Case Study on

Non-Destructive Testing
On Concrete Structures

Submitted By :
Shubham (1012800099)
UPTU, LUCKNOW.

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Objective

 To Study the use, methodology &

applicability of non destructive testing
methods to check integrity of concrete
structures through a case study.

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Scope:
 Suggest the methodology to be followed &
applicability of non destructive testing.
 Automatic interpretation of data from NDT,

with the goal of detecting flaws accurately

and efficiently.
 To propose retrofitting techniques for

structures failing in this kind of testing.

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Case Studies :
 1. Eight lane access controlled expressway as
outer ring road to Hyderabad city, Phase II
Kollur (km. 12+000 to Patancheru (km.
23+700)

 2. Ambuja cements ltd., Rajasthan

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Non destructive testing
 Non destructive testing is a
technique for checking structural
integrity after concrete hardening
without damaging it.

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Various methods of NDT
 UPSV Test (Ultra sonic pulse velocity test)
 Schmidt rebound hammer test
 Carbonation depth measurement test
 Half-cell potentiometer test
 Cover meter test
 Penetration Resistance test
 Resistivity measurement

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Why NDT?
 Strength on concrete depends on material,
proper mixing & also workmanship at the time
of placing
 Conventional methods of testing of concrete
does provide solution to assess actual strength
or internal structure after hardening of
concrete
 In some cases, it required to assess of concrete
damaged due to fire or any other natural
calamity due judge the condition of structure

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Application of NDT
 Quality control of pre-cast units or construction in situ
 Confirming or negating doubt concerning the
workmanship involved in batching, mixing, placing,
compacting or curing of concrete
 Location and determination of the extent of cracks, voids,
honeycombing and similar defects within a concrete
structure
 Determining the position, quantity or condition of
reinforcement
 Confirming or locating suspected deterioration of concrete
resulting from such factors as
 Overloading, fatigue, external or internal chemical attack
or change, fire, explosion, environmental effect

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USPV Test
 This test is used for determination of the
uniformity of concrete in and between
members.
 Reference code: IS 13311Part I 1992
 Principle:the velocity of an ultrasonic pulse

through any material depends upon the

density, modulus of elasticity and Poisson’s
ratio of the material.
 Higher is the velocity, better is the quality of

concrete

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UPSV Contd…Equipment:
 Cost of equipment: Rs.2.15 lakhs

◦ (a) Electrical pulse

generator
◦ (b) Pair of transducers
◦ (c) Amplifier
◦ (d) Electronic timing
machine

UPSV Equipment
• Equipment should be capable of measuring transit time over path
lengths ranging from about 100 mm to the maximum thickness to be
inspected to an accuracy of ±1%

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UPSV Contd…. Methodology
 Calibration: done by measuring transit time
on standard calibration rod.
 Transducers arrangement: 3 methods

a) Direct b) Semi Direct c) Surface

Transmission Transmission Transmission

Non-Destructive Testing on Concrete

Structures - A Case Study 11
Contd… USPV
Velocity criterion for concrete quality grading is
given by IS 13311 (Part-I):1992
Sr. Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity by Cross
Concrete quality grading
No. probing (Km/Sec)

1 Above 4.5 Excellent

2 3.5 to 4.5 Good

3 3.0 to 3.5 Medium

4 2.0 to 3.0 Doubtful

Non-Destructive Testing on Concrete

Structures - A Case Study 12
SCHMIDT REBOUND HAMMER TEST

 The Schmidt rebound hammer is basically

a surface hardness tester.
 IS: 13311 (Part 2): 1992 & BS 1881: Part

202: 1986
 Principle :the rebound of an elastic mass

depends on the hardness of the surface

against which mass strikes.

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Contd… Rebound Hammer
 Equipment: It Consist of a
spring control hammer that
slides on a plunger within a
tubular housing. When the
plunger is pressed against
the surface of the concrete,
the mass rebound from the
plunger. It reacts against the
force of spring. The Distance
travelled by the mass, is
called rebound number.

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Contd… Rebound Hammer

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Contd… Rebound Hammer

FIG. A cutaway schematic view of the rebound hammer.

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 CARBONATION DEPTH
MEASUREMENT TEST
 Carbonation of concrete occurs when the
carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere in the
presence of moisture, reacts with hydrated
cement minerals to produce carbonates
 Due alkaline nature of concrete,

reinforcement is protected from corrosion.

This is neutralized by carbonation, thus
reinforcement becomes prone to in presence
moisture and oxygen.

