 0 0

1 0 0 -1 5 0

30

60

90

1 20
0-15

1 50
15 -3 0

180
30 -4 5

4 5-60

21 0
6 0-75

24 0

27 0

3 00

3 30

0
360

75 -9 0

The fairly constant corrosion rate measured over the 20-yr period corresponds to a cross section loss
of the reinforcement of 20 yeras times 0.22 mm/y = 4.4 mm. Removal of concrete at several locations
at the bottom of the columns revealed approximately 4 mm cross section loss of the reinforcement.

62

GalvaPulse
The GalvaPulse Features
Reliable evaluation of reinforcement corrosion in anaerobic concrete environment
Lightweight, handheld equipment, easy to operate
Two operation modes: one for speedy measurement using only half-cell potentials and electrical
resistance (1 to 2 s/test), and another for corrosion rate, half-cell potentials and electrical
resistance (5 to 10 s/test). The first mode is normally used to identify the anodic and the cathodic
areas, while the second mode is used in anodic areas, where the corrosion rate is a decisive
parameter to be measured
Testing on rough or curved surfaces
Storage capacity of up to 20,000 records in the handheld computer
Easy-to-use Windows based software for presentation of the test results in 2D or 3D color
graphics
Portable system including calibration unit and a check block with embedded stainless steel and
corroding black steel bars
Testing Examples

GalvaPulse corrosion rate measurement


at a leaking joint

Highway bridge column being tested for


corrosion rate with the GalvaPulse

Corrosion activity being evaluated on a


bridge wall with the GalvaPulse

GalvaPulse testing in progress for corrosion


activity of a heavily corroded column

63

GalvaPulse
Examples of the Graphic Displays to View GalvaPulse Data

3-D Plot of half-cell potential

3-D Plot of corrosion rate


Following testing, the handheld computer is
connected to a PC with the installed Windows
based GalvaPulse viewing and reporting
software. The records are transferred to the PC
and data can be viewed using 2D or 3D graphic
displays. Here we see 3-D displays of the
corrosion rates(above), the half-cell potential
(above right), and the electrical resistance
(right). Such plots permit the display of a large
amount of data in a concise manner for
preparing test reports.

3-D Plot of resistance


The GalvaPulse-5000 Ordering Numbers
Item
Handheld computer with installed GalvaPulse
software and pulse generator
Calibration unit for pulse generator
Measuring cell with 3 meter cable
Sponge for measuring cell
Reinforcement locator
Reinforcement conductivity meter
Cable for data transfer to PC
Measuring cable
Two adjustable reinforcement clamps
Two reinforcement adaptors
12 mm and 18 mm drill bits
10 mm Allen key
Sponge for grinding of electrode rings
Hammer and chisel
Measuring tape and chalk
GalvaPulse data viewing and reporting
software
Manual
Attach case

Order #
GP-5010
GP-5020
GP-5031
GP-5040
GP-5050
GP-5060
GP-5070
GP-5080
GP-5090
GP-5100
GP-5110
GP-5120
GP-5130
GP-5140
GP-5150
GP-5160
GP-5170
GP-5180

Supplied separately with the GP-5000 Kit


Cable drum with 15 meters of cable
Check block with embedded a corroding bar and a
stainless steel bar

GP-5190
GP-5200

64

The newly developed GP5031 measuring cell


ensures a long life for the
half-cell electrode by
keeping the tip moist
during storage.

Guardian
Purpose
Guardian is a system to measure the temperatures, temperature differences and maturity values
during hardening of a structure at critical locations, such as those identified by Be4Cast simulations
(see page 13).
Guardian allows strength estimation at an early age as well, provided the strength-maturity
relationship for the concrete mixture used in the structure has been established and programmed
into the software.
Alarms stored in the Guardian software alert the operator if preset temperatures or temperature
differences have been exceeded. The Guardian also permits automatic control of cooling or heating
measures designed by Be4Cast simulations.
The Guardian can perform other monitoring and surveillance tasks such as recording wind speed,
relative humidity, barometric pressure, water levels, strains, corrosion parameters, and crack
movement. Any device providing an appropriate electrical output can be monitored.
Principle
Thermocouples are installed at pre-established locations in the structure and connected to the data
logger. The Guardian software is installed on a PC with a Windows operating system.
Temperatures are recorded by the data logger at desired time intervals from the time of casting. The
data are transferred to a PC, either by a cable connection to the logger or by a wireless modem
connection, allowing remote monitoring of the temperatures and other measured parameters.
Several users may be working on the same project simultaneously allowing, for example, setting up
the measurement scheme at one site while at the same time monitoring in-situ measurements at
another site.

Guardian

Guardian
Cooling
water outlet

Network

Modem
Data logger
Cooling
water inlet

Data logger with


modem

Bridge deck

Wall cast on
cold foundation

65

Guardian
Data Logger
The data logger is kept on-site in a watertight case, allowing it to operate in all kinds of weather
conditions.
Each logger can accommodate up has 48 channels. The amount of data that can be recorded is
limited only by the amount of RAM in the computer. The unit has a back-up battery ensuring
continuous operation should a power outage occur.

Guardian Ordering Numbers


Item

Order #

Guardian software

G-3000

Thermocouple, 5 m, with protection cap, ready to use

G-3200

Protection cap for thermocouple

G-3250

Thermocouple wiring, 100 m (optional)

G-3300

Data logger for 48 channel operation

G-3500

Modem for wireless transfer of data by mobile phone

G-3600

Antenna for wireless transfer of data

G-3700

66

GWT
Purpose
The GWT (Germann Water permeation Test) is used for on-site evaluation of
The water permeation of the skin-concrete in finished structure
The water permeation of masonry panels
The water tightness of construction joints and sealed control joints
Effectiveness of water proofing membranes
Principle
The GWT measures the permeation of
water into the test surface under an
applied pressure.
A pressure chamber containing a
watertight gasket is secured tightly to
the surface by two anchored clamping
pliers or by means of a suction plate.
Alternatively, the gasket may be bonded
to the surface with an adhesive.
The chamber is filled with water and the
filling valve is closed. The top cap of the
chamber is turned until a desired water
pressure is displayed on the gauge. As
water permeates into the concrete, the
selected pressure is maintained by
means of a micrometer gauge pushing a
piston into the chamber. The piston
movement compensates for the volume of
water penetrating into the material.
The travel of the piston as a function time is used to characterize the permeation of the test surface.
Application Examples
1. Permeation of Concrete Surface

High-performance concrete being tested with the GWT. The four adjacent conical holes are from the
CAPO-TEST. At a pressure of 1 bar or 100 kPa (left photo), water was observed to penetrate
through surface cracks. After grinding off a 1.5 mm layer of the surface, the test was repeated (right
photo), and the pressure was increased to 5 bar or 500 kPa. No penetration through cracks was
observed. A water flux of 1.310-5 mm/s was measured.

67

GWT
0.020
0 % SF
5 % SF
10 % SF

Permeability Coefficient, mm /(s bar)

2. Effect of Curing on Permeability

0.015

Water permeability of concrete measured with the


GWT for different water curing temperatures and
silica fume (SF) contents. The water-cement-ratio of
the concrete was 0.42 and the compressive strength
was 40 MPa. The results show the benefit of silica
fume in reducing permeability.

0.010

0.005

0.000
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Temperature, oC

3. Masonry Permeability

The GWT is shown being used for testing the water tightness of a brick
masonry wall. During rain and for a normal wind pressure, water
penetrated the wall. The problem was shown to be the related to the brick
units, not to the mortar joints. The brick units had been burned at a
higher temperature than normal to produce the required color, but the
higher temperature increased the permeability of the brick.

GWT-4000 Kit Ordering Numbers


Optional Items:
Item
Pressure chamber unit
with 0-1.5 bar* gauge
Wrench for pressure lid
Extra 0-6.0 bar gauge
Water filling cup
Adjustable clamping
pliers
Set of anchoring tools
Wrenches: 14 and 17 mm
Sealant tape
Bottles with boiled
water, 3
Gaskets, 10 mm thick, 4
Gaskets, 15 mm thick, 4
Manual
Attach case
*1 bar = 100 kPa

68

Order #
GWT-4010
GWT-4020
GWT-4030
GWT-4050
GWT-4060
GWT-4080
GWT-4090
GWT-4100
GWT-4110
GWT-4120
GWT-4130
GWT-4140
GWT-4150

Item
Suction plate &
vacuum pump
Hammer drill
GRA glue, box

Order #
GWT-4230
GWT-4240
GWT-4250

HUM-Meter
Purpose
The HUM-Meter is used to monitor the internal moisture content in concrete for evaluation of:
The corrosion process of reinforcement, because moisture content is one of the parameters that
affects corrosion rate
The effectiveness of drying procedures for arresting the progress of harmful reactions, such as
ASR (alkali silica reaction), that depend on moisture
The effectiveness of methods used to dry the concrete substrate before application of a moisture
sensitive covering
Principle
To measure internal moisture content, sensors are
installed into holes drilled into the concrete. The
system is based on measuring the electrical resistance
between two graphite probes or between a graphite
probe and the reinforcement. The measured
resistance and the known distance between the
probes (or between a probe and reinforcement) are
used to calculate the resistivity of the concrete and
the moisture content is determined using a
calibration relationship. The calibration relationship
can be established experimentally for a given
concrete, or approximate empirical relationships can
be used for common concretes.
The graphite probes are 12 mm in diameter and 20 mm long. The holes are drilled to the depth
where moisture content is to be determined.
Precision and accuracy
The accuracy of the moisture content measured by the HUM-Meter with graphite probes is 1 % for
concrete with a water-cement ratio of 0.50. For concretes with other w/c values, the accuracy has to
be evaluated by specific correlations developed on cores. The coefficient of variation of replicate test
results is about 5 %.
Testing Example
% Moisture at Reinforcement

10.0
9.5
9.0
8.5
8.0
7.5
7.0
0

10

15

20

Time, months

25

30

The effect of a surface treatment on a bridge column


measured over time with HUM-Meter Graphite
Probes

69

HUM-Meter
The HUM-Meter and Ordering Numbers
Item
Digital meter with AC converter
Cables, 2 pcs
Temperature probe
HUM-Graphite Probes, 10 pcs.
Bushings for surface installation, 10 pcs
Attachment pin, 20 mm long, 10 pcs
Attachment pin, 40 mm long, 10 pcs
Attachment pin, 140 mm long, 10 pcs
Probe installation shaft, 300 mm long
Silicone tube
Drill bits: 12 mm and 18 mm
Reinforcement locator
Reinforcement adaptor
Allen key, 10 mm
Rubber ball dust remover
Manual
Attach case

Order #
H-10010
H-10020
H-10030
H-10040
H-10050
H-10060
H-10070
H-10080
H-10090
H-10100
H-10110
H-10120
H-10130
H-10140
H-10150
H-10160
H-10170

70

H-10000 HUM-Meter

ICAR Rheometer

Principle
Fresh concrete can be considered as a fluid, which means
that it will flow under the action of shear stresses. The flow
behavior of concrete can be represented by the following
two-parameter relationship = 0 +  , which is
known as the Bingham model: The parameter o is the
yield stress, and it represents the shear stress required to
initiate flow. The slope of the line is the plastic viscosity,
, and it affects the resistance to flow after the yield stress
has been surpassed. These two parameters, which define
the flow curve, provide a complete description of the flow
behavior of a concrete mixture.

Shear stress, , (Pa)

Purpose
The ICAR Rheometer is a rugged, portable
instrument for measuring fundamental flow
(rheological) properties of fresh concrete. The
instrument was developed at the International
Center for Aggregate Research (ICAR) located at
The University of Texas at Austin to fill the need for
a method to characterize the true flow behavior of
concrete mixtures. The traditional methods of
measuring slump or slump flow are not capable of
characterizing
the
fundamental
rheological
properties of concrete during the processes of
mixing, transporting, and placement. As a result,
the true performance of innovative concrete
mixtures cannot be measured with these traditional
slump-based methods. The ICAR Rheometer
provides, for the first time, a low-cost and simple to
operate instrument that can be used for:
Research and development to characterize the influence of new materials on concrete rheology
Optimizing mixture proportions so that the resulting concrete flows readily but is resistant to
segregation (especially important for self-consolidating concrete)
On-site quality control

+ 

0
Shear strain rate,  , (1/s)

Shear stress, , (Pa)

Concrete, however, is not a simple fluid because it


displays thixotropic behavior, which means that the
shear stress required to initiate flow is high when the
Static yield stress
concrete has been in an at rest condition, but a lower
shear stress is needed to maintain flow once it has begun.
This type of behavior is summarized in the schematic plot
shown to the left, which shows the variation in shear
stress with time for the case of a slowly applied shear
Dynamic yield stress
strain. At the start, the shear stress increases gradually
with time but there is no flow. When the stress reaches
the static yield stress, the concrete begins to flow and
Time
the stress required to maintain flow is reduced to the
dynamic yield stress. If the applied shear strain is
removed and the concrete is allowed to rest, inter-particle forces create a weak framework that
restores the static yield stress. With time, the static and dynamic yield stresses increase as the
effectiveness of water-reducing admixtures diminish and hydration proceeds, which is commonly
referred to as slump loss.

71

ICAR Rheometer
The ICAR Rheometer is designed
to characterize the static yield
stress, the dynamic yield stress
and plastic viscosity of the
concrete. A high static yield stress is
desirable
because
it
reduces
formwork pressure and increases
the resistance to segregation. But
for ease of pumping, placement, and
self consolidation, a low dynamic
yield stress is necessary. The
dynamic
viscosity
provides
cohesiveness and contributes to
reducing segregation when concrete
is flowing. The schematic plot to the
right shows dynamic flow curves for
conventional concrete and different types of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) mixtures. The
conventional concrete has a high dynamic yield stress and additional energy (vibration) is needed for
consolidation after the concrete is placed in forms. The self-consolidating mixtures all have low
dynamic yield stress and will consolidate due to self-weight, but they have different rheological
properties. The SCC with a high plastic viscosity (red line) will be sticky and difficult to finish. On
the other hand, the mixture with low plastic viscosity (green line) will be prone to segregation. Thus
by determining the dynamic flow curves of concretes with different mixture proportions and type of
admixtures, and optimum balance between ease of flow and resistance to segregation can be
realized. These types of determinations cannot be done using conventional slump-based tests.
Method of operation
The ICAR Rheometer is composed of
a container to hold the fresh concrete,
a driver head that includes an electric
motor and torque meter; a four-blade
vane that is held by the chuck on the
driver; a frame to attach the
driver/vane assembly to the top of the
container; and a laptop computer to
operate the driver, record the torque
Computer
during the test, and calculate the flow
parameters. The container contains a
series of vertical rods around the
perimeter to prevent slipping of the
concrete along the container wall
during the test. The size of the
container and length of the vane shaft
Frame
are selected based on the nominal
maximum size of the aggregate. The
vane has a diameter and a height of 127 mm.

