Nondestructive Evaluation of Rebar Corrosion–Induced Damage in Concrete through Ultrasonic Imaging
Publication: Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering
Volume 32, Issue 10
Abstract
Corrosion of reinforcement in concrete is a billion dollar problem spread across the globe. Early detection of corrosion-induced damage preempts weakening of the structure and timely rehabilitation extends its life. Therefore, there is a need in the industry for a reliable nondestructive diagnostic tool for detection of corrosion-induced damage in concrete structures. This paper presents two ultrasonic wave–based imaging techniques for monitoring changes in the concrete subsurface during various stages of rebar corrosion. An accelerated corrosion setup was developed to induce corrosion in a rebar embedded in a concrete slab specimen. A pitch catch mode of ultrasonic scanning was performed on a set of grid points on the test specimen using compressional and Rayleigh wave transducer arrangements. In the first approach, the traditional synthetic aperture focusing technique (SAFT) was used to produce images in the horizontal and vertical planes using the compressional wave velocity information and incorporating corrections related to limited directivity of the transducers. In the second approach, the planar SAFT algorithm was used for detection of vertical corrosion cracks, using the scattered Rayleigh wave field. The study shows that with progress of corrosion, the rebar image disappears from the compressional wave–based SAFT images while the corrosion-induced surface breaking cracks appear in the planar SAFT images. The combination of these two approaches has potential to be a powerful qualitative nondestructive technique for identification and localization of damage leading to requisite repair and maintenance activities.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Data Availability Statement
Some or all data, models, or code that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. The following items are available from the corresponding author:
•
Data corresponding to pristine condition in CSV format;
•
Data corresponding to the intermediate stage of corrosion in CSV format; and
•
Data corresponding to the advanced stage of corrosion in CSV format.
Acknowledgments
The support from the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is gratefully acknowledged.
References
Andrade, C., C. Alonso, and F. J. Molina. 1993. “Cover cracking as a function of bar corrosion. I: Experimental test.” Mater. Struct. 26 (8): 453–464. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02472805.
Beniwal, S., and A. Ganguli. 2015. “Defect detection around rebars in concrete using focused ultrasound and reverse time migration.” Ultrasonics 62 (Sep): 112–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2015.05.008.
Beniwal, S., and A. Ganguli. 2016. “Localized condition monitoring around rebars using focused ultrasonic field and SAFT.” Res. Nondestr. Eval. 27 (1): 48–67. https://doi.org/10.1080/09349847.2015.1052168.
Beniwal, S., D. Ghosh, and A. Ganguli. 2016. “Ultrasonic imaging of concrete using scattered elastic wave modes.” NDT & E Int. 82 (Sep): 26–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ndteint.2016.04.003.
Chai, H. K., S. Momoki, D. G. Aggelis, and T. Shiotani. 2010. “Characterization of deep surface-opening cracks in concrete: Feasibility of impact-generated Rayleigh-waves.” ACI Mater. J. 107 (3): 305–311. https://doi.org/10.14359/51663760.
De La Haza, A. O., A. A. Samokrutov, and P. A. Samokrutov. 2013. “Assessment of concrete structures using the Mira and Eyecon ultrasonic shear wave devices and the SAFT-C image reconstruction technique.” Constr. Build. Mater. 38 (Jan): 1276–1291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2011.06.002.
ElBatanouny, M. K., J. Mangual, P. H. Ziehl, and F. Matta. 2013. “Early corrosion detection in prestressed concrete girders using acoustic emission.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 26 (3): 504–511. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0000845.
Ganguli, A., C. M. Rappaport, D. Abramo, and S. Wadia-Fascetti. 2012. “Synthetic aperture imaging for flaw detection in a concrete medium.” NDT & E Int. 45 (1): 79–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ndteint.2011.09.004.
Ghosh, D., S. Beniwal, A. Ganguli, and A. Mukherjee. 2018. “Reference free imaging of subsurface cracks in concrete using Rayleigh waves.” Struct. Control Health Monit. 25 (10): e2246. https://doi.org/10.1002/stc.2246.
Grohmann, M., E. Niederleithinger, and S. Buske. 2016. “Geometry determination of a foundation slab using the ultrasonic echo technique and geophysical migration methods.” J. Nondestr. Eval. 35 (1): 17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10921-016-0334-z.
Hoegh, K., and L. Khazanovich. 2015. “Extended synthetic aperture focusing technique for ultrasonic imaging of concrete.” NDT & E Int. 74 (Sep): 33–42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ndteint.2015.05.001.
Iyer, S. R., S. K. Sinha, and A. J. Schokker. 2005. “Ultrasonic C-scan imaging of post-tensioned concrete bridge structures for detection of corrosion and voids.” Comput.-Aided Civ. Infrastruct. Eng. 20 (2): 79–94. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8667.2005.00378.x.
