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Session 1621

A Regression Model Predicting the Compressive Strength of Concrete by Means of Non-Destructive, Acoustic Measures

Paul Woods, Zeena Pinto, and Richard Burt Texas A&M University / Clark Construction / Texas A&M University

INTRODUCTION

Concrete differs from other construction materials in that it can be made from an infinite combination of suitable materials and that its final properties are dependent on the treatment after it arrives at the job site. The efficiency of consolidation and effectiveness of curing procedures are critical for attaining the full potential of a concrete mixture1. While concrete is noted for its durability, it is susceptible to a range of environmental degradation factors, which can limit its service life. There has always been a need for test methods to measure the in-situ properties of concrete for quality assurance and for evaluation for existing conditions. Ideally, these methods should be non-destructive so that they do not impair the function of the structure and permit re- testing at the same locations to evaluate changes in properties with time.

The standard method of evaluating the quality of concrete in buildings or structures is to test specimens cast simultaneously for compressive, flexural and tensile strengths. The main disadvantages are that results are not obtained immediately; that concrete in specimens may differ from that in the actual structure as a result of different curing and compaction conditions; and that strength properties of a concrete specimen depend on its size and shape.

Although there can be no direct measurement of the strength properties of structural concrete for a reason that strength determination involves destructive stresses, several non- destructive methods of assessment have been developed. These depend on the fact that certain physical properties of concrete can be related to strength and can be measured by non-destructive methods. Such properties include hardness, resistance to penetration by projectiles, rebound capacity and ability to transmit ultrasonic pulses and X- and Y-rays. These non-destructive methods may be categorized as penetration tests, rebound tests, pull-out techniques, dynamic tests, radioactive tests, and maturity concept.

According to Mehta1, the development of nondestructive test (NDT) methods for concrete has progressed at a slower pace compared to the development of NDT for steel structures because concrete is inherently more difficult material to test than steel. Concrete is highly heterogeneous on a macroscopic scale. It is electrically non conductive but usually contains significant amount of steel reinforcement. Thus it has not been an easy task to transfer the NDT technology developed for steel to the inspection of concrete.

Proceedings of the 2003 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2003, American Society for Engineering Education

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Pinto, Z., & Burt, R. (2003, June), A Regression Model Predicting The Compressive Strength Of Concrete By Means Of Non Destructive, Acoustic Measures Paper presented at 2003 Annual Conference, Nashville, Tennessee. 10.18260/1-2--11466