Driver

Container

Vane

Two types of tests can be performed. The first is a stress growth test in which the vane is rotated
at a constant slow speed of 0.025 rev/s. The initial increase of torque is measured as a function of
time. The maximum torque measured during the test is used to calculate the static yield stress.
The other type of test is a flow curve test to determine the dynamic yield stress and the plastic
viscosity. The flow curve test begins with a breakdown period in which the vane is rotated at
maximum speed. This is done to breakdown any thixotropic structure that may exist and to provide
a consistent shearing history before measuring the Bingham parameters. The vane speed is then
decreased in a specified number of steps, which is selected by the user but at least six steps are
72

ICAR Rheometer
recommended. During each step the speed is held constant and the average speed and torque are
recorded. The plot of torque versus speed of vane rotation is the flow curve.
The ICAR Rheometer software performs all the necessary functions: operates the driver, records
the torque, computes test results, and stores data. For simplicity, the entire program is operated
from a single screen as shown below. The user defines the test geometry and provides the test
parameters to run the flow curve test. A simple press of the Start button initiates the tests, which
takes less than 1 minute to complete.

Input test geometry


Define test parameters
for flow curve test

Test results
Example results
The figure on the left shows the results of a stress growth test. The peak torque and test geometry
are used to calculate the static yield stress, which is displayed at the bottom of the computer display.
The figure on the right shows the plot of the average torque and average vane rotation measured
during six steps of decreasing vane speed. The software computes a best-fit line to the data and
reports the intercept and slope as relative parameters. The software also computes the Bingham
parameters: dynamic yield stress and plastic viscosity.
12

4.0

Stress Growth Test

Dynamic Flow Curve

3.5
3.0

Torque, N-m

Torque, N-m

10

6
4
2
0

2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5

10

15

20

25

0.0

30

Time, s

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

Vane Speed, rev/s

73

0.6

0.7

ICAR Rheometer
ICAR Rheometer Specifications
Requires that concrete have slump greater than 50 to 75 mm, otherwise the concrete is too stiff
for testing by the apparatus
Nominal maximum size of aggregate: 32 mm for largest available container
Vane rotation speed: 0.001 to 0.6 rev/s
Performs static stress growth test and dynamic flow curve tests
Software control tests and computes static yield stress, dynamic yield stress, and plastic viscosity
in fundamental units
Test time: 1 minute
ICAR Rheometer Kit Ordering Numbers
Item

Order #

Motor drive/torque meter unit

RHM-3001

Power cord for motor drive/torque meter unit

RHM-3002

Base plate for attaching motor drive/torque


meter unit to container

RHM-3003

Container for 19 mm NMSA aggregate


standard (see below for other sizes)

RHM-3005

Four-blade vane for 19 mm NMSA aggregate

RHM-3009

Vane is 127 mm in height and diameter


Overall length depends on NMSA (see
below for other sizes)
USB cable to connect motor drive/torque
meter unit to computer

RHM-3012

Laptop computer with installed software

RHM-3013

Software on CD-ROM

RHM-3014

User manual

RHM-3015

Carrying case for laptop computer

RHM-3016

Carrying case for Rheometer and accessories

RHM-3017

Container does not ship with case


Weight of case and Rheometer kit 19
kg

Ordering numbers for container and vane for different nominal maximum size of
aggregate (NMSA)
Nominal Maximum Size of Aggregate
12.5 mm
Container
Diameter/Height
Vane
Overall length

19.0 mm

25.0 mm

32 mm

RHM-3004

RHM-3005*

RHM-3006

RHM-3007

280 mm/280 mm

305 mm/312 mm

355 mm/380 mm

405 mm/460 mm

RHM-3008

RHM-3009*

RHM-3010

RHM-3011

235 mm

240 mm

290 mm

330 mm

*Size provided if another size is not specified.

74

LOK-TEST
Purpose
The LOK-TEST system is used to obtain a reliable estimate of the in-place strength of concrete in
newly cast structures in accordance with the pullout test method described in ASTM C900, BS
1881:207, or EN 12504-3. Two principal uses of LOK-TEST are for:

Loading is performed either to a required force, in which


case the test is nondestructive, or to the peak-load, which
results in a slightly raised, 55-mm diameter ccrack on the
surface.

55 mm

25 mm

Determining whether in-place concrete strength is sufficient for early application of loads, such
as due to formwork removal, application of prestressing.
Determining whether the in-place strength is sufficient for terminating curing and thermal
protection.
Evaluating the quality of the critical cover layer protecting the reinforcement in the finished
structure.
25 mm
Principle
A steel disc, 25 mm in diameter at a depth of 25 mm, is
pulled centrally against a 55 mm diameter counter
pressure ring bearing on the surface. The force F required
to pullout the insert is measured. The concrete in the
strut between the disc and the counter pressure ring is
subjected to a compressive load. Therefore the pullout
force F is related directly to the compressive strength.

The disc is cast into concrete either by attaching it to


formwork before placing concrete or by inserting it
manually into the fresh concrete. Various LOK-TEST
inserts are available, as shown on page 77.
Correlation and Accuracy of Estimated Strength
LOK-TEST provides an accurate estimate of in-place strength because the peak pullout force has a
well-defined correlation to compressive strength measured using standard cylinders or cubes. More
than 30 years of correlation experience from all over the world indicates close agreement, suggesting
that one general correlation is applicable for all normal density concrete mixtures, as shown below. A
different correlation, however, has been found for concrete made with lightweight (low density)
aggregate.
120

120

Cube Strength Correlations

100

100

Cube Strength, MPa

Cylinder Strength, MPa

Cylinder Stength Correlations

80
60
40
20
0

80
60
40
20
0

20

40

60

80

100

Pullout Load, kN

10

20

30

40

50

60

Pullout Load, kN

Source: Petersen, C.G., LOK-Test and CAPO-Test Pullout Testing: Twenty Years
Experience, Conference on Non-Destructive Testing in Civil Engineering, Liverpool, UK, April
1997, British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing

75

70

LOK-TEST
The general correlations shown in the following figure will provide sufficient accuracy for all normal
density concrete mixtures. Project specifications, however, may require development of mixture
specific correlations. In this case, ACI 228.1R can be be used to develop such relationships.

Compressive Strength, MPa

100

80

= 0.76 F

1.16

cube

60

f = 0.69 F

1.12

cyl

40

General Correlations for


Cylinder and Cube Strength

20
0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Pullout Load, kN
At the 95 % confidence level and for an average of 4 tests, the estimated compressive strength based
on the LOK-TEST and the general correlations indicated above is within 6 % of the strength
measured from tests of standard specimen (cylinders or cubes) for a maximum aggregate size of 38
mm. The coefficient of variation of individual LOK-TEST results is about 8 % for normal density
concrete.

Example Applications

LOK-TEST being performed on a wall for quality


control of the finished structure. H on the display
indicates the highest pullout force obtained. The L-40
Control Insert was used.

76

Testing for in-place quality control on a slab. The L49 floating insert was used. Maturity was measured
with the COMA-Meter, shown in front of
technicians knee

LOK-TEST

LOK-TEST performed from the bottom of a slab, through the


formwork, for safe and early form removal. The L-42 early stripping
insert was used with the L-44 steel plate attached to a removable plug
through a porthole in the formwork. The L-10-2 pull machine with
analog display is shown. COMA-Meters are used for timing of the
LOK-TEST.

LOK-TEST Inserts and Ordering Numbers


LOK-TEST inserts are supplied in four different configurations (shown left to right below) and in
two strength classes: 0 to 50 kN and 0 to 100 kN pullout force.
Control inserts for nailing to wooden formwork. The formwork has to be removed before testing.
Early stripping inserts, with a steel plate for attachment to a removable plug through a porthole
in the formwork, for use when testing has to be performed before the formwork is removed.
Disc and stem, only, for replacement of used inserts
Floating inserts for insertion into the top surface of newly cast concrete

0 50 kN Inserts

Item
Control insert
Early stripping insert with L-44
steel plate
Disc and stem, thread locked and
coated
Floating insert

0 100 kN Inserts

Order #

Item

L-40
L-42

Control insert
Early stripping insert with L-44
steel plate
Disc and stem, thread locked and
coated
Floating insert

L-45
L-49

Order #
L-41
L-43
L-46
L-50

Inserts may be re-used provided the discs are thread locked to the stems and coated with a coating
agent, L-29, before re-use. For complete pulling out of discs from the concrete, a separate travel ring,
L-26, is available. For testing 0 to 100 kN inserts, a special high-strength pull bolt with flange is
needed, L-17-1, along with the high-strength coupling device C-141.

77

LOK-TEST
LOK-TEST Kits and Ordering Numbers
Three types of hydraulic pull machines are available in the L-10, L-11 and L-12 LOK-TEST kits.
L-10 LOK-TEST Kit
The L-10 hydraulic, hand-operated pull machine comes with a calibrated 0 to 40 kN analog dial
gauge. Alternatively, the instrument can be supplied with a 0 to 25 kN gauge (Order No. L-10-1) or a
0 to 60 kN gauge (Order No. L-10-3). The accuracy of the pull machine is within 0.6 %.
Item
Hydraulic pull machine with
analog gauge (0 to 40 kN)
Centering plate
Coupling
Pull bolt
Stem removal tool
Bolt handle
Adjustable pliers
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Calibration table
Manual
Attach case

Order #
L-10-2
L-15
L-16
L-17
L-18
L-19
L-20
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
L-32
L-33
L-34

L-11 LOK-TEST Kit


The L-11-1 hydraulic pull machine comes with a 0 to 100 kN precision electronic gauge that includes
memory for storage of test results (peak-value, time, and date of testing). The peak-value is
displayed after a test has been terminated. The internal resolution of the gauge is 0.01 kN. The
display, however, shows the pull force to the nearest 0.1 kN.
Item
Hydraulic pull machine with
electronic gauge
AMIGAS Printout software
Cable for printout
Centering plate
Coupling
Pull bolt
Stem removal tool
Bolt handle
Adjustable pliers
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Calibration table
Manual
Attach case

78

Order #
L-11-1
L-13
L-14
L-15
L-16
L-17
L-18
L-19
L-20
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
L-32
L-33
L-34

LOK-TEST
L-12 LOK-TEST Kit
The L-12-1 pull machine features an automatic loading rate that ensures consistent testing speed in
accordance with testing standards. The machine has a 0 to 100 kN precision electronic gauge with
memory for storage of test results (peak-value, time, and date of testing). The peak-value is
displayed after a test has been terminated. The internal resolution of the gauge is 0.01 kN. The
display, however, shows the pull force to the nearest 0.1 kN.
Item
Hydraulic pull machine with
electronic gauge
AMIGAS printout software
Cable for printout
Centering plate
Coupling
Pull bolt
Stem removal tool
Bolt handle
Adjustable pliers
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Calibration table
Manual
Attach case

Order #
L-12-1
L-13
L-14
L-15
L-16
L-17
L-18
L-19
L-20
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
L-32
L-33
L-34

Note: The LOK-TEST pull machines may also be used for other types of tests that require
application of a tensile load. These include the following Germann Instruments test systems: the
CAPO-TEST, the BOND-TEST, the TORQ-TEST, the DSS-TEST and the POWER. The
recommended pull machine for all the tests is the L-11-1 hydraulic pull machine supplied in the L11 LOK-TEST Kit.
Load Verification Unit
The calibration of a pull machine needs to be verified at least once a year, after servicing, and after
repair. The L-30 Load Verification Unit has a working range of 0 to 100 kN. The load is displayed to
the nearest 0.1 kN. The unit comes with a certificate verifying the accuracy of its calibration. The L30 unit ensures that the load displayed by the pull machine is within 2 % of the actual load, as
required by ASTM C900.

79

Merlin
Purpose
The Merlin is one of the newest developments
by Germann Instruments. It is used to
measure the bulk electrical conductivity,
or its inverse, the bulk electrical resistivity,
of saturated 100 by 200 mm concrete cylinders
or cores. The test is simple to perform and a
test result is obtained within two seconds. The
conductivity of a saturated concrete specimen
provides information on the resistance of the
concrete to penetration of ionic species by
diffusion.
Merlin can be used for the following purposes:
Research and development to characterize
the influence of new materials on the
electrical conductivity of concrete
Optimizing mixture proportions and supplementary cementitious materials to increase concrete
service life
On-site quality control and quality assurance
Evaluation of in-place concrete (using cores).
Principle
L
The electrical resistance R of a conductor of length L and
uniform cross-sectional area A is given by the equation
shown in the figure to the right. The quantity is called
L
the electrical resistivity and is a material property,
A
R
=

with units of resistance multiplied by length, such as


A
ohmm. If the electrical resistance R of a specimen is
measured, the resistivity can be calculated from the
relationship = R A/L. The inverse of electrical resistivity is the electrical conductivity, . The
inverse of ohms is a unit called siemens (S). Therefore, electrical conductivity has units of S/m. For
concrete, it is convenient to express conductivity in millisiemens per meter or mS/m.
In assessing the ability of a concrete mixture to resist penetration of a particular type of ion, one of
the key properties is the diffusivity, which defines how readily the given type of ion will migrate
through saturated concrete in the presence of a concentration gradient. For a saturated porous
material, such as hardened concrete, the diffusion coefficient of a give type of ion can be related to
electrical conductivity through the Nernst-Einstein equation as follows (Snyder et al. 2000;
Nokken and Hooton 2006):

D
=
(1)
p Dw
where

= bulk electrical conductivity of the saturated porous material

p = conductivity of the pore fluid

D = bulk diffusion coefficient of the specific type of ion through the porous material, and
Dw = diffusion coefficient of the specific ion through water (Mills and Lobo 1989).
If the conductivity of the pore fluid is assumed to be similar among different concretes, the measured
bulk electrical conductivity is related directly to the bulk diffusion coefficient (Berke and Hicks
1992). Measurement of the bulk diffusion coefficient of a particular type of ion through concrete is a
time consuming process, while electrical conductivity can be measured in a matter of seconds.
The electrical conductivity of saturated cement paste is related to the paste porosity (volume of pores
and how they are connected). The paste porosity is in turn related to the degree of hydration, the
types of cementitious materials, and the water-cementitious materials (w/cm) ratio. If electrical
measurements are made at a fixed degree of hydration for a given system of cementitious materials,
the measured conductivity is related to the w/cm.
80

Merlin
Method of operation
The following is a schematic of the measurement method incorporated in Merlin. The four-point
measurement method that is used provides an accurate measure of specimen resistance by
minimizing the effects of the conductive sponges and the pressure applied to the electrodes. The
specimen must be in a water-saturated condition to obtain a meaningful measurement.
Current
source

A
Ammeter

Sponge

Gap

An alternating current source is used


to apply current through the
saturated cylinder or core. A
voltmeter is used to measure the
voltage drop across the specimen, and
an ammeter measures the current.
From the measured current I and
voltage V, the bulk conductivity is
calculated as follows:

I L
V A

(2)

where, L is the specimen length and A


is the specimen cross-sectional area.
The bulk resistivity is the inverse of
the bulk conductivity, that is, = 1/.

