Rapid Bridge Deck Condition Assessment Using Three-Dimensional Visualization of Impact Echo Data
Publication: Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 18, Issue 1
Abstract
Ultrasonic seismic methods can be used in the condition assessment of bridge decks by evaluating changes in material characteristics and detecting the development of defects and zones of deterioration. The impact-echo method is of special benefit in the evaluation of corrosion-induced deck delamination because of its nondestructive nature and ability to detect delaminated zones at various stages of deterioration: from initial to progressed and developed. The traditional approach in the condition assessment of bridge decks by impact-echo is based on a review of individual test-point records. A new approach based on three-dimensional data visualization is proposed. The developed three-dimensional visualization platform allows for both the advanced presentation and an automated interpretation of impact-echo data. The data presentation is provided in terms of three-dimensional translucent visualizations of reflectors in a bridge deck section and horizontal and vertical cross sections through all distinctive zones, including a zone of delamination. The associated interpretation platform enables the overall assessment of the condition of the deck, through cumulative distributions of reflection intensity of different reflective layers, and the identification of deteriorated zones of the deck to be repaired or rehabilitated in an efficient and intuitive way.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
Algernon, D., and Wiggenhauser, H. (2006). “Impact echo data analysis.” Proc., NDE Conf. on Civil Engineering (CD-ROM), American Society for Nondestructive Testing, Columbus, OH.
Asano, M., Kamada, T., Kunieda, M., and Rokugo, K. (2003). “Impact acoustics methods for defect evaluation in concrete.” Proc., Int. Symp. on Nondestructive Evaluation in Civil Engineering (CD-ROM), German Society for NDT (DGZfP), Berlin.
ASTM. (1998). “Test method for measuring the -wave speed and the thickness of concrete plates using the impact-echo method.” C1383, West Conshohocken, PA.
Carino, N. J. (2001). “The impact-echo method: An overview.” Proc., Structures Congress and Exposition (CD-ROM), P. C. Chang, ed., ASCE, Reston, VA.
Cheng, C.-C., and Sansalone, M. (1995a). “Determining the minimum crack width that can be detected using the impact-echo method. I: Experimental study.” J. Mater. Struct., 28(2), 74–82.
Cheng, C.-C., and Sansalone, M. (1995b). “Determining the minimum crack width that can be detected using the impact-echo method. II: Numerical fracture analysis.” J. Mater. Struct., 28(3), 125–132.
El-Safty, A. (2008). “Behaviour of RC bridge deck slabs and girders strengthened with CFRP laminates.” Proc., 12th Int. Conf., Structural Faults and Repair (CD-ROM), RILEM, Brussels.
Gibson, A., and Popovics, J. S. (2005). “Lamb wave basis for impact-echo method analysis.” J. Eng. Mech., 131(4), 438–443.
Grimm, C. T. (1997). “Demolish Charleston’s brick walls: Because there is chloride in the mortar?.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng., 9(3), 160–160.
Gucunski, N., Antoljak, S., and Maher, A. (2000). “Seismic methods in post construction condition monitoring of bridge decks.” Use of geophysical methods in construction, Geo. Spec. Publ. 108, S. Nazarian and J. Diehl, eds., ASCE, Reston, VA, 35–51.
Gucunski, N., Romero, F., Shokouhi, P., and Makresias, J. (2005). “Complementary impact echo and ground penetrating radar evaluation of bridge decks on I-84 interchange in Connecticut.” Geophysics—where do we go from here?, Geo. Spec. Publ. 133 (CD-ROM), ASCE.
Gucunski, N., Slabaugh, G., Wang, Z., Fang, T., and Maher, A. (2008). “Visualization and interpretation of impact echo data from bridge deck testing.” Proc., 87th Annual Meeting (CD-ROM), Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Gucunski, N., Nazarian, S., Wiggenhauser, H., and Kutrubes, D. (2010) “Nondestructive testing to identify concrete bridge deck deterioration.” Proc., FEHRL Workshop, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Kohl, C., Krause, M., Majerhofer, C., and Woestmann, J. (2005). “2D- and 3D-visualisation of NDT-data using data fusion technique.” J. Mater. Struct., 38(9), 817–826.
Lemieux, M., Gagné, R., Bissonnette, B., and Lachemi, M. (2005). “Behavior of overlaid reinforced concrete slab panels under cyclic loading—Effect of interface location and overlay thickness.” Struct. J., 102(3), 454–461.
Lin, J. M., and Sansalone, M. J. (1996). “Impact-echo studies of interfacial bond quality in concrete. I: Effects of unbonded fraction area.” Mater. J. ACI, 93(4), 223–232.
National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP). (2004). “Concrete bridge deck performance.” Synthesis Rep. 333, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC.
Nawy, E. G., ed. (2008). Concrete construction engineering handbook, 2nd Ed., CRC Press, Taylor & Francis, Boca Raton, FL.