Kino, G. S. 1987. Acoustic waves: Devices, imaging and analog signal processing. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Kobayashi, K., and N. Banthia. 2011. “Corrosion detection in reinforced concrete using induction heating and infrared thermography.” J. Civ. Struct. Health Monit. 1 (1–2): 25–35. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13349-010-0002-4.
Krause, M., F. Mielentz, B. Milman, W. Müller, V. Schmitz, and H. Wiggenhauser. 2001. “Ultrasonic imaging of concrete members using an array system.” NDT & E Int. 34 (6): 403–408. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0963-8695(01)00007-X.
Lai, W.-L., T. Kind, M. Stoppel, and H. Wiggenhauser. 2012. “Measurement of accelerated steel corrosion in concrete using ground-penetrating radar and a modified half-cell potential method.” J. Infrastruct. Syst. 19 (2): 205–220. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)IS.1943-555X.0000083.
Leelalerkiet, V., J.-W. Kyung, M. Ohtsu, and M. Yokota. 2004. “Analysis of half-cell potential measurement for corrosion of reinforced concrete.” Constr. Build. Mater. 18 (3): 155–162. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2003.10.004.
Liang, M.-T., and P.-J. Su. 2001. “Detection of the corrosion damage of rebar in concrete using impact-echo method.” Cem. Concr. Res. 31 (10): 1427–1436. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(01)00569-5.
Millard, S. G., D. Law, J. H. Bungey, and J. Cairns. 2001. “Environmental influences on linear polarisation corrosion rate measurement in reinforced concrete.” NDT & E Int. 34 (6): 409–417. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0963-8695(01)00008-1.
Piwakowski, B., A. Fnine, M. Goueygou, and F. Buyle-Bodin. 2004. “Generation of Rayleigh waves into mortar and concrete samples.” Ultrasonics 42 (1–9): 395–402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2004.01.099.
Potter, J. N., P. D. Wilcox, and A. J. Croxford. 2018. “Diffuse field full matrix capture for near surface ultrasonic imaging.” Ultrasonics 82 (Jan): 44–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultras.2017.07.009.
Poursaee, A. 2011. “Corrosion measurement techniques in steel reinforced concrete.” J. ASTM Int. 8 (5): 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1520/JAI103283.
Ribeiro, D. V., and J. C. C. Abrantes. 2016. “Application of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to monitor the corrosion of reinforced concrete: A new approach.” Constr. Build. Mater. 111 (May): 98–104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2016.02.047.
Sathiyanarayanan, S., P. Natarajan, K. Saravanan, S. Srinivasan, and G. Venkatachari. 2006. “Corrosion monitoring of steel in concrete by galvanostatic pulse technique.” Cem. Concr. Compos. 28 (7): 630–637. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2006.03.005.
Schickert, M., M. Krause, and W. Müller. 2003. “Ultrasonic imaging of concrete elements using reconstruction by synthetic aperture focusing technique.” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 15 (3): 235–246. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0899-1561(2003)15:3(235).
Sharma, A., S. Sharma, S. Sharma, and A. Mukherjee. 2018. “Monitoring invisible corrosion in concrete using a combination of wave propagation techniques.” Cem. Concr. Compos. 90 (Jul): 89–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cemconcomp.2018.03.014.
Sharma, S., and A. Mukherjee. 2010. “Longitudinal guided waves for monitoring chloride corrosion in reinforcing bars in concrete.” Struct. Health Monit. 9 (6): 555–567. https://doi.org/10.1177/1475921710365415.
Shokouhi, P., J. Wolf, and H. Wiggenhauser. 2014. “Detection of delamination in concrete bridge decks by joint amplitude and phase analysis of ultrasonic array measurements.” J. Bridge Eng. 19 (3): 04013005. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)BE.1943-5592.0000513.
Song, H.-W., and V. Saraswathy. 2007. “Corrosion monitoring of reinforced concrete structures-A.” Int. J. Electrochem. Sci. 2 (1): 1–28.
Tseng, C.-W., Y.-F. Chang, and C.-Y. Wang. 2018. “Total focusing method or phased array technique: Which detection technique is better for the ultrasonic nondestructive testing of concrete?” J. Mater. Civ. Eng. 30 (1): 04017256. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0002118.
Yeih, W., and R. Huang. 1998. “Detection of the corrosion damage in reinforced concrete members by ultrasonic testing.” Cem. Concr. Res. 28 (7): 1071–1083. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0008-8846(98)00060-X.
Zerwer, A., M. A. Polak, and J. C. Santamarina. 2005. “Detection of surface breaking cracks in concrete members using Rayleigh waves.” J. Environ. Eng. Geophys. 10 (3): 295–306. https://doi.org/10.2113/JEEG10.3.295.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
©2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jun 5, 2019
Accepted: Apr 10, 2020
Published online: Jul 29, 2020
Published in print: Oct 1, 2020
Discussion open until: Dec 29, 2020
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.