V
Voltmeter

A 100 by 200 mm verification cylinder is provided to check that the Merlin system is operating
correctly. The cylinder includes a push button switch than can be used to select one of several
precision resistor from 10 to 1 M. For example, if the 1000 resistor is selected and the system
is functioning correctly, the conductivity reading of the verification cylinder should be 25.46 mS/m
and the resistivity should be 39.27 m.

Application
From the theoretical basis of the Merlin, it can be seen that measurement of the bulk electrical
conductivity of a saturated concrete specimen provides an indication of the diffusivity properties of
the concrete. If the test is conducted at a consistent degree of hydration for a given combination of
cementitious materials, the variation in measured bulk electrical conductivity can be used as an
indicator of variation of w/cm using a pre-established correlation. If the bulk electrical conductivity
of the approved concrete mixture for a project is known, that value can be used for quality control
and quality assurance. Thus Merlin can be considered as a surrogate test to verify the w/cm of a
specimen.
The bulk conductivity measured with Merlin is related directly to the charge passed through a
specimen as measured by ASTM C1202 using the PROOVEit system, provided that the current
remains constant during the 6 h test duration. This is typically not the case for highly conductive
concretes due to electrical heating of the specimen, which increases the pore fluid conductivity and
the current. If we assume that current is constant during a PROOVEit test, we can convert the
81

Merlin
ASTM C1202 coulomb limits for the different categories of "chloride ion penetrability" into bulk
conductivity limits using the following relationship:
QL
VtA
= charge passed in the PROOVEit test
= applied voltage in the PROOVEit test (60V)
= length of the PROOVEit specimen
= area of the PROOVEit specimen
= measurement time (6 h = 21,600 s) of the PROOVEit test

where

Q
V
L
A
t

(3)

The bulk resistivity limits can also be calculated by taking the inverse of the above equation.
For a specimen length of 50.8 mm and a diameter of 95 mm (the reference dimensions specified in
ASTM C1202), the conversion from charge passed using ASTM C1202 to bulk conductivity (Eq. 3)
and bulk resistivity values is as follows:
Charge passed using
PROOVEit, Coulombs

Merlin Bulk
Conductivity mS/m

Merlin Bulk
Resistivity m

50
100*
1,000*
2;000*
4,000*
10,000

0.28
0.55
5.50
11.00
22.00
55.01

3636
1818
181.8
90.89
45.45
18.18

It

is assumed that current is constant during the 6 h test duration, which is typically not true for
high conductivity concrete
*Limiting values in ASTM C1202 used to define different categories of "chloride ion penetrability"
(see page 101)

Test Data
Snyder et al. (2000) measured the charge passed
through 100 mm diameter cylindrical specimens
10000
in accordance with ASTM C1202 and used the
initial current during the test to calculate the
8000
bulk conductivity according to Eq. 2. This
calculated bulk conductivity is based on the
6000
same principle as used by Merlin. The cylinders
had lengths of 50 and 100 mm. The graph on the
4000
left shows the charge passed versus the bulk
conductivity. The solid lines represent the
2000
theoretical relationships between charge passed
and bulk conductivity as given by Eq. 3. It is
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60 seen that there are approximately linear
Conductivity (Initial RCPT), mS/m
relationships between charge passed and bulk
conductivity. The measured charges passed are,
however, greater than predicted by Eq. 3. This can be explained, in part, by heating of the
specimens. The concretes used by Snyder et al. (2000) had relatively high conductivities. As
explained above, specimens with high conductivity will heat up during the ASTM C1202 test. As
specimen temperature increases, the conductivity of the pore fluid increases and the current
increases. This leads to instability and a higher charge passed compared with a specimen kept at a
constant temperature.
Charge Passed, C

12000

L = 100 mm
L = 50 mm
Eq. 3
Eq. 3

Berke and Roberts (1989) also measured charge passed (AASHTO T-277, which is similar to ASTM
C1202) and specimen resistivity based on a polarization method. In this case the concretes that were
82

Merlin

Charge Passed, C

2000

1500

1000

500

Data
Eq. 3

0
0

4
6
8
10
Conductivity, mS/m

12

14

used had relatively low conductivities. The


graph to the left shows the Coulomb values
reported by Berke and Roberts (1989) plotted
versus the inverse of the reported resistivity
values (conductivity) and the prediction based
on Eq. 3. Again there is an approximately linear
relationship between conductivity and charge
passed. In this case, however, the data fall
below the prediction based on Eq. 3. This
difference is likely due to the method used to
measure resistivity. In summary, these studies
confirm the expected strong relationship
between bulk conductivity and charge passed
using ASTM C1202.

Specimen Conditioning and Test Interpretation


An electrical conductivity test will provide an indication of the diffusivity of the concrete only if the
specimen is saturated. Thus it is essential that cylinders be kept under water from the time of
molding until time of testing. Reusable steel molds are available to provide specimens of consistent
dimensions and to facilitate storage under water. Except for the ends, the cylinder should be in a
surface dry condition at time of testing. Special caps are available to keep the cylinder ends wet
while the surface is allowed to dry. Because of the high sensitivity of the measurement method, the
cylinder must be supported on an insulated stand during the measurement. The conductivity of the
pore solution affects the measured bulk conductivity of concrete. Thus comparisons should not be
made between concretes with very different pore solution conductivities. For example, the use of
calcium nitrite as a corrosion inhibitor will increase the conductivity of the pore fluid, and the
measured bulk conductivity of the concrete will be higher than for another concrete without calcium
nitrite but with a similar diffusivity. On the other hand, concrete with supplementary cementitious
materials may have a reduced pore fluid conductivity, which will reduce the measured bulk
conductivity while the actual diffusivity may not be reduced (Liu and Beaudoin 2000).
References

Berke, N.S. and Hicks, M.C., 1992, "Estimating the Life Cycle of Reinforced Concrete Decks and Marine Piles Using
Laboratory Diffusion and Corrosion Data," Corrosion Forms and Control for Infrastructure, ASTM STP1137, pp.
207-231, http://www.astm.org/DIGITAL_LIBRARY/STP/SOURCE_PAGES/STP1137.htm
Berke, N.S. and Roberts, L.R., 1989, "Use of Concrete Admixtures to Provide Long-Term Durability from Steel Corrosion,"
Third CANMET/ ACI International Conference on Superplasticizers and Other Chemical Admixtures in Concrete, Ed.
V.M. Malhotra, Ottawa, Canada, October 4-6, 1989, ACI SP 119, American Concrete Institute, p. 383-403.
Liu, Z. and Beaudoin, J. J., 2000, The Permeability of Cement Systems to Chloride Ingress and Related Test Methods,
Cement, Concrete, and Aggregates, CCAGDP, Vol. 22, No. 1, June, pp. 1623.
http://www.astm.org/DIGITAL_LIBRARY/JOURNALS/CEMENT/
R. Mills and V. M. M. Lobo, 1989, Self-Diffusion in Electrolyte Solutions, Elsevier, New York.
Nokken, M,R, and Hooton, R.D., 2006, "Electrical Conductivity Testing," Concrete International, October, pp. 58-63,
http://www.concreteinternational.com/pages/index.asp
Snyder, K.A., Ferraris, C. Martys, N.S. and Garboczi, E.J., 2000, "Using Impedance Spectroscopy to Assess the Viability of the
Rapid Chloride Test for Determining Concrete Conductivity," J. Res. Natl. Inst. Stand. Technol. 105, pp. 497-509,
http://nvl.nist.gov

83

Merlin
Merlin Specifications
Specimen diameter 90 to 110 mm
Specimen length up to 200 mm
325 Hz AC current supply
Measurement time: approximately 2 seconds
Sampling rate 5 Hz
Test results in terms of bulk conductivity or resistivity
Test results can be stored for preparing test reports
Merlin Ordering Numbers
Item

Order #

Merlin bulk conductivity cell

MRLN-1001

Netbook computer with software installed

MRLN -1002

Merlin software

MRLN-1003

Merlin verification cylinder

MRLN-1004

Insulating specimen support

MRLN-1005

Caps to prevent drying of ends of cylinders

MRLN-1006

Spray bottle

MRLN-1007

Carrying case

MRLN-1008

Precision steel mold, reusable

MRLN-1009

Precision steel mold


The MRLN-1009 precision steel mold produces cylinders with a diameter of
100 mm and a length of 200 mm with an accuracy of 0.02 mm on the
cylinder dimensions.
The steel mold is reusable and mold removal is simple. To remove the
mold, the top and bottom lids are removed first. Then, the container is
opened slightly by applying a small pressure with the screws in the welded
flanges.
The mold allows specimens to be produced within the tolerances stated and
with plane end faces that are perpendicular to axis of the specimen. This
minimizes test variability due to specimen geometry.

84

Mini Great Dane


Purpose
The Mini Great Dane is used to measure the half-cell
potential of uncoated reinforcing steel in concrete (in
accordance with ASTM C876) and to measure the
electrical resistance of the cover concrete. Typical
applications include the following:
Condition surveys of suspect reinforced concrete
(RC) structures to identify areas with corrosion
activity for further analysis (testing for chlorides,
depth of carbonation, flaws, or permeation) to
establish the cause of the corrosion and estimate remaining service life
Monitoring RC structures for changes in corrosion activity
Checking the effect of re-alkalization or electrochemical removal of chlorides
Measuring the corrosion activity in repaired areas
Principle

H2O

CO2 Cl-

O2

Fe2+

Rust
Cathode

e--

Anode

Reinforcement in concrete will not corrode if the


protective film formed in the presence of highly
alkaline pore fluid with a pH of about 13 is
maintained. The passive layer may, however, be
destroyed by the ingress of chloride ions or by a
reduction in pH due to carbonation. When the
passive film is destroyed, corrosion may occur in the
presence of moisture and oxygen.

During the corrosion process, anodic and cathodic


areas are formed on the reinforcement. At the
anodes, iron dissolves and iron ions diffuse into the concrete, leaving behind electrons. At the
cathodic sites, the iron ions combine with water and oxygen to form an expansive corrosion product,
i.e., rust. The rate of corrosion is controlled by how easily the iron ions can move through the
concrete from the anodes to the cathodes and it depends on the availability of oxygen and moisture
at the cathodes.
The flow of irons ions through the concrete is associated
with a potential field as shown on the right. The Mini
Great Dane measures the surface potentials (relative
to an Ag/AgCl reference electrode) and the electrical
resistance of the cover concrete between the electrode
and the reinforcement. The indicated potential, Ecorr, is
in terms of a Cu/CuSO4 electrode (CSE), which are -110
mV lower in value than for the Ag/AgCl electrode. The
risk of corrosion is evaluated by means of the steepness
of the potential gradients measured at the concrete surface and the level of the electrical resistance
of the cover concrete. A large potential gradient and a low concrete resistance will normally indicate
a high corrosion rate, except in saturated concrete because of the low oxygen content.
-0.150

Control and
Display Unit

Cover Condition

Reference
Electrode

Ecorr, mV
Wet
Sponge

Dry w/o Cl ions

Wet w/o Cl ions

Wet with Cl ions

-50 to -200

-250 to -350

-400 to -600

20 to 50

5 to 10

0 to 1

Gradient

R, kOhm

85

Mini Great Dane


After areas with the lowest potential, highest gradients, and lowest electrical resistance are
identified, additional tests are performed to establish the cause of corrosion, e.g., testing for chlorides
and carbonation. The concrete is removed at several hot spots, and the actual degree of corrosion is
correlated to the readings. After identification of the cause of corrosion and establishment of the
chloride ion profiles and depth of carbonation, the remaining service life may be estimated (e.g.,
using diffusion theory) or an appropriate repair strategy may be developed.
Variation
The variation of the potential readings with the Ag/AgCl measuring electrode supplied with the
Mini Great Dane is normally within 5 mV. The electrical resistance variation is less than 5 %.

The Mini Great Dane-2000 Ordering Numbers


Item

Order #

Digital meter with signal box


Ag/AgCl measuring cell
Connecting cable
Cable drum, 15 meters
Reinforcement locator
Drill bits, 10 mm and 18 mm
Two reinforcement adaptors
Allen key
Two reinforcement clamping pliers
Hammer and chisel
Telescoping rod for Ag/AgCl cell
Manual

GD-2001
GD-2002
GD-2003
GD-2004
GD-2005
GD-2006
GD-2007
GD-2008
GD-2009
GD-2010
GD-2011
GD-2012

Optional Items
Calibration cell
Temperature probe
Electric hammer drill
Garden spray pump

GD-2013
GD-2014
GD-2015
GD-2016

86

kOhm

mV (CSE)

72

55

-50

-110

-390

70

64

-40

-120

-125

68

60

-30

-100

-135

71

65

-45

-120

-120

64

62

14

-50

-90

-110

59

55

10

-45

-95

-380

81

49

19

-50

-110

-390

73

59

20

-45

-110

-380

78

54

15

-60

-125

-365

82

68

27

-55

-135

-405

89

74

19

-45

-100

-355

98

72

21

-50

-90

-325

92

87

35

-60

-85

-310

99

90

44

-50

-75

-115

102

103

65

-55

-70

-65

Line
A

Line
B

Line
C

Line
A

Line
B

Line
C

Wall

Wall

Testing Example
The access slabs of a housing complex had been
subjected to de-icing salts for 18 years. No major
rust stains or spalling were observed. Shown to the
right are the electrical resistance and the potentials
measured with the Mini Great Dane on one of the
slabs. The relatively low electrical resistance
towards the railings indicates a water saturated
concrete and/or the presence of chlorides in the
concrete. A large potential gradient is noted from
the wall towards the railing. When the concrete was
removed at several locations towards the railing,
the bars were found to have heavy corrosion with a
1 to 20 % reduction of the cross section. Based on
further testing with the RCT and the Rainbow
Indicator, service life was estimated and a repair
strategy was developed.