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Contd… Carbonation Test
 The extent of carbonation is determined by
testing concrete surface with a 1%
phenolphthalein solution
 The 1% phenolthalein solution is made by
dissolving 1gm of phenolthalein in 90 cc of
ethanol & the making it to 100cc by adding
distilled water.
 Change in colour is observed after test:
No change in colour layer: Carbonation affected
Purple: No carbonation has taken place

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HALF-CELL ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL
METHOD
 This test is used to assess the corrosion conditions
in a reinforced concrete structure.
 ASTM C876 - 91
 The apparatus includes copper-copper sulphate
half-cell, connecting wires and a high impedance
voltmeter
 external cathode is provided in the form of copper
rod and copper sulphate solution in the cell. Any
point on reinforcement bar inside the concrete body
functioning as anode when connected electrically to
cathodic half-cell generates e.m.f. This is measured
by connecting a milli voltmeter in the circuit

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Contd… Half Cell Electrical Method

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Contd… Half Cell Electrical Method

The possibility of active corrosion is found out according

to guideline below
Percentage chance of active
Half cell potential (mV) reading corrosion

< -350 90%

-200 to –350
50%

10%
> -200

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Cover meter test
 This test is used to assess the location and
diameter of reinforcement bars and concrete cover.
 Principle: based measurement of change of an

electromagnetic field caused by steel embedded in

the concrete.
 Equipment: profometer comprise a search head,

meter and interconnecting cable. The concrete

surface is scanned, with the search head kept in
contact with it while the meter indicates, by
analogue or digital means, the proximity of
reinforcement

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Case Study 1:
EXPRESSWAY, KOLLUR
 Structure: EIGHT LANE ACCESS CONTROLLED
EXPRESSWAY AS OUTER RING ROAD TO
HYDERABAD CITY, PHASE II KOLLUR (KM.
12+000 TO PATANCHERU (KM. 23+700)
 Test conducted:

A. Rebound Hammer tests to assess the in situ

compressive strength of cover concrete.
B. USPV tests to assess the integrity of
concrete

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Case Study 1:
 Test results:
◦ USPV TEST RESULTS
◦ Rebound Hammer test results
 Results & Inferences:
◦ Concrete quality is found from “good to excellent”
according to UPSV tests results
◦ Concrete strength is varies from M35- M45 in
rebound hammer test

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Case Study 2: Ambuja cements ltd.
Rajasthan
 Structures:
A. Cement silo: Dia 16.7 M & Height 51.0 M
 Test conducted:
A. Rebound Hammer tests to assess the in situ
compressive strength of cover concrete.
B. USPV tests to assess the integrity of concrete.
C. Carbonation test to assess the depth of
carbonated concrete.
D. Half cell potentiometer test to assess the
probability of active corrosion.
E. Cover Meter test to estimate the cover provided.

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Case Study 2:
 Tests results:
◦ UPSV & Rebound hammer:
◦ Half cell potentiometer :
◦ Cover meter:
◦ Carbonation depth:
 Results analysis & Inferences:
◦ columns ground level wall and Upper level wall
“Medium to good quality concrete”
◦ 10% probability of active corrosion exists.

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Case Study 2:
 Results & Inferences:
Average cover provided to reinforcement in
columns and wall is about 40 mm which adequate
acc. To IS 456
The carbonation test results on cores s as well as
drill powder from concrete suggest that average
depth of carbonation for columns is upto 10 mm &
Wall can be considered upto 20mm, which can be
considered as normal considering the age of the
structure.

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Case study 2:

Silo structure
Fine crack in
silo top slab

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Conclusion :
 Various NDT methods can be used depending
upon the type & age of structure to check the
integrity of structure.
 USPV, rebound hammer & covermeter can be

applied to newly constructed structures to check

the quality of concrete adequacy of cover before
applying live load to the structures.
 Half cell potentiometer & carbonation test can be

applied to old structure to access to carbonation

depth & amount of corrosion occurred.

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Remedial measures:
 Replacement of cover concrete by micro
concrete
 Polymer Modified Mortar Treatment
 Protective Coating
 Jacketing
 Water proofing to slab

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IS CODES For NDT:
 IS 13311(Part 1):1992. Non-destructive
testing of Concrete- Methods of Test, Part 1
Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity
 IS 13311(Part 2):1992. Non-destructive

testing of Concrete- Methods of Test, Part 2

Rebound Hammer

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Limitation:
 Lack of access, especially inside silo structures is
a serious limitation in assessing the integrity of
silo walls
 Slabs are covered with water proofing membrane,

it becomes difficult to get accurate through NDT.

 If spalling or cracks are observed ,concrete

remains no longer homogeneous, and tests like

UPSV & rebound hammer becomes inapplicable,
equipment's for NDT are not made in India.
 Equipment's are very costly and not easily

available.

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Bibliography:
 Guidebook on Non-destructive testing of
concrete structures - INTERNATIONAL
ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, VIENNA, 2002.
 IS 13311 : Part 1 : 1992 Non-destructive

testing of concrete: Part 1 Ultrasonic pulse

velocity
 IS 13311 : Part 2 : 1992 Methods of non-

destructive testing of concrete: Part 2

Rebound hammer
 MS shetty:Concrete Technology

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Thank you for Your Attention…

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