CIVE1140

Infrastructure
Management

Dr David Law

Room 12.13.31
Laboratory Tests

• Specimens taken from site

– Cores
– Steel sections
– Coatings
– Soil
– Water

• Specimens specially made to test a material property

– Chloride diffusion
– Carbonation resistance
– Water permeability
– Sulphate susceptibility
– ASR susceptibility
– UV degradation
– Bond
– Steel/Concrete
– Coating/Concrete

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Carbonation

• Either take core or knock off

section to reveal fresh face
• Spray with phenolphthalein
immediately
– Surface will carbonate within 5
minutes if exposed to air
• Note depth of carbonation using
ruler
– Clear carbonated
– Purple uncarbonated
• Model future carbonation
– Time till carbonation hits steel
– Requires cover depth

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Chlorides

• Core
– Take a 100 or 50mm diameter core to depth required
– Note core used for carbonation can be used for chlorides
• Dust Samples
– Take dust drillings in pre-determined depth increments
– 2-25, 25-50, 50-75 mm etc
– Discard top 5mm as unrepresentative
– Beware that dust sampling inaccurate due to loss of sample in wind and
contamination in hole
• Select Location
– Based on cover survey and test requirements
• Label and Store
– Ensure sample can not be contaminated

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Chlorides

• On site Tests
– Quantab strips
– Qualitative rather than quantitative
• Laboratory Tests
– NAMAS laboratory
– Cut into required depth increments
– BS 1881 : Part 124
– Crush till passes required sieve size
– Dissolve in acid
– Alternatives
– Chloride specific electrode
– Spectrophotometer
– Hach method

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Chlorides

• Graph test results

• Determine chloride
concentration at rebar
• Model future chloride
ingress
– Requires cover depth
– Chloride diffusion coefficient
– From graph
– Surface chloride
– From graph
– Mix design

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Chloride Content

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Chlorides

• Critical chloride concentration

required to initiate corrosion Total chloride Risk of
• Generally taken as 0.4% by (by weight of Corrosion
weight of cement cement)
– See BBE guideline opposite
<0.4% Low
• Varies for replacement materials
– Higher for GGBS and PFA 0.4% - 1.0% Medium

• Other factors >1.0% High

– Condition of Steel
– w/c ratio
– OH/Cl ratio
– Amount free chloride
– Moisture
– Anode/Cathode ratio

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Pull Off Test

• Determining surface strength of

concrete
– prior to repair
– as strength assessment
• Measuring adhesive strength of
– Coatings
– Carbon fibre

• Checking overlays
– Shotcrete
– Toppings
– Repairs
Pull Off Test

Without coring
Coring down to Area of stress distribution
the substrate not clearly defined
Interpretation of test modes

Test disc

Adhesive

Coating

Substrate

Adhesive/ Coating Coating/ Substrate

Failure at Substrate
Coating

3.1 MPa

Expected results:
•Tensile strength of concrete 2.7 to 4.1 MPa
(about 8-12% of fc)
•For adhesive can be less, 1.0 to 2 MPa
Water Permeability

• Measure of durability
properties of concrete
• Water absorption due to
capillary action and
pressure
Water Permeability

 Automated pressure
system
 Clam
Water Permeability

• Automated pressure
system
–Torrent Permeability Kit
Water Permeability

• Permeability data can be

correlated to other
properties to give
indication of durability of
concrete
Site Test Procedure

• Best results are obtained from undertaken several tests

– Do NOT rely on a single test

• Results should be balanced against each other

– Results May be contradictory
– Select tests with most confidence

• Location and environmental conditions should be

accounted for
– Is day of test representative of whole year
– Will conditions at time of test influence results

• Past experience should be used

– Similar structures

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Site Test Procedure

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Tests on Concrete Cores

• Strength
– 150mm diameter by 300mm
• Cement Content
– w/c ratio
– Mix design
– Replacement materials
• ASR susceptibility
• Water Permeability
• Air Permeability
• Chloride Diffusion
Coefficient
– 90 day ponding
– Rapid chloride permeability

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Strength

• Select location
– Need to avoid reinforcing
steel

• Take core
– 150mm diameter by 300mm
long
– Must be 1:2 ratio

• Trim ends
• Undertake compressive
strength test

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Concrete Analysis

• Cement Content  Provides information

• w/c ratio on
 Age
• Mix design
 Chloride threshold
• Replacement materials  Strength
– PFA
 Durability
– GGBS
– Microsilica
 Sulphate resistance
 Carbonation
resistance

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ASR Susceptibility

• BS EN 206 Part 1
– Measure expansion of
specimens
• Petrographic analysis
– Microscopic examination of
aggregate
– Use dye to show reaction

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Chloride Diffusion Coefficient
- 90 Ponding Test

• Cube specimens
• Cure for 28 days
• Paint all but top surface with
epoxy sealant
• Place in NaCl solution for 90
days
• Divide specimen into
sections and measure
chloride profile
• Calculate diffusion coefficient

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Analysis of Cement Matrix – SEM Image

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Energy Dispersive X-Ray Alanysis

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Embedded Monitoring Systems

• Half Cells
– AgCl
– MnO
• Measure Steel Potential
– Monitor when corrosion starts
• Cast in to concrete
– During construction
– During repairs
• Monitor Cathodic
Protection Systems
– Monitor if system is working
properly

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Embedded Monitoring Systems

• Corrosion Ladders
– Schiessel Ladder

• Steel bars at different

depths
• Monitor when corrosion
starts at each bar
– Monitor chloride progress

• Can be linked to stainless

steel bar

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Embedded Monitoring Systems

• Strain Gauges
• Moisture Probes
• Relative Humidity
• pH Probes
• Remote Monitoring
– Modem
– Wireless

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Soils/Water

• The conditions in the soil, groundwater and water can

have a serious affect on the structures durability
• Testing is routinely done of these during a condition
assessment for both existing structures and new build
structures
• Samples are recorded in same method as for other tests
– Location
– Storage
– Labelling
– Accredited Laboratories

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Soils/Water

• Chemical Testing
– pH
– Chlorides
– Sulphates
– Metals such as Magnesium, Calcium, Aluminium
• Microbiological Testing
– Anaerobic bacteria
– Aerobic bacteria
– Fungus
– Termites

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Timber

• Visual deterioration of
exposed steel
• Timber Type
– Species
– Hard or Soft
• Sampling
– Termites
– Fungi
– Strength
– Treatments

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