Railing

Railing

MIRA
Purpose
The MIRA Tomographer is a state-of-the-art
instrument for creating a three-dimensional (3-D)
representation (tomogram) of internal defects that
may be present in a concrete element. MIRA is
based on the ultrasonic pitch-catch method and
uses an antenna composed of an array of dry point
contact (DPC) transducers, which emit shear
waves into the concrete. The transducer array is
under computer control and the recorded data are
transferred wirelessly to a host computer in real
time. The computer takes the raw data and creates
a 3-D image of the reflecting interfaces within the
element. MIRA has been used successfully for the following applications.
Thickness measurement
Detection of voids in grouted tendon ducts
Detection of poor quality bond in overlays and repairs
Detection of delaminations
Detection of voids and honeycombing in concrete members
Principle
MIRA is based on the ultrasonic pulse-echo method using
transmitting and receiving transducers in a "pitch-catch"
configuration as shown on the right. One transducer
sends out a stress-wave pulse and a second transducer
receives the reflected pulse. The time from the start of the
pulse until the arrival of the echo is measured. If the wave
speed C is known, the depth of the reflecting interface can
be calculated as shown (the equation assumes that the
two transducers are close to each other).
The key features that distinguish MIRA from other flaw
detection devices include:

The use of point transducers to introduce into the


concrete pulses of shear waves with a nominal center
frequency of 50 kHz
The use of an array of point transducers to obtain rapidly 180 transit time measurements during
each test
The transducers are spring loaded to conform to an irregular surface and they do not require a
coupling medium, that is, testing is done in the dry
The transducer array (antenna) is connected wirelessly to the host computer, thereby
eliminating the need for long cables
The signals captured by the antenna are transferred automatically to the host computer, where
the synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) is used to reconstruct a 3-D model of the
internal structure of the concrete
The visualization software allows views of different slices of the reconstructed internal structure

The following provides additional description of


the principles involved in the MIRA system.
The antenna is composed of a 4 by 10 array of
point transducers and a control unit that
operates the transducers. The transducers act as
transmitters and receivers in a sequential mode.
The transducers are heavily damped so that a
short duration pulse is created. The first figure
87

MIRA
to the right shows the typical shape of the
received pulse after it has reflected from
an air interface. Also shown is the
amplitude spectrum of the pulse. It is seen
that the nominal center frequency is about
50 kHz.
The operation of the antenna is described next. Basically, the control unit within the antenna excites
one row of transducers and the other rows of transducers act as receivers. The left side figure below
shows the first row of transducers acting as transmitters and the remaining rows of transducers
acting as receivers. Then, as shown in the figure on the right, the next row of transducers is excited
and the remaining rows to the right act as receivers. This process is repeated until each of the first
nine rows of transducers has acted as transmitters.

The figure to the right shows the 45 ray paths


that are involved for each of the four rows of
transducers. It takes less than 3 seconds to
complete data acquisition, data processing, and
data transfer for a test at one antenna location.
As will be discussed, the transit time for each
reflected pulse is processed by the computer to
create a 3-D model of the locations of the reflecting interfaces, which could be the opposite side of the
member (back wall reflection), the location of reinforcing bars, and most importantly the location of
internal concrete-air interfaces (such as voids, cracks, and delaminations).
If there is a defect within the member in the form
of a sufficiently large concrete-air interface, a
portion of the stress pulse will be reflected by the
defect; and the reflected pulse will arrive at the
receiver sooner than reflections from the back
wall. This is illustrated in the figure to the left.
As discussed below, the signal processing
software uses the arrival times of the reflected
pulses to determine the location of the defect
within the member.
Method of operation
There are four modes of operation of the MIRA system as follows:

CALIBRATIONThis mode is used at the start of testing to determine the shear wave speed of
the concrete. It is recommended that testing be done at eight or more positions to obtain a good
estimate of average wave speed. The determined wave speed is representative of the concrete
near the surface.
EXPLOREThis mode is intended for preliminary testing at arbitrary locations on the surface
of the test object. Ideally, preliminary tests should be done at locations where the internal
conditions are known. This mode is used to check the settings of the instrument before beginning
actual scans.
SCANThis mode is used to acquire the data that will be used to evaluate the test object. Data
are stored automatically after completion of measurements at the antenna location. The method
for conducting a scan is discussed below.
88

MIRA

REVIEWThis mode is for detailed study of the processed data acquired during the scan.
To carry out an inspection of the complete concrete
member, the user lays out a series of scan lines 500 mm
apart on the testing surface. The antenna is oriented
perpendicular to the scan direction and data are recorded
at predetermined steps along each scan line. The distance
between successive antenna positions will depend on the
nature of the defects to be detected, with closer spacings
required for smaller defects. The testing layout is entered
into the computer and that information is used during
signal processing to establish the locations of the reflecting
interfaces within the member.

After data are acquired along all the scan lines, a signal
processing technique called synthetic aperture focusing
(SAFT) is used to reconstruct a 3-D tomographic image of
the interior of the concrete member. In simple
terms, the member is subdivided into small
volume-elements (analogous to finite elements used
for stress analysis). From the pulse arrival times
and the known positions of the transmitter-receiver
pairs, the depth of the reflecting interface can be
established. Because of the inclined ray paths, the
depth of the reflector is calculated using the
formula for the relationship between the lengths of
the sides of a right triangle (Pythagorean
Theorem). In the formula shown to the right, Cs is
the shear wave speed determined by MIRA during the initial calibration for the test object. If there
is a large reflecting interface, reflections will be picked up by more than one receiver. This will allow
reconstruction of the approximate extent of the reflecting interface.
The reconstructed 3-D image is stored in the computer,
and the user can look at a 3-D picture of the locations of
all detected interfaces or the user can look at the
projection of the interfaces on three orthogonal planes.
The views on the three orthogonal planes have formal
names. A C-scan shows the reflecting interfaces
projected on a plane parallel to the test surface; that is,
a C-scan is a "plan view" of the reflectors. A B-scan
shows the reflectors projected on a plane perpendicular
to the test surface and perpendicular to the scan
direction; that is, it provides and "end view" of the
reflectors. A D-scan shows the reflectors projected on a
plane perpendicular to the test surface but parallel to
the scan direction; that is, it provides an "elevation
view" of the reflectors. The user can also look at specific
"slices" through the member in each of the three
directions by defining the Z-coordinate for a C-scan
image, the X-coordinate for a B-scan image, and the Y-coordinate for a D-scan image.
The following is a simple test case to illustrate these different displays. The test object is a 0.43 m by
0.43 m by 0.8 m plain concrete block containing three holes as shown. The antenna was scanned
along the center of the block parallel to the direction of the holes. The resulting cross-sectional views
are shown. The red areas correspond to the locations of reflectors that produce high amplitude
reflections. In the C-scan, we see a plan view of the holes. In the B-scan we see the end view of the
block; the three holes are seen clearly and the large red zone is the bottom (back wall) of the block. In
89

MIRA
the D-scan, we see an elevation view of the holes and the bottom of the block. The views show the
projections of all reflectors onto the three planes. The user can also look at the reflectors in specific
slices.

13 mm hole
55 mm deep
13 mm hole
160 mm deep

C-scan

30 mm hole
130 mm deep

D-scan

Testing Examples
Testing for voids in grouted cable ducts of bridge girders: MIRA was used to evaluate the
conditions of prestressing ducts near the anchorage zones of a box-girder bridge. Before testing, the
locations of the ducts were marked on the face of the web using information on the construction
drawings (center photo below). One of the test records is shown below. The B-scan is at the cross
section shown as a dashed line in the C-scan. The large amplitude signal at the location of duct
indicated a high probability that the duct was not properly grouted. This was confirmed by drilling a
core and carefully removing the duct to reveal the bare tendons. (Courtesy of Ramboll Finland Ltd.)

Scanning along web

View of web and drilled core

C-Scan
D-Scan

90

Condition of duct

B-Scan

MIRA
Testing for voids in grouted cable ducts in circular columns: Circular columns, 500 mm
diameter, contained 80 mm steel ducts within the central cores. The ducts contained 25 mm bars
that were supposed to have been surrounded with mortar grout. Single tests (Explore Mode) were
made using MIRA and the results were displayed as a B-scan image. Voided ducts were easily
identified and confirmed by drilling cores into the columns.

Duct

Opposite
side of
column

Grouted Duct
Single test being perfomed on column and
condition observed after coring

Empty Duct

Examples of B-scans

Testing quality of bond: A steel box girder bridge was overlaid with 100 mm of fiber-reinforced
concrete. The overlay included several layers of reinforcing bars that interfered with proper
consolidation of the fiber-reinforced concrete below the bars. MIRA was used to evaluate the
presence of voids at the interface with the steel deck. An example of the results from a scan line is
shown below. Because of the shallow depth of the overlay, the B-scans and D-scans show the
multiple reflections of the back wall of the overlay. The C-scan shows the locations of reflectors on a
plane 90 mm from the top surface. The red regions represent possible presence of voids. Subsequent
coring confirmed the MIRA results. Note that the green regions in the C-scan appear to be
reflections from the reinforcing bars.

Scanning along overlay

Side view of overlay showing congestion of


reinforcement

91

MIRA

Solid Core

Core with voids below bars

MIRA Tomographer Specifications


Dry point contact shear-wave transducers with ceramic wearing tip
50 kHz center frequency with 15 to 150 kHz operating frequency
Transducers are spring loaded to conform to rough surfaces
Phased array antenna containing 40 transducer in a 4 by 10 configuration; dimensions 435 235
146 mm; weight 4.5 kg
Wireless communication (WLAN)
Testing depth: 50 to 2500 mm
Rechargeable batteries
Time to process data at test location: not more than 3 s
3-D tomographic display
Operating temperature -0 C to 45 C
MIRA Tomographer Ordering Numbers
Item

Order #

Laptop computer and case (not shown)

MIR-1001

Phased array antenna

MIR-1002

Wireless transmitter

MIR-1003

AC Adaptor

MIR-1004

Cables

MIR-1005

Software on CD-ROM

MIR-1006

User manual

MIR-1007

Wheeled carrying case

MIR-1008

Approximate dimensions of case and total mass of equipment


560 mm x 350 mm x 230 mm, 13 kg
22 in. x 14 in. x 9 in, 28 lbs
92

Moisture Encounter
Purpose
Moisture Encounter is used to measure near-surface moisture content in concrete or other
materials
during condition surveys, e.g. for corrosion investigations, or
to check whether drying measures were adequate prior to applying a coating or an overlay on an
existing element or floor.
Principle
The
Moisture
Encounter
is
a
totally
nondestructive instrument that indicates moisture
content by means of an impedance measurement.
Parallel co-planar electrodes fitted with springloaded contacts are mounted on the base of the
instrument, as shown to the left. During operation, a
low frequency electrical signal is transmitted into the
test material. The level of moisture in the material
affects the impedance measured by the instrument.
The detection depth is 15 to 25 mm.

Precision and accuracy


For concrete with compressive strength between 20 MPa and 45 MPa, the Moisture Encounter is
accurate within 0.5 % for moisture content in the range of 2 % to 6 %. The coefficient of variation of
replicate measurements on concrete with the same moisture content is about 5 %.
The presence of chlorides affects conductivity of the concrete and the may give erroneous readings.
In such cases, the relative scale on the meter can be calibrated by taking readings, removing
samples, and measuring their moisture content by oven-drying.
Testing Example
The Moisture Encounter is
shown measuring a moisture
content of 1.8 % on a concrete
floor prior to application of a
covering

The ME-3000
Moisture Encounter
supplied in a leather
case with calibration
certificate

93

PetroPlaner
Purpose
The PetroPlaner is a state-of-the-art lapping and polishing machine for preparing lapped/polished
plane surfaces for:
Air Void Analysis according to ASTM C457
Petrographic examination of polished fluorescent epoxy impregnated surfaces
Polishing of thin sections for SEM / EDS examination

Examples of polished plane sections with the PetroPlaner.


Above left is a surface prepared for air-void analysis using the
RapidAir system according to ASTM C 457 after contrast
enhancement. At center and right are examples of surfaces
prepared for forensic, petrographic analysis.

When preparing polished plane sections for-air-void analysis according to ASTM C457, it is crucial
that the polishing be of very high quality. Both the paste and the aggregates have to be polished to
exactly the same level and no erosion of the paste has to occur. In order to measure reliably the
correct chord length of each air void, it is extremely important that the individual air voids have
clear and sharp edges without any degradation. Otherwise, the results of the air-void analysis will be
erroneous.
Polishing of concrete specimens for air-void analysis by ASTM C457 is especially difficult if
The paste is weak due to low maturity, poor curing, or a high water-cement ratio
The paste is deteriorated
The aggregates are extremely hard, having higher resistance to abrasion than the paste

The concrete has a high air content causing erosion of the paste between individual air voids

The PetroPlaner grinding system, with its different grinding slurries, maximizes the success of
such grinding and polishing jobs. The procedure can be supplemented by impregnation with an
acetone based hardener that is applied prior to each grinding step.
The grinding technique, which involves three rotating parts, the specimen itself, the transverse arm
connecting the two specimens and the rotating table, ensures even grinding of the specimens and
even wear of the grinding surfaces.

94

PetroPlaner
The PetroPlaner features:
Optimized pressure on the specimens during grinding with the different grinding and polishing
slurries
Eccentric operation of the polishing heads ensuring totally even and uniform grinding of the
surface
Even and minimal wear of the rotating cast iron grinding plate
Polishing of two specimens simultaneously, reducing the specimen preparation time
Built-in, self feeding and recycling mechanism of the slurry, reducing cost of the slurries
Simple and durable design with a low demand for maintenance and a long service life
Low requirements for laboratory facilities, simple and easy operation
Proven track record of 15 years with excellent results
PetroPlaner Description
The photo on the left shows the complete
PetroPlaner unit. Shown below are details of
the attachment to the two specimens and the
built-in self feeding and recycling system for the
grinding slurry.
The specimens rotate eccentrically in relation to
the rotating cast ion bottom plate with the
grinding or polishing slurry in between. Grinding
and polishing takes place using selected slurries
with varying fineness of silicon carbide particles.
The typical specimens are 150 mm by 150 mm (6
in. by 6 in.) in polishing area and 40 mm (1.6 in.)
in thickness.

Requirements
The PetroPlaner requires access to 380 VAC and to cold water. The PetroPlaner is supplied with
different silicon carbide (Carborundum) powders for grinding and polishing. Also required are: a
diamond saw, equipment for vacuum impregnation, a fume hood, and a drying oven. Germann
Instruments will provide all the necessary additional equipment upon request as well as assistance
in setting up the PetroPlaner and technician training. We also provide courses in concrete
petrography using macroscopic examination and optical microscopy.

95

PetroThin
Purpose
PetroThin is the ultimate thin section preparation machine.
Principle
For the last 40 years, thin sections have been used extensively by petrographers to study the
microstructure of concrete. Fluorescent epoxy impregnation of thin sections of concrete and related
materials is one of the most powerful methods for determining and characterizing the following
features:
The water-cement (w/c) ratio
The cement type, degree of hydration, and dispersion of cement particles
The type of pozzolan, degree of hydration, and cement-pozzolan ratio
Mixture proportions
Three Basic Steps
Aggregate type, gradation, and quality
Crack measurement and characterization
1
2
3
Air-void structure
Surface structure and finishing defects
Alkali silica reaction (ASR)
Alkali carbonate reaction (ACR)
Delayed ettringite formation (DEF)
Freezing and thawing damage
Freezing of fresh concrete
Bleeding characteristics
1. Rough cut sample
Depth of carbonation
2. Polished block
Deleterious aggregates
3. 20 m thick polished section
A thin section is an extremely powerful and versatile tool for quality control and development of new
types of concrete, admixtures, fibers, or alternative raw materials. In forensic examination of
deteriorating or damaged concrete, fluorescent thin section analysis is the fastest and the most
reliable tool for describing and determining causes of deterioration or damage.

