Non-Destructive Evaluation of the Penetrability and Thickness of the Concrete Cover

RILEM TC 189-NEC: State-of-the-Art Report May 2007

Preface

In the last 10 to 20 years considerable research efforts have been devoted to a better
understanding of the deterioration processes that affect concrete constructions. In addition, the
principles of sustainable construction and life cycle of buildings have increased the awareness
of all players in the construction chain regarding the importance of durability, as a key design
factor.
Despite the advances made, the standards and codes have remained, so far, basically
prescriptive-oriented, although this may change in the near future.
An important step forward was made by RILEM TC 116-PCD Permeability of concrete as
a criterion of its durability, chaired successively by Prof. H.K. Hilsdorf and by Prof. J. Kropp.
The more tangible contribution of that Technical Committee was the publication of a State of
the Art Report (RILEM Report 12) and a RILEM Recommendation for testing concrete in the
laboratory for gas-permeability and for capillary water absorption, as well as for the
preconditioning of the specimens prior to those tests.
The work of that committee, including a round-robin test, focused predominantly on
laboratory tests, although site tests were also reviewed.
The other contribution of TC 116-PCD was the solid ground and inspiration it provided
for the creation of RILEM TC 189-NEC Non-destructive evaluation of the concrete cover,
which can rightly be considered as its successor.
Eight of the members of TC 116-PCD were also members of TC 189-NEC, including both
chairmen, which gives testimony of a continued effort in the pursuit of new approaches
towards the goal of performance-oriented ways of specifying and controlling the durability of
concrete.
The content of this Report is the result of the team work of members of TC 189-NEC,
both those that could participate in the meetings (Dbendorf, Stuttgart, Madrid, Belfast and
Madrid again) and those who made their contribution by correspondence. In particular, I want
to highlight the resources invested by the members who took part in the Comparative Test at
Dbendorf. Fourteen persons converged on Empa, eleven of them from abroad, most of them
carrying their instruments, in order to perform the tests on the concrete panels prepared and
stored in Dbendorf. Two laboratories carried out a significant amount of testing on cores
drilled from those panels.
My appreciation and recognition to all members of the TC for their excellent contribution
and for the intense discussions, not always exempt of passion, held during the work of this
TC.
Finally I want to thank the RILEM authorities, from which we enjoyed a continued and
warm support and encouragement.
Dr. Roberto Torrent
Chairman RILEM TC 189-NEC
Holderbank, Switzerland

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