Nazarian, S., and Yuan, D. (1997). “Evaluation and improvement of seismic pavement analyzer.” Res. Project Rep. 7-2936, Center Highway Material Research, Univ. of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX.
Peralta, D. F. (1997). “Non-destructive evaluation of bridge decks.” M.S. thesis, MIT, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Cambridge, MA, 101.
Petersen, C. G., Davis, A., and Delahaza, A. (2003). “Impact-echo testing for delaminations in the walls of a marine structure.” Proc., Int. Conf., Structural Faults and Repair (CD-ROM), German Society for NDT (DGZfP), Berlin.
Popovics, J. S., Gibson, A., Hall, K., and Shin, S. H. (2009). “Developments in air-coupled contactless sensing for concrete.” Proc., 7th Int. Symp., Non-Destructive Testing in Civil Engineering (NDTCE’09), Laboratorie Central des Pontes et Chausses, Paris.
Richart, F. E., Hall, J. R., and Woods, R. D. (1970). Vibrations of soils and foundations, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 414.
Rojas, J., Nazarian, S., Tandon, V., and Yuan, D. (1999). “Quality management of asphalt-concrete layers using wave propagation techniques.” J. Assoc. Asphalt Pav. Technol., 68, 450–478.
Sangoju, B., et al. (2009). “Reliability of the impact-echo method on thickness measurement of concrete elements.” Proc., 7th Int. Symp., Non-Destructive Testing in Civil Engineering (NDTCE’09), Laboratorie Central des Pontes et Chausses, Paris.
Sansalone, M. J. (1993). “Detecting delaminations in concrete bridge decks with and without asphalt overlays using an automated impact-echo field system.” Proc., Int. Conf. on Non-Destructive Testing in Civil Engineering, British Institute of Non-Destructive Testing, Liverpool, UK, 807–820.
Sansalone, M. J. (1997). “Impact-echo: The complete story.” Struct. J. ACI, 94(6), 777–786.
Sansalone, M. J., and Carino, N. J. (1986). “Impact-echo: A method for flaw detection in concrete using transient stress waves.” NBSIR 86-3452, National Bureau of Standards, Washington, DC, 222.
Sansalone, M. J., and Streett, W. B. (1997). Impact-echo—Nondestructive evaluation of concrete and masonry, Bullbrier Press, Ithaca, NY.
Schickert, M., and Tuemmler, U. (2009). “Initial measurement results of an ultrasonic scanning and imaging system.” Proc., 7th Int. Symp., Non-Destructive Testing in Civil Engineering (NDTCE’09), Laboratorie Central des Pontes et Chausses, Paris.
Schubert, F., and Koehler, B. (2008). “Ten lectures on impact-echo.” J. Nondestruct. Eval., 27, 5–21.
Schubert, F., Wiggenhauser, H., and Lausch, R. (2004). “On the accuracy of thickness measurements in impact-echo testing of finite concrete specimens-numerical and experimental results.” Ultrasonics, 42(1–9), 897–901.
Shokouhi, P. (2006). “Comprehensive evaluation of concrete bridge decks using impact echo.” Ph.D. dissertation, Rutgers Univ., Dept. Civil and Environmental Engineering, Piscataway, NJ.
Shokouhi, P., and Gucunski, N. (2006). “Applicability and limitations of impact echo in bridge deck condition monitoring.” Proc. EAGE-NS Meeting, European Association of Geoscientists and Engineers, Houten, Netherlands.
Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). (1992a). “Condition evaluation of concrete bridges relative to reinforcement corrosion, Vol. 1: State-of the-art of existing methods.” SHRP-S-323, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 70.
Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). (1992b). “Condition evaluation of concrete bridges relative to reinforcement corrosion, Vol. 3: Method for evaluating the condition of asphalt-covered decks.” SHRP-S-325, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 84.
Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). (1992c). “Condition evaluation of concrete bridges relative to reinforcement corrosion, Vol. 4: Deck membrane effectiveness and a method for evaluating membrane effectiveness.” SHRP-S-326, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 143.
Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). (1992d). “Condition evaluation of concrete bridges relative to reinforcement corrosion, Vol. 5: Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of penetrating sealers.” SHRP-S-327, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 59.
Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP). (1992e). “Condition evaluation of concrete bridges relative to reinforcement corrosion, Vol. 8: Procedures manual.” SHRP-S-330, Transportation Research Board, Washington, DC, 124.
Wiggenhauser, H. (2009). “Advanced NDT methods for quality assurance of concrete structure.” Proc., 7th Int. Symp., Non-Destructive Testing in Civil Engineering (NDTCE’09), Laboratorie Central des Pontes et Chausses, Paris.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Infrastructure Systems
Volume 18 • Issue 1 • March 2012
Pages: 12 - 24
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 19, 2010
Accepted: Apr 19, 2011
Published online: Apr 20, 2011
Published in print: Mar 1, 2012
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.