The PetroThin is a compact machine that can be fitted easily into


an existing laboratory

96

Grinding roller and massive sample holder


in operation

PetroThin
The standard fluorescent epoxy impregnated thin section for concrete microscopy is only 20 m thick.
The process involved in preparing the 20 m thick slice of fluorescent epoxy impregnated concrete is
extremely difficult using ordinary lapping equipment.
PetroThin is the only machine in the world that can perform the required type of grinding on an
inexpensive, rapid, and routine basis. The grinding guides on PetroThin use the surface of the glass
slide as a reference for grinding. Thus, it is possible to prepare 20 m thick slices quickly and
accurately.
The PetroThin has 25 years of proven track record with excellent results.
The machine is easy and safe to operate. The training needed to operate the equipment and prepare
thin sections in a consistent manner can be accomplished within one week.
The standard thin sections produced on the PetroThin are 30 mm 40 mm, but it is also possible to
produce larger 30 mm 70 mm thin sections.
The PetroThin comes with a built-in diamond saw and a grinding unit.
Procedure
The basic steps in the preparation of thin sections on the PetroThin are as follows:
1

A 30 mm 40 mm 20 mm block of concrete is cut out of the sample (see previous page).

The block is bonded to a 30 mm 40 mm piece of glass and it is trimmed on the diamond saw to
a thickness of 10 mm.
The block is mounted on the PetroThin and ground by the three successively finer diamond
grinding rollers.
The block is vacuum impregnated with fluorescent epoxy. When the epoxy has cured, excessive
epoxy is ground off plus 7 m into the material.
The block is glued by a UV-hardening adhesive to the final glass slide and excess material is cut
off with the diamond saw.
The glass slide is mounted on the traveling head of the PetroThin, and the material is ground
down to a thickness of 20 m using three successively finer diamond grinding rollers. The
thickness is controlled by checking the birefringence colors of quartz or feldspar particles using a
polarizing microscope or by direct measurement with a caliper.

3
4
5
6

Eventually, a cover glass is glued to the polished surface of the thin section. Alternatively, the
specimen is polished if it will be used for scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or microprobe
analysis.

Requirements
The PetroThin is simple to install in a laboratory or other suitable area. The PetroThin requires
access to 380 VAC, cold water, and a vacuum source. Additionally, it is desirable to have access to a
fume hood, drying oven, equipment for vacuum impregnation of the samples, and a rugged diamond
saw for rough cutting of larger samples. Germann Instruments can provide all the necessary
supporting equipment.
Germann Instruments will provide assistance in setting up the equipment and training
technicians. Additionally, we will provide courses in concrete petrography, optical microscopy, and
SEM/Microprobe analysis.

97

POWER
Purpose
The POWER test system is used for proof-load testing of anchors in concrete.
Principle
An adaptor of the appropriate size is threaded to the anchor bolt. A counter pressure assembly is
placed on the concrete so that it is centered with the anchor bolt. A pull bolt with coupler is threaded
into the adaptor and attached to a hydraulic pull machine. The load is increased to the required
proof load and held for at least 10 seconds. If the load is maintained during the hold period, the
anchor passes the proof load test.
Pull Bolt and
Coupler
Counter
Pressure
Assembly

Adaptor

POWER being used to proof load


anchor bolt

POWER Ordering Numbers


Item
Hydraulic pull machine with
electronic gauge
AMIGAS printout software
Cable for printout
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Calibration table
Manual
Counter pressure
Pull bolt with coupling
Adaptors (specify threads), 5 pieces
Attach case

Order #
L-11-1
L-13
L-14
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
L-32
L-33
POW-110
POW-120
POW-130
C-104-1

98

POW-100 POWER Kit

Profile Grinder
Purpose
The Profile Grinder is used to obtain concrete powder by precision grinding at small depth
increments for accurate determination of the chloride ion profile for the following applications:
Following ponding of specimens in the laboratory, e.g., according to NT BUILD 443 or ASTM
C1556, or
On-site on structures that have been subjected to chloride ion ingress.
From the chloride ion content profile, the chloride ion diffusion coefficient can be estimated in
accordance with ASTM C1556 and used for service life calculations.
Principle
A grinding bit, 18 mm in diameter, grinds the concrete to a fine powder at selected, exact depth
increments, selected between 0.5 mm to 2.0 mm. The bit is attached to a grinding machine that is
held against the surface by a grinding plate. The grinding takes place by working the bit over the
surface in three rotations. The grinding area is 73 mm in diameter and the maximum depth is 40
mm. The powder produced at each depth increment is collected with a battery-operated vacuum
cleaner (Dust Buster) containing a re-usable filter. On a vertical face, the powder is collected in a
plastic bag attached to the grinding plate. For every depth increment of 0.5 mm, approximately 5
grams of powder is obtained for analysis. It takes 4 to 6 minutes to obtain each sample and about 5
minutes to determine the chloride content using the RCT (see page 112).
Depth Accuracy
The depth increments are accurate to within 2 %
Testing Examples
1.0

Chloride Content, %

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0.0
0

Profile grinding of specimen subjected to


35 days of ponding in the laboratory.
Chloride content of each sample is
determined using the RCT (page 112)

10

15

20

Depth, mm

25

30

35

Chloride profile of a specific concrete. A chloride


coefficient of 29 mm2/y is determined using
Ficks second law of diffusion in accordance with
NT BUILD 443 or ASTM C1556.

99

Profile Grinder
0.6

Chloride Content, %

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Depth, mm

The Profile Grinder is ready for grinding on


a 1-year old wall. The powder obtained for
each depth increment is collected in a separate
plastic bag. Chloride content at each depth is
determined on-site using the RCT.

Chloride content profile for the 1-year old wall.


The chloride diffusion coefficient was calculated
to be 75 mm2/y. It is estimated that another 5
years will elapse before initiation of corrosion of
the reinforcement with a cover of 50 mm.

The Profile Grinder Kit and Ordering Numbers


Item
Grinder unit consisting of variable-speed
grinding machine, grinder housing, handle
cover with flange and counter nut, two
handles, and high performance grinding
diamond bit
Grinding plate with green felt, attachments for
plastic bag and top plastic cover
Grinding bench plate with screws and nuts
Attachment ring and two bolts
Allen key, 4 mm
Two adjustable fastening pliers
Set of anchoring tools
Two seating rubber rings
Plastic bags, 50 pcs
Brush
Measuring tape
14 and 17 mm wrenches
Sponge
Dust mask
Silicone oil bottle
Spare green felt
Manual
Portable vacuum cleaner
Complete Profile Grinder Kit PF-1100

Portable vacuum cleaner


with reusable filter PF-1200

L
100

Order #
PF-1101

PF-1102
PF-1103
PF-1104
CC-25
C-102-3
CC-30
PF-1105
PF-1106
PF-1107
RCT-1028
C-155/151
PF-1108
PF-1109
L-24
PF-1111
PF-1112
PF-1200

PROOVEit
Purpose
The PROOVEit system is used to evaluate the resistance of concrete to the ingress of chloride ions
in two ways:
By determining how easy it is to force chloride ions into saturated concrete by applying an
electrical potential across a test specimen in accordance with AASHTO T 277 or ASTM C1202.
This is known as the Coulomb Test or the Rapid Chloride Permeability Test (RCPT).
By measuring the penetration depth of chloride ions, after an electric potential has been applied
to the specimen in accordance with NORDTEST BUILD 492 (Chloride Migration Coefficient from
Non-Steady State Migration Experiments) to determine the Chloride Migration Coefficient,
which can be used to estimate the chloride diffusion coefficient for service life calculations.
Principle
A water-saturated concrete specimen, 100 mm diameter and 50 mm thick,
is positioned in a cell (right and page 104) containing fluid reservoirs on
both sides. For the RCPT or Coulomb Test, one reservoir is filled with a 3 %
NaCl solution and the other with a 0.3N NaOH solution. A potential of 60
VDC is applied across the cell. The negative terminal is connected to the
electrode in the reservoir with the NaCl solution and the positive terminal
is connected to the electrode in the NaOH solution. The negatively charged
chloride ions will migrate towards the positive terminal.
The more permeable is the concrete, the more chloride ions will migrate
through the specimen, and a higher current will be measured. The current
is measured for 6 hours. The area under the curve of current versus time is
determined, which represents the total charge or Coulombs passed across
the specimen. The Coulomb values are used for classifying the concrete as
follows (ASTM C1202):

60 V DC
Power
Supply

NaCl

Coulombs

Permeability Class

Typical of

>4000
4000-2000
2000-1000
1000-100
<100

High
Moderate
Low
Very Low
Negligible

w/c* > 0.5


w/c = 0.4 to 0.5
w/c < 0.4
Latex-modified concrete
Polymer concrete

Cl-

NaOH

*w/c = water-cement ratio


Alternatively, for the NT BUILD 492 migration test, the reservoir surrounding the negative terminal
contains a 10 % NaCl solution and the reservoir surrounding the positive terminal contains a 0.3N
NaOH solution. A 30 VDC potential is applied across the specimen, and the initial current is
measured. Based on the initial current, the test voltage and test duration are selected accordingly.
For example, if the initial current is between 120 and 180 mA, the test voltage is reduced to 15 VDC
and the test duration is 24 h, but if the initial current is less than 5 mA, the test voltage is 60 VDC
and test duration is 96 h. After the test is completed, the specimen is split, and the chloride ion
penetration is measured by spraying the split surface with a 0.1 M silver nitrate solution. From the
penetration depth and test conditions, the chloride ion migration coefficient is calculated.
The chloride diffusion coefficient can be determined directly by profile grinding (page 99) and testing
for chloride ion content after ponding with a NaCl solution, in accordance with NT BUILD 443
Concrete, Hardened: Accelerated Chloride Penetration or ASTM C1556 "Test Method for
Determining the Apparent Chloride Diffusion Coefficient of Cementitious Mixtures by Bulk
Diffusion." The required ponding period is at least 35 days. A correlation can be developed between
the chloride ion migration coefficient and the diffusion coefficient.
Accuracy and Variability
At 60 VDC, the accuracy of the PROOVEit microprocessor power supply is within 0.1 mA for a
current between 30 mA and 300 mA. The repeatability of the RCPT or Coulomb Test is reported to

101

PROOVEit
be about 12 % (ASTM C1202), and the repeatability of the migration test is reported to be about 9 %
(NT BUILD 492).
PROOVEit System Features
Windows-based software for testing and report
preparation
Computer controlled microprocessor power supply

Testing up to 8 cells simultaneously

Voltage settings of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 VDC


Programmable testing time as required

Temperature measurement and recording

Cyclic testing option for effect of curing duration


Measure concrete conductivity at 60 VDC in 1
minute
Predicted 6-h Coulomb value every 5 minutes
Documentation of each test result
Easy to assemble, simple to maintain, watertight
cells

A complete system composed of coring and slicing equipment, vacuum desiccator, vacuum pump,
watertight test cells, microprocessor power supply, and software are shown on the following page.
Testing Example

PROOVEit screen-shot after completion of 8 simultaneous tests according to ASTM C1202

Pointing with the mouse arrow on any of the windows will produce a pop-out window with
explanatory notes for that window. The Status line for the eight cells is either OFF, ON or FIN, as
shown after the tests have been completed. The Voltage-Actual line indicates the test voltage, and
the Current-Actual line indicates the instantaneous current during testing. The Temperature line
indicates the instantaneous temperature in the reservoir solutions during testing, and Elapsed
Time indicates the time since start-up of each cell. The Pred. Coulombs line indicates the
predicted Coulombs at 6 hours, which are estimated after every 5 minutes of testing. The Testing
time indicates the selected testing time, and the Specimen Diameter indicates the actual diameter
of the specimen. The Coulombs line indicates the measured Coulombs at any time during testing.
The last line shows the chloride ion permeability classification according to ASTM C1202, as
indicated on page 101. In arriving at the classification, the displayed Coulomb values are adjusted to
a standard specimen diameter of 95 mm, as required by ASTM C1202. As an example, cell number 3
containing a specimen with a diameter of 100 mm has been measured to have 2100 Coulombs.
Adjusted for a diameter of 95 mm, the Coulomb value is 1898 and, according ASTM C1202, the
permeability class is LOW and not MODERATE as evaluated from the measured Coulomb value.
102

PROOVEit
Sample Test Report
The following figure shows an example test report. In this case, the report is for Cell #2 shown on the
previous page. The top of the report summarizes the test result. The graph shows the measured
solution temperature () and current (), and the table shows the temperature and current at 5min intervals.

GI

The PROOVEit System

The PROOVEit system is shown with its main components: At the front is the PROOVEit
microprocessor power supply connected to one PROOVEit test cell.
Optional Items: At the back is the CEL-100 CORECASE for coring with an electric drill, a
diamond saw for trimming the core, a vacuum desiccator, and a vacuum pump.
Note: A computer is also required with the following minimum requirements: 75 MHz
Pentium, 32 MB RAM, 1.0 GB hard drive, and Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000 or XP.

103

PROOVEit
The PROOVEit Cells
Two types of cells are available, the PR-1000 cell and the PR-1100 cell, shown below. The PR-1000
cell is the standard cell. The PR-1100 is supplied with cooling fins, which are needed if the
temperature is required to be kept constant, as for example, for chloride ion migration testing using
the NT BUILD 492 test method.
The cell is sealed by tightening the four corner
bolts, which squeezes the gaskets against the
specimen.
The following gaskets are
different specimen diameters:
Specimen
Diameter

Ordering #

104 to 102 mm

PR-1010A

101 to 97 mm

PR-1010B

96 to 93 mm

PR-1010C

available

for

Two types of PROOVEit cells: standard PR-1000 cell


(left) and PR-1100 cell with cooling ribs (right)

The cells are supplied with PR-1010B gaskets, unless otherwise specified. The PR-1010B gaskets
match the 100-mm core diameter produced by the CEL-100 coring equipment (see page 29).
The PR-1055 Verification Unit
The PR-1055 verification unit is used to verify that
the microprocessor controlled power supply is
working properly. The unit is connected to line
power, 110 VAC or 220 VAC. Each channel of the
PROOVEit power supply is set up for testing at a
selected voltage and connected to the verification
unit. When the PROOVEit system is operating
properly, the Current-Actual indicated on the
computer screen (see page 102) should be within 30
mA 0.1 mA or 300 mA 0.1 mA for the two switch
settings on the verification unit.
PROOVEit Ordering Numbers*
Item

Order #

Item

Order #

PROOVEit cell, standard

PR-1000

Power cable for power supply 230 VAC

PR-1064

PROOVEit cell, with cooling ribs

PR-1100

Power cable for power supply 110 VAC

PR-1065

Red connecting cord

PR-1001

RS-232C serial cable for power supply

PR-1066

Black connecting cord

PR-1002

PROOVEit manual

PR-1090

Spare mesh for PROOVEit cell

PR-1003

Verification unit

PR-1055

Temperature probe

PR-1005

Vacuum desiccator for max.16 specimens

PR-1070

17 mm (2) wrenches for bolts

PR-1006

Vacuum pump, < 10 mm Hg (1.3 kPa)

PR-1081

300 mL bottle of 3.0 % NaCl solution

PR-1020

CORECASE for 100 mm cores

CEL-100

300 mL bottle of 0.3N NaOH solution

PR-1030

Drilling machine, 1150W

PROOVEit software for Windows

PR-1040

Diamond saw for trimming cores

PROOVEit power supply for 8 cells

PR-1050

*These

CC-29
PR-1060

items can be selected as needed to assemble a system to meet the purchaser's requirements.

104

PUNDIT
Purpose
The PUNDIT (Portable Ultrasonic Nondestructive Digital Indicating Tester) is used to measure the
propagation speed of a pulse of ultrasonic longitudinal stress waves. The ultrasonic pulse velocity
(UPV) that is determined can be used for the following applications:
Evaluating the uniformity of concrete within a structural member
Locating internal voids and cracks
Estimating severity of deterioration
Estimating depth of fire damaged concrete
Evaluating effectiveness of crack repairs
Identifying anomalous regions for invasive sampling with drilled cores
Estimating early-age strength (with correlation)
Principle

A pulse of ultrasonic (> 20 kHz) longitudinal stress waves is


introduced into one surface of a concrete member by a
transducer coupled to the surface with a coupling gel or grease.
The pulse travels through the concrete and is received by a
similar transducer coupled on the opposite surface. The transit
time of the pulse is determined by the instrument. The distance
between the transducers is divided by the transit time to obtain
the pulse velocity. The longitudinal pulse velocity, Cp, of an
elastic solid is a function of the elastic constants (modulus of
elasticity, E, and Poissons ratio, ) and the density, .

Cp =

E (1 )
(1 + )(1 2 )

The UPV test method is governed by various standards


including ASTM C597, BS 1881:203, and EN 12504-4. The test
method is totally nondestructive and it is possible to repeat the test at the same point at different
times to determine changes of UPV with time.
The figure to the right illustrates different conditions that may be
encountered when testing an element. At the top, the path between
the transducers is through solid concrete, and the travel time would
be the shortest. Below that is the case where there is an internal
pocket of porous concrete, such as honeycombed concrete. The pulse is
scattered as it travels though the contiguous portions of the
honeycombed concrete. As a result, the travel path is longer and the
pulse travel time is longer. This results in a reduced pulse velocity. In
the next case, the transducers are located so that the direct travel
path is near the edge of a crack. The pulse cannot travel across a
concrete-air interface, but it is able to travel from the transmitter to
the receiver by diffraction at the crack edge. Because the travel path
is longer than the distance between the transducers, the apparent
pulse velocity is lower than through sound concrete. In the lowermost
case, the pulse is reflected completely by the crack, and travel time is
not measurable.
Precision and Accuracy
The UPV test is highly repeatable. For tests of sound concrete, the
coefficient of variation for repeated measurements at the same
location is 2 %. The accuracy of the pulse velocity is a direct function
of the accuracy of the measured distance between the transducer
faces. The PUNDIT instruments have a transit time resolution of 0.1 s.
105

T = Transmitter
R = Receiver

PUNDIT
Two models are available: The PUNDIT Plus and the PUNDIT 7. Both instruments are capable of
investigating the structural integrity of concrete, ceramics and refractory, timber and other
materials. They include the following features:

Light, portable, rugged, simple to operate


Rechargeable battery and 110/240 VAC 50/60 Hz power supply
Large, highly visible LCD display
RS232 and oscilloscope outputs
Largest range of transducer options (24 kHz to 1 MHz)
Designed for laboratory or field operation

PUNDIT Plus
Key features:
Auto ranging transit time display; up to 9999 s
Programmable trigger rate
Wide range of pulse repetition frequency
Measure transit time, pulse velocity, and elastic
modulus
Three transmitter voltage options; 250 V, 500 V,
or 1.2 kV
Data transferrable to Excel spreadsheet

PUNDIT Plus Ordering Numbers


Item
PUNDIT Plus with data conversion software for
downloading to Excel
AC power cord
Two 54-kHz transducers (transmitter and receiver)
Two 3.7 m cables
Couplant (250 mL bottle)
Operating manual (CD ROM)

Order #
PP-1010
PP-1020
PP-1030
PP-1050
PP-1060
PP-1070

Optional
Attach case

PP-1080

PUNDIT 7
Key Features:
Auto ranging transit time display: up to 6.553 ms transit time
Signal level bar graph
On screen display of test settings
Remote control by PC through RS232 port
Four transmitter voltage options: 250 V, 500 V, 750 V, or 1 kV
Wide range of pulse repetition frequency, up to 100 Hz
Built-in rechargeable batteries
Auto detecting of AC power supply
Built-in handle also functions as stand for bench or field use

106

PUNDIT
PUNDIT 7 Ordering Numbers
Item
PUNDIT 7
AC power cord
Two 54-kHz transducers (transmitter and receiver)
Verification bar
Two 3 m cables and serial cable
Couplant (250 mL bottle)
Operating manual (CD-ROM)

Order #
P7-2010
P7-2020
P7-2030
P7-2040
P7-2050
P7-2060
P7-2070

Optional
Carrying case for easy use on-site

P7-2090

A range of amplifiers and attenuators are available to cover a variety of applications. Also, cables up to 30 m in
length can be ordered, along with different coupling fluids to suit various applications.

Optional Transducers
Transducers with resonant frequencies from 24 kHz to 1 MHz are available, including wheel probes
for continuous testing in the field or in a production environment. Use lower frequencies for large,
dense, and heterogeneous test objects and higher frequencies for smaller, less dense and more
homogeneous test objects. General guidelines are:
Concrete:
Timber:
Ceramics:

Order #
UTR24KHZ
UTR37KHZ
UTR54KHZ
UTR82KHZ
UTR150KHZ
UTR200KHZ
UTR220KHZ
UTR500KHZ
UTR1MHZ

24 to 150 kHz

Graphite:

200 kHz to 1 MHz

150 to 220 kHz

Cast iron:

1 MHz

24 to 220 kHz

Frequency
24 kHz
37 kHz
54 kHz
82 kHz
150 kHz
200 kHz
220 kHz
500 kHz
1 MHz

Nominal Dimensions
50 mm dia 96 mm long.
50 mm dia 50 mm long.
50 mm dia 38 mm long.
33 mm dia 34 mm long.
25 mm dia 34 mm long.
20 mm dia 34 mm long.
6 mm dia tip, 13 mm dia body, 60 mm long (including connector)
6 mm dia tip, 13mm dia body, 60 mm long (including connector)
15 mm dia 67 mm long (including connector).

Operating temperature range for transducers is 0 to 70 C.


A waterproofed option is available on the 24, 37, 54 kHz transducers by special order for applications requiring
use in wet conditions or immersion up to 1 m depth

107

RapidAir
Purpose
RapidAir is an image analysis system for automatic determination of the air content in hardened
concrete according to the linear traverse method in ASTM C457: Test Method for Microscopical
Determination of Parameters of the Air-Void System in Hardened Concrete.
The measured parameters of the air-void structure are total air content, spacing factor, and specific
surface.
Principle
A core is taken from the structure, sliced, ground, and lapped in the laboratory. The resulting
surface is plane, smooth, and with sharp edges along the perimeter of air voids. Before final
specimen preparation, the lapping quality is checked under a stereomicroscope.
The lapped surface is colored black with a hard stamp pad containing black ink. After heating the
specimen to 55 C, a white zinc paste is applied to the surface with a rubber spatula. The zinc paste
melts on the surface and flows into the voids.
After cooling to room temperature, excess paste is
removed from the surface with a straight, sharp
steel blade. The quality of the black-white contrast
is checked under a stereomicroscope. The voids
should be totally filled with white paste and no
white regions should be visible on the surface.
Finally, voids in aggregates and obvious cracks are
colored black under the stereomicroscope using a
black marking pen. The photo on the left shows a
properly prepared specimen.
The preparation of a well-lapped specimen surface
for analysis takes about 30 minutes. The RapidAir
measurement is done automatically in less than 17
minutes. This should be compared with a time of 4
to 6 hours normally required for manual analysis
using a light microscope in accordance with ASTM
C457.
Following contrast enhancement, the prepared
specimen is mounted on a moving X-Y-Z stage
positioned below a video camera.
The RapidAir control unit automatically
moves the stage, and the software determines
the portion of the total traverse length that
passes through the white air voids, as shown
in the magnified view to the right. After the
scan is completed, the air-void parameters are
determined in accordance with ASTM C457.
The specimen scan is saved automatically in a
report file documenting the air content,
spacing factor, and specific surface. In
addition, graphical presentation of the air-void
distribution and the raw data are available.

108

RapidAir

Prepared specimen positioned on the moveable stage


ready for image analysis.

Overall view of RapidAir system in operation.

Correlation with ASTM C457 and Precision


As reported in Pade, C., Jakobsen, U.H. and Elsen, J., A New Automatic Analysis System for
Analyzing the Air Void System in Hardened Concrete, International Cement Microscopy Association
Conference, San Diego, CA, USA, April 2002, very good agreement was found between the air-void
system parameters measured by the RapidAir system and by the ASTM C 457 standard method.
The study involved thirteen European laboratories. The standard deviations of the air-void
parameters determined by RapidAir were as follows:
Air content: 0.37 %
Specific surface: 1.57 mm-1
Spacing factor: 0.011 mm
-1

Spec. Surface by Rapid Air, mm

Air Content by Rapid Air, %

14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
0

10

12

14

50
40
30
20
10
0
0

Air Content by ASTM C 457, %

10

20

30

40

Spec. Surface by ASTM C 457, mm

Comparison between RapidAir and ASTM C457 determinations of air


content and specific surface

RapidAir Ordering Number


The RapidAir-3000 system shown to the
right comes as a complete system, ready to
plug in and operate, including PC with
software, control unit, and manual.
A one day course is offered separately by a
RapidAir specialist.

109

50
-1

RAT
Purpose
The RAT (Rapid Alkali Test) measures the amounts of sodium and potassium ions that may
contribute to alkali-silica reaction (ASR), which is harmful to concrete structures. The alkalies
(potassium and sodium ions) in the cement paste react with reactive (amorphous) silica particles in
fine or coarse aggregate and cause expansion and cracking, provided sufficient moisture is present.
To reduce the risk of ASR in new concrete structures, the quantity of sodium and potassium ions in
the cement paste of fresh concrete may be lowered so as not to exceed the critical limit defined in the
project specifications.
The RAT measures the amount of sodium and potassium ions in the fresh concrete or in its
constituents. The test may also be used for testing powder samples of hardened concrete.
Principle
A sample of the fresh concrete, or its constituents, is taken and mixed with specific amount of acid
extraction liquid. A calibrated set of electrodes, one for measuring the sodium ions and one for
measuring the potassium ions, is submerged into the solution and the corresponding electrode
readings (in mV) are taken.
The mV-readings are transformed directly into amount of Na2O and 0.658 x K2O in kg/m3 by means
of established calibration curves, and added together to give the equivalent amount of Na2O.
One test takes about 10 minutes to perform after the electrodes have been calibrated.
Similarly, for hardened concrete, a powder sample may be analyzed. Should aggregates containing
reactive material need to be excluded, a core is taken, the core is fractured, and the aggregate
particles are removed. The remaining material is then pulverized and analyzed.
Correlation with Other Methods and Variability
The graph shows the correlation between alkali contents determined by flame photometry and RAT,
for tests performed on the same solutions prepared from different concrete mixtures. The solutions
were prepared by acid extraction of the alkalies.
The correlation coefficient for these results is 0.97 and the alkali contents determined by RAT are
within 5 % of the values determined by flame photometry.

RAT, kg/m

1.5

1.0

0.5
Sodium
Potassium
0.0
0

0.5

Flame Photometry, kg/m

110

1.5
3

RAT
Testing Example
10.0

1.0

Equiv. Na Content, kg/m

Sodium
Potassium

0.1
-40

-20

20

40

60

80

100

Electrode Voltage, mV

Calibration of the electrodes is performed on the three calibration liquids producing typical
calibration curves as indicated above. The concrete sample is dissolved in the extraction liquid, and
the electrodes are submerged into the solution. In this example, the mV-reading for the Na+ electrode
is 12.0 mV and for the K+ electrode it is 18.9 mV. The corresponding amounts of equivalent Na20 are
0.46 kg/m3 and 1.40 kg/m3, respectively. Adding these values gives an equivalent Na2O content of
1.86 kg/m3.
The RAT-1000 Kit and Ordering Numbers

RAT-2030
Calibration
liquids

RAT-2032
Vials for
fresh
concrete

RAT-2023
Vials for
hardened
concrete

Item
K+ electrode
Spare cover for K+ electrode
Na+ electrode
Spare cover for Na+ electrode
Reference electrode
Holster for electrodes
Electrometer w. spare battery
Adaptor switch box
Wetting agent for K+ electrode
Wetting agent for Na+ electrode
Wetting agent for ref. electrode
Set of filling syringes, three
Spray bottle with distilled water
Calibration liquid # 1
Calibration liquid # 2
Calibration liquid # 3
Cleaning tissues
Calibration sheets, 30 pcs
Data sheets, 30 pcs
Pencils (black and red) and ruler
Spatula, 5 pcs
Safety goggles
Rubber gloves
Mixing container
Sampling cup for fresh concrete
Plastic lid with holes for electrodes
Temperature probe
Manual

111

Order #
RAT-700
RAT-701
RAT-800
RAT-801
RAT-900
RAT-910
RAT-950
RAT-960
RAT-970
RAT-980
RAT-990
RAT-1005
RAT-1010
RAT-1020
RAT-1030
RAT-1040
RAT-1050
RAT-1060
RAT-1070
RAT-1080
RAT-1090
RAT-1100
RAT-1110
RAT-1120
RAT-1130
RAT-1140
RAT-1150
RAT-1160

RCT and RCTW


Purpose
The RCT and RCTW systems are used to accurately and quickly determine the chloride ion content
from powder samples of concrete obtained on-site or in the laboratory. The test results can be used
for:
Establishing the chloride ion profile for service life estimation
Establishing the depth of removal of a chloride ion contaminated surface layer
Diagnosing a structure for corrosion activity, in combination with other test systems such the
Mini Great Dane, the GalvaPulse, and the Rainbow Indicator
Monitoring the chloride ion content during electrochemical removal of chlorides
Measuring the chloride ion content of fresh concrete or its constituents
Principle
A powder sample of hardened concrete is obtained by drilling or grinding from the structure, or a
sample is obtained from the fresh concrete. The sample is mixed into a distinct amount of extraction
liquid and shaken for five minutes. The extraction liquid removes disturbing ions, such as sulfide
ions, and extracts the chloride ions in the sample.
A calibrated electrode is submerged into the solution to determine the amount of chloride ion, which
is expressed as percentage of concrete mass.
Two extraction methods are used:

The RCT (Rapid Chloride Test) is used to determine the amount of acid-soluble chlorides
The RCTW (Rapid Chloride Test Water) is used to determine the amount of water-soluble
chlorides
The two methods use different kinds of extraction liquids. The type of method to use will depend on
the specification criteria for maximum allowable chloride ion content in either hardened or fresh
concrete.
Accuracy
Numerous correlations have been made between RCT test results and chloride ion content
determined by standard laboratory potentiometric titration methods such as AASHTO T 260, ASTM
C114, DS 423.28 or NS 3671. The following graph shows the results of such correlations made by
various laboratories in the Scandinavian countries and in the U.S.

% Cl per Concrete Mass


Potentiometric Titration

0.25
0.20
0.15
FHWA
DTI, Denmark
Swedish Cement and Concrete Institute
Norwegian Concrete Technology
Swedish State Testing Institute
Danish Road Directorate

0.10
0.05
0.00
0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

0.20

% Cl per Concrete Mass - RCT


112

0.25

RCT and RCTW


In one comparison, the Swedish National Testing Institute produced concrete powders containing
known amount of chloride ion introduced into the concrete by diffusion. The concretes were made
with different binders as illustrated in the table below. Parallel testing was done in accordance with,
AASHTO T 260 and with the RCT system. The RCT readings were taken after the powder samples
were kept in the extraction liquid overnight to obtain full extraction of acid-soluble chlorides.
Alternatively, if the result is obtained after 5 minutes of shaking of the vial, a correction factor has to
be applied to the measured chloride ion content.
The following table compares the known chloride ion content with the values determined by the RCT
and by AASHTO T 260.
% Cl per Mass of Concrete
Known Amount
Portland Cement
(CEM I)
Fly Ash Cement
(CEM II/B-V)
Slag Cement
(CEM III/B)

AASHTO T 260

0.023
0.071
0.328
0.020
0.057
0.244
0.020
0.056
0.244

RCT

0.024
0.070
0.314
0.019
0.052
0.229
0.019
0.052
0.231

0.022
0.072
0.321
0.019
0.061
0.238
0.019
0.059
0.238

The accuracy of the RCT results compared with the known amount of chlorides is as good as with
the AASHTO T 260 potentiometric titration method. The average deviation of the RCT results from
the known amount of chlorides is within 4 %.
For repeated testing with the RCT on the same concrete powder, the coefficient of variation of test
results is on average 5 %.
The precision and accuracy of the RCTW test for water-soluble chlorides is similar to RCT results.
Testing Examples
Examples of chloride ion profiles
measured with the RCT are illustrated on
pages 99 and 100.

0.7

% Cl per Concrete Mass

The graph to the right show two other


profiles that were obtained from on-site
profile grinding on a highway bridge
column exposed to deicing salts for 4
years. Concrete powder samples were
obtained at depth increments of 1 to 2 mm
and were analyzed for acid-soluble
chlorides with the RCT and for watersoluble chlorides with the RCTW. The
depth of carbonation was measured to be 2
mm using the Rainbow Indicator,
corresponding to the initial peaks of the
chloride ion profiles obtained.

0.8

0.6

RCTW
RCT

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
0

10

20

30

Depth, mm

113

40

50

RCT and RCTW


RCT and RCTW Ordering Numbers
Item

Order #

RCT chloride electrode


Electrometer for mV, pH and C
Electrode wetting agent, 80 mL, w. spout
Distilled water, spray bottle
Polishing strips for electrode
Plastic bags for powder sampling
Powder collecting bowl
Powder collecting pan, circular
Powder collecting square w. clip
Adjustable pliers
Set of anchoring tools
Mandrel
Hammer
Powder compression pin
Powder weighing ampoules, 6 pcs
Calibration liquid, 0.005 % Cl
Calibration liquid, 0.020 % Cl
Calibration liquid, 0.050 % Cl
Calibration liquid, 0.500 % Cl
Cleaning tissues
Calibration sheets for hardened concrete
Calibration sheets for fresh concrete
Rubber ball dust remover
Pencil and ruler
Measuring tape
Extraction vials, hardened concrete, 10 pcs
Manual
RCT calibrations and applications, binder
Attach case

RCT-770
RCT-990
RCT-1000
RCT-1001
RCT-1002
RCT-1003
RCT-1004
RCT-1005
RCT-1006
RCT-1007
RCT-1008
RCT-1009
RCT-1010
RCT-1011
RCT-1012
RCT-1013
RCT-1014
RCT-1015
RCT-1016
RCT-1017
RCT-1018
RCT-1019
RCT-1020
RCT-1021
RCT-1022
RCT-1023
RCT-1024
RCT-1025
RCT-1026

RCT-5000

The manual included in the RCT-500 kit covers testing for acid and water-soluble chlorides in
hardened as well as in fresh concrete. Separately delivered is a binder (RCT-1100) with 15 years of
testing experience, including advanced theory for chloride diffusion modeling.
Extra Parts

RCT-1030 set of calibration liquids

RCT-1000-1 electrode wetting agent

RCT-1032 mixing container and


cup

It is recommended to always have an extra set of clean RCT-1030 calibration liquids to ensure that
the chloride electrode is working properly should deviations occur from the usual obtained
calibration curve. The RCT-1000-1 EWA (electrode wetting agent) contains 300 mL of liquid for
refilling of the RCT-1000 EWA bottle, which has a spout that fits into the electrode hole. The RCT1032 mixing container and cup is for testing samples of fresh concrete.
114

RCT and RCTW


Consumables
Extraction liquids for RCT testing for acid-soluble chlorides in hardened concrete or fresh concrete:

RCT-1023 vials, set of 25, for testing


hardened concrete

RCT-1031 vials, set of 4, for testing


fresh concrete

Extraction liquids for RCTW testing for water-soluble chlorides in hardened concrete or fresh
concrete:

RCTW-1023-1 vials, set of 25,


RCTW-1023-2 buffer vials, set of 25,
for testing hardened concrete

RCTW-1031-1 vials, set of 4,


RCTW-1031-2 buffer vials, set of 4, for
testing fresh concrete

Optional items
RCT-1027 Certified Reference Powders
Nine jars, each containing 70 grams of concrete powder,
with known amounts of chlorides and titrated according
to AASHTO T 260
Known amounts of Cl
Portland cement
0.023 %
0.071 %
0.328 %
Fly ash cement
0.020 %
0.057 %
0.244 %
Slag cement
0.020 %
0.056 %
0.244 %
*According to ENV- 197-1
Cement type*

RCT-1028 pH-electrode

RCT-1029 temperature probe

RCT-995 the 1.5 g balance for


checking the powder weighing
ampoules supplied in the RCT-500 kit

115

sMASH
Purpose
For a long time, users of NDT systems have wished for a rapid,
easy to use method for rapid screening of the integrity of
structures. The sMASH impulse-response test system fulfills
this wish. The idea is to quickly screen a structure for flaws
and identify suspect areas for subsequent detailed analysis,
e.g. by the impact-echo test (using the DOCter), pulse-echo
testing (with MIRA or EyeCon), or by invasive inspection with
drilled cores (using CORECASE).
With the sMASH, rapid evaluation can be conducted for:
Detecting voids beneath concrete slabs in highways,
spillways and floors
Detecting the curling of slabs
Evaluating anchoring systems of wall panels
Locating delaminations and honeycombing in bridge decks,
slabs, walls and large structures such as dams, chimney
stacks and silos
Detecting the presence of damage due to freezing and thawing
Detecting the presence of alkali-silica reaction (ASR)
Detecting debonding of asphalt and concrete overlays and repair patches from concrete
substrates
Evaluating the effectiveness of load transfer system in transmitting stresses across joints in
concrete structures
Principle
The sMASH uses a low-strain impact, produced by an instrumented rubber tipped hammer, to send
stress waves through the tested element. The impact causes the element to vibrate in a bending
mode and a velocity transducer, placed adjacent to the impact point, measures the amplitude of the
response. The hammer load cell and the velocity transducer are linked to a portable field computer
with sMASH software for data acquisition, signal processing and storage.
The time histories of the hammer force and the measured response velocity are transformed into the
frequency domain using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm. The resultant velocity spectrum
is divided by the force spectrum, to obtain the mobility as a function of frequency. An example of
such a mobility plot is given below for a solid concrete member. Mobility is expressed in units of
velocity per unit force, such as (m/s)/N.
-7

2.5 x 10

Average mobility
-7

Mobility (m/s)/N

2.0 x 10

-7

1.5 x 10

-7

1.0 x 10

-8

5.0 x 10

1
K

dyn

= Dynamic stiffness = 0.48 MN/mm

0.0
0

100

200

300

400

500

Frequency, Hz

116

600

700

800

sMASH

3.0 10

-6

2.5 10

-6

Void below slab


2.0 10

-6

1.5 10

-6

1.0 10

-6

5.0 10

-7

Mobility, (m/s)/N

Mobility, (m/s)/N

The parameters from the mobility plot that are used for integrity evaluation are:
The dynamic stiffness (the inverse of initial the slope of the mobility plot, the blue line in
previous figure;
The average mobility (dotted blue line in previous figure);
The mobility slope between 100 to 800 Hz; and
The voids ratio (the ratio of the amplitude of the initial mobility peak to the average mobility)

Good support

0.0

1 10

-5

8 10

-6

6 10

-6

4 10

-6

2 10

-6

Honeycombed concrete

Solid concrete

0
0

100

200

300

400

500

600

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

Frequency, Hz

Frequency, Hz

Examples of mobility plots for different types of flaws are shown above. The figure on the left
compares the mobility plot for a slab-on-ground with a void below the slab with the mobility plot for
a slab with uniform support. The voids ratio is the ratio of the amplitude of the peak to the average
mobility of the slab with good support. The figure on the right figure compares the mobility plot of a
honeycombed region in a silo wall with the mobility plot of properly consolidated concrete.
Honeycombed concrete is typically associated with a high mobility slope (the dashed lines).
Testing is performed on a grid marked on the surface of the structure. The sMASH software
constructs color contour plots of the various parameters, from which it is easy to identify anomalous
regions of the structure that merit detailed investigation. This is done on-site after the testing has
been completed, producing immediate information of the presence of anomalies.
Testing Examples
Shown on the right is the result of one test as
displayed on the computer with the sMASH
software. The top left window is the force-time
curve obtained from the impact of the
instrumented hammer. The top right window
shows the velocity-time curve obtained from the
geophone in contact with the concrete surface.
The figure in the lower window is the mobility
plot obtained from the previous two waveforms.
The bottom of the display shows the various
parameters calculated from the mobility plot.

117

sMASH
Below is the contour plot of the average mobility from sMASH tests performed on the soffit of a
bridge slab that was suspected of containing delaminations. Tests were performed on a 1 1 m grid.
Based on the contour plot, cores were drilled at three locations: (1) a region of low mobility, (2) a
region of intermediate mobility, and (3) a region of high mobility. The cores confirmed that low
mobility corresponded to a sound slab and higher mobility corresponded to the presence of
delaminations.
0-4

4-8

8-12

12-16

16-20

The midle lane

S10
S9

S7

The outer lane

S6
S5
S4

Testpoint/meter

S8

Centrestrip

S3
S2
S1
20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10

Testpoint/meter

Testing Applications

Testing for voids behind tunnel lining

Testing for honeycombing in slip-formed silo

118

sMASH

Testing for delaminations in dam spillway

Testing for tightness of joints of concrete tank

Testing for honeycombing and delaminations in bridge


piers

Testing for cracking and debonding of limestone


cladding

Testing for anchoring quality of granite panels in highrise building

Testing for internal cracking and debonding of


terracotta cladding

119

sMASH
sMASH Ordering Numbers
sMASH-4000 Instrument Case
Item

Order #

Instrumented hammer

sMASH-4000-10

Calibration certificate for hammer

sMASH-4000-20

Rubber tip for regular testing

sMASH-4000-30

Aluminum tip for pile testing

sMASH-4000-40

Transducer for 360 testing

sMASH-4000-50

Calibration certificate for horizontal


transducer

sMASH-4000-60

Belt box with 3 m cable

sMASH-4000-90

Manual

sMASH-4000-100

Attach case

sMASH-4000-110

The instrumented hammer and the transducers need to be calibrated once a year.
sMASH-4000 Computer Case
Item

Order #

Computer with Windows, Excel, and


sMASH software installed

sMASH-4000-200

sMASH software, CD-ROM

sMASH-4000-210

Amplifier box

sMASH-4000-220

Protection shield for connecting cable

sMASH-4000-230

110-220V AC adaptor with cords

sMASH-4000-240

Attach case

sMASH-4000-250

The amplifier box can also be used for DOCter impact-echo


testing, for spectral analysis of surface waves (SASW) testing, as
well as for parallel seismic testing.

A two-day training course is offered separately. The course covers the theoretical background of
impulse-response testing, the testing methodology, testing cases from a variety of structures and
hands-on training on testing with the sMASH.

120

STEPPER
Purpose
The STEPPER is an automated impact-echo test system for increasing the speed of testing. It is
especially suited when large areas need to be tested with close spacing between test points, such as
for:
Locating voids in grouted tendon ducts
Accurate assessment of regions of delamination or honeycombing
Principle
Manual impact-echo testing, such as by using the DOCter system, can be time consuming when test
points need to be closely spaced because the defects to be detected are small or an accurate
assessment is desired of the extent of internal defects. The STEPPER permits automated impactecho testing along a given scan line. As shown, a DOCter impact-echo receiver is attached to a cart
that moves automatically from test point to test point. The spacing between test points can be as
small as 20 mm. A pneumatic system is used to activate two spherical impactors: a small impactor
provides high frequency input for locating small, near surface defects and a larger impactor provides
for deeper penetration to identify the back face of the test object.

The STEPPER unit contains an


electrical drive system for automated
scanning and a pneumatic system for
automated testing

A close up view of the DOCter


transducer and one of the two
spherical impactors

As the STEPPER moves along a scan line, data are


automatically recorded for subsequent post processing by
software developed at the Federal Institute for Materials
Research and Testing (BAM). The software analyzes the
data and provides a 2-D image that shows the depth of
reflecting interface as a function of distance along the
scan line (known as a B-scan). An example of such an
image is shown on page 123.
To further increase the rate of testing, the STEPPER
can be augmented with an array attachment for five
DOCter transducers as shown to the left. With the
array attachment, testing can be done simultaneously
along five scan lines.

121

STEPPER
Scanning Frames
The STEPPER is suited for automated impact-echo testing on horizontal surfaces. When testing
needs to be done on a vertical surface or on a soffit (overhead surface), special frames are available to
support the impact-echo test unit and carry out an automated scan of the test area. A scanning
frame is composed of a longitudinal track that is fixed to the test surface and a transverse track that
travels along the longitudinal track. An impact-echo unit is attached to the transverse track and
travels in discrete steps from test point to test point. When a transverse scan is completed, the
longitudinal drive moves the transverse track to the next scan line and the scan is repeated. Thus
tests are completed automatically on a grid of test points. The grid points can be as close as 10 mm.
Longitudinal drive

Fixed track

Transducer/Impactor

Transverse drive

Plan View

Scanning frames can be attached to surfaces by anchor bolts or they can be held in place with a
vacuum attachment system. The vacuum attachment system is typically faster to install, but as a
safety precaution the scanner needs to be secured with cables or chains.
The vertical wall scanner that is anchored to the surface has a 1.7 m limit for the transverse scan,
but the longitudinal scan is not limited to any specific distance. For the vacuum system, the scan
limits are 1.4 m in one direction and 1.6 m in the perpendicular direction.
The 2-D scanning system requires two computers. One computer is used to control the movement of
the longitudinal and transverse drives. The other computer is for data acquisition and data
processing.
For a grid spacing of 50 mm, the rate of testing is about 1 m2/h and it takes about 1 h to process the
data for each m2 of testing.
Testing Examples

Vertical wall scanner system attached to web of posttensioned bridge

122

Vacuum scanner attached to soffit of post-tensioned


bridge

STEPPER
Impact-Echograms
The large number of data obtained during a 2-D impact-echo scan can be used to generate images of
the internal structure of the test object, known as impact-echograms. The technique is illustrated
in the schematic below on the left. For each scan line, each amplitude spectrum is replaced by a dash
at each peak in the spectrum. The amplitude of the peak is indicated by grayscale. When these
dashes are placed next to each other, the result is a cross-sectional image of the reflecting interface
(or a B-scan). A lower frequency corresponds to a deeper reflector as indicated by the basic impactecho equation shown on page 41. Alternatively, a plan view can be obtained for a selected frequency
(or depth). This is called a C-scan and shows the extent of reflectors that are present at the selected
depth. This analogous to a slice in a medical tomogram.
0.2 m

0.3 m
1.0 m

1.5 m

1.5 m

Example of a cross-sectional image (B-scan) created by


processing impact-echo data along a scan line. The test object
was a concrete slab with an irregular cross section as shown
above. The resulting impact-echogram shows correctly the
varying thickness of the slab. The low frequency peak at
about 2 kHz is an artifact of the transducer.

STEPPER Ordering Numbers

Scanning Frames Ordering Numbers

Item
STEPPER drive unit, including
pneumatic system

Order #
STEP-1000

Adapter for single transducer


Mark IV DOCter transducer

STEP-1010
DOC-50

12 V Battery

STEP-1020

BAM software

STEP-1030

Optional Items
Array attachment for 5 Mark IV
transducers

STEP-1040

Four additional Mark IV transducers


Software for transducer array

STEP-1050
STEP-1060

Item
Vertical wall scanner frame
including X and Y drive motors ,
motor controllers, and pneumatic
system
Adapter for transducer
Computer and software for
controlling frame (specify Linux or
Windows)
Computer and software for data
acquisition and data processing
Optional Items
Vacuum scanner frame: X and Y
drive motors, controllers, and
vacuum plates
Vacuum pump

123

Order #
STEP-1070

STEP-1080
STEP-1090
STEP-1100

STEP-1110
STEP-1120

Surfer
Purpose
Surfer is a compact hand-held instrument for measuring the
propagation speed of a pulse of ultrasonic longitudinal stress
waves. The instrument incorporates two dry-point-contact (DPC)
transducers that are brought into contact with the surface of the
test object. Thus ultrasonic pulse velocity can be measured without
having access to opposite sides of the test object. Surfer can be
used for the following applications:
Assessment of concrete uniformity
Estimation of the extent and severity of deterioration of nearsurface concrete
Evaluate flexural strength of stone panels using correlations
Evaluation of damage to test specimens during durability
testing (freezing and thawing, sulfate attack, alkali-silica
reaction)
Estimation of depth of surface-opening cracks
Estimation of early-age strength development (with correlation)
Principle
Surfer is based on measuring the time it takes for a pulse of longitudinal stress waves (P-waves) to
travel from one transducer to another on the same surface. The nominal distance between the
transducers is 150 mm. Because point transducers are used, the wave pulse travels away from the
transmitting transducer along a spherical wavefront. When the
wavefront arrives at the receiving transducer, a signal is generated.
The instrument measures the pulse transit time from transmitter to
receiver, and computes the pulse velocity using the known distance
between transducers. The transducers are designed to work without
a coupling material (grease or gel). In contrast with traditional pulse
velocity instruments, which are based on through transmission,
Surfer measures the wave speed in the near-surface concrete. Thus
it is not necessary to have access to opposite sides of the test object.
Because there is no cabling, no coupling fluid, and no need to
measure the distance between transducers, measurements can be
made rapidly within 2 to 3 seconds.
Method of operation
There are two modes of operation:

Measurement of transit time and pulse velocity


Measurement of depths of surface-opening cracks

Before making transit time measurements, the menu system and keypad are used to set up the
instrument, which includes entering the exact distance between the transducers. The instrument
includes an liquid crystal display (LCD) that can be set up to display transit time or pulse velocity.
After the set-up parameters have been entered, the transducers
are pressed against the concrete surface with a force between 50 to
100 N (10 to 20 lb). The device will self-activate and begin taking
measurements. The transducers need to be perpendicular to the
surface and a steady pressure needs to be maintained to obtain
accurate and consistent measurements.
When making measurements in reinforced concrete, a
reinforcement locator (see page 33) should be used to establish the
locations of the reinforcement. Orient the Surfer so that the
longitudinal axis is not aligned parallel to the direction of the
reinforcement. The sketch to the right shows acceptable and
124

Surfer
unacceptable positioning of the Surfer. If the device is aligned close to and parallel to the
reinforcement, the stress pulse will refract into the reinforcement and a short transit time will be
measured.
Surfer can also be used to measure the depths of surface-opening
cracks. When the stress pulse reaches the tip of a surface-opening
crack, the stress pulse is diffracted by the crack tip. The diffracted
pulse travels away from the crack tip and is detected by the
receiver. Because the crack increases the length of the travel path
from transmitter to receiver, the transmit time will be greater
than when no crack is present. Crack depth is determined by
making two transit time measurements. The first one is made with
the transducers aligned parallel to the crack, and the second one is
made with the transducers perpendicular to the crack. For the
second measurement, the crack should be at the midpoint between
the transducers. Surfer uses these transit times and the distance
between the transducers to calculate the crack depth:

L
d=
2

tc

tp

Where L is the distance between the transducers, tp is the transit time parallel to the crack, and tc is
the transit time with transducers perpendicular to the crack. The LCD will indicate the two transit
times and the calculated crack depth. The crack depth measurement range is 10 to 50 mm. The
following summarizes the process:

Measure transit time (tp)


parallel to crack

Measure transit time (tc) across


crack

Display of transit times and


crack depth

To use Surfer to estimate early-age strength


development of concrete, a relationship needs to be
established between concrete strength and pulse
velocity. Such a relationship can be established by
making pulse velocity measurements on standard
strength test specimens and then testing the
specimens for strength. The resulting data can be
used to develop a regression equation to represent
the relationship between concrete strength and
pulse velocity. Refer to ACI 228.1R (In-Place
Methods to Estimate Concrete Strength) for
guidance on developing and using the strength
relationship.

125

Surfer
Because the modulus of elasticity is proportional to the square of the pulse velocity (see page 105),
Surfer can be used as an alternative to resonant frequency testing to monitor deterioration of
specimens used in standard durability tests, such as freezing and thawing. In such tests, the
decrease in the dynamic modulus of elasticity is used as an indicator of deterioration. The elastic
modulus ratio is equal to the square of the pulse velocity ratio:

En Vn
=
Ei Vi

Where Vi and Ei are the initial values of pulse velocity and modulus of elasticity; and Vn and En are
the values of pulse velocity and modulus of elasticity after exposure to the test conditions.
Surfer Specifications
Dry point contact, longitudinal-wave transducers with ceramic wearing tips
50 kHz center frequency
Battery operated (3 AA batteries required)
LCD with backlighting
Transit time range: 15 to 100 s
Transit time measurement accuracy: 1 %
Crack depth measurement range: 10 to 50 mm
Pulse repetition frequency: 5 to 20 Hz
Operating temperature range: -20 to 45 C
Storage capacity: 4000 results
Metric and inch-pound units
Data transfer to computer
Surfer Ordering Numbers
Item

Order #

Hand-held unit with soft carrying case

SUR-1001

Plastic plate for operational check

SUR-1002

Cable for connection to PC

SUR-1003

Software on CD-ROM

SUR-1004

User manual

SUR-1005

126

TORQ-TEST
Purpose
The TORQ-TEST is used to evaluate the shear strength of
Surface concrete
The bond between carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets or strips and concrete
The bond between an overlay and concrete
Principle
A disc with an integral ring, 55-mm inner diameter and 75-mm outer diameter, is bonded to the
surface using a rapid curing adhesive (GRA) and is used to impart shearing stress to the test surface.
For tests of bare concrete, the surface should be prepared first with a diamond grinding tool to
produce a flat surface and to expose the coarse aggregate. Before bonding the ring, a special doublebarrel coring bit is used to produce partial cores as illustrated below. The coring bit diameters match
the inner and outer diameters of the ring.
12

Shear Strength, MPa

10

55 mm

8
6
4
2
0
0

75 mm

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Peak Force, kN

After the adhesive has cured, a torque is applied to the ring until rupture occurs due to shearing
stress. The torque is applied with a special torque housing that is anchored to the surface. The
loading is accomplished with one of the pull machines used for the CAPO-TEST, as shown on page
23. The load from the pull machine is applied eccentrically to the torque housing, thus producing a
torsional moment.
The peak force is recorded and is converted to a shear strength using the provided conversion
relationship, as shown above (right).
Additional information can be found in the following reference:
Petersen, C.G. and Poulsen, E., In-Situ Testing of Near-to-Surface Layer of Concrete and Epoxy-Bonded CFRP
Strips, US-Canada-Europe Workshop on Bridge Engineering, Zrich, Switzerland, 1997.

Variation
The coefficient of variation of replicate test results is about 10 % on concrete with a maximum
aggregate size of 38 mm.

127

TORQ-TEST
Testing Example
Rupture
surface
Pull machine

Torque
housing

Testing with the TORQ-TEST on a bridge girder before application of CFRP strips

The TORQ-TEST Equipment and Ordering Numbers


TORQ-800 kit
Item
Torque housing with eccentric loading
Torque discs, 6 pcs
Steel brush
GRA glue, box
Set of anchoring tools, 8 mm
Anchors, 8 mm, 20 pcs
Emery cloth
Rubber ball dust remover
Hammer
Manual

Order #
TORQ-810
TORQ-820
TORQ-830
B-11060
TORQ-850
TORQ-860
TORQ-870
TORQ-880
TORQ-890
TORQ-900

Attach case

TORQ-910

C-104 CAPO-TEST Pull Machine Kit


As shown on page 23, consisting of:
Item
Hydraulic pull machine with electronic
gauge, 0-100 kN, 0.1 kN digital division
AMIGAS printout software
Cable for printout
Oil refilling cup
Oil refilling bottle
Large screwdriver
Small screwdriver
Calibration table
Manual
Attach case

Order #
L-11-1
L-13
L-14
L-24
L-25
C-149
C-157
TORQ-920
TORQ-930
TORQ-940

The twin drill bit for partial coring (Order # TORQ-950)


is used with the CS-75 CORECASE, page 29.

128

NDT-Titans

www.NDT-Titans.com

The NDT-Titans is an international group of testing experts providing professional


services in nondestructive testing (NDT) of concrete and related subjects.
The NDT-Titans have on average more than 25 years of experience with NDT systems and their
applications. The NDT-Titans are academics, consultants, and researchers, all with a practical
background in testing. They have invented, researched and developed many of the systems covered
in this catalog. They are involved on a day-to-day basis with NDT in major consulting and testing
companies or educational and research institutions. The NDT-Titans are members of relevant ACI,
ASTM, and European standards-development committees.
The NDT-Titans offer the following services to clients on a worldwide basis:
1. General NDT seminars
The seminars are tailored to the clients specific needs, e.g., in relation to:

Durability
Safely loading of structures at early ages
Quality control of finished structure
Upgrading of structures
Locating flaws in dubious structures
Estimating remaining service life
Quality assurance of repairs
Monitoring of structures

The seminars deal with NDT systems in general, outlining the properties measured with the various
systems, the background of the test systems, their benefit(s), their limitations, and the costs. Typical
testing cases are illustrated for each of the categories mentioned above.
2. NDT training courses
There are courses for each of the following subjects and NDT systems:

Chloride penetration into concrete; the Profile Grinder and RCT/RCTW


Evaluation of resistance to chloride penetration with PROOVEit and Merlin
Air-void analyses of fresh concrete with the AVA
Rheology of fresh concrete using the ICAR Rheometer
Simulation of temperatures and stresses during hardening of a structure with Be4Cast software
Testing for accelerated construction schedules with the LOK-TEST and COMA-Meter for inplace compressive strength
Testing of the near-to-surface properties for resistance to chloride penetration, strength, and
water permeation with the PROOVEit, the CAPO-TEST and the GWT
Upgrading of structures, testing for strength with CAPO-TEST and depth/size of reinforcement
with the CoverMaster
Quick screening of flaws in structures and testing for depth of piles with the sMASH impulseresponse system
Thickness measurement and location of flaws with the DOCter impact-echo test system, and
with the EyeCon and MIRA pulse-echo systems
Pavement thickness measurement and dowel bar locations with Eddy-Thick and Eddy-Dowel
Testing for corrosion activity and service life calculations using GalvaPulse and RCT/RCTW
Testing of repairs with DOCter, BOND-TEST, and GalvaPulse
Testing with TORQ-TEST and DSS-TEST when using CFRP-strips for structural
strengthening

129

www.NDT-Titans.com

NDT-Titans

3. Implementation Support
Support is provided during initial planning and implementation of the NDT systems on a particular
project. Such support is typically related to:

Contract specifications and procedures


Discussion of the testing problem for a specific type of structure
Selecting the proper test system(s) and choosing the correct settings and/or hardware
Developing correlations and analysis of the test results
Planning of the testing, interpretation of the test results and methods of verification
On-site assistance during implementation of test system(s)
Transfer of data and installation of additional software
Experience with similar structures

4. Testing with NDT methods


The NDT-Titans can participate in the testing on a specific job, either by offering training for the
client in the correct application of the NDT system and the interpretation of the test results, or by
providing testing services.
Examples of Activities by the NDT-Titans Team

General NDT seminar, Mumbai, India

On-site DOCter training prior to testing

General NDT seminar, Poland

sMASH seminar, USA

DOCter training course, Beijing, China

General NDT seminar, Iran

AVA training for Pennsylvania DOT


personnel USA

On-site LOK-TEST training for early


removal of formwork, UK

Training seminar on use of DOCter


impact-echo system, Denmark

130

GERMANN INSTRUMENTS A/S


Emdrupvej 102, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
Phone: +45 39 67 71 17, Fax +45 39 67 31 67
E-mail: germann-eu@germann.org Web site: www.germann.org
Claus Germann Petersen
President

GERMANN INSTRUMENTS, Inc.


8845 Forest View Road, Evanston, Illinois 60203, USA
Phone: (847) 329-9999, Fax: (847) 329-8888
E-mail: germann@germann.org Web Site: www.germann.org
Mariana Lara
Vice- President

GI
Rev. 4-5-10

Test smart - Build right

GI

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