Nondestructive Assessment of Damage in Concrete Bridge Decks
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 18, Issue 4
Abstract
Impact-echo tests were performed on a precast, reinforced concrete bridge slab that was removed from a maintenance bridge built in 1953 in South Carolina. Impact-echo tests were first performed to nondestructively assess the initial condition and the distribution of damage throughout the slab by analyzing the variation in propagation wave velocity. It was found that the velocity varied by as much as throughout the slab. After the in-service condition was assessed, the slab was subjected to a full-scale static load test in the laboratory and impact-echo tests were again performed, this time to evaluate the initiation and progression of damage (stiffness loss and crack development) within the slab. After structural failure of the slab, a reduction in propagation wave velocity up to 6% was observed correlating to a reduction in slab stiffness. Cracks were detected within the concrete slab that were not visible from the surface. Areas with preexisting damage experienced more crack growth when subjected to the load test than those that were initially intact. Locations exhibiting stiffness loss, crack propagation, and localized damage can be differentiated such that the method can be used to make decisions between rehabilitating and replacing concrete bridge decks depending upon the severity of damage.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 18 • Issue 4 • November 2004
Pages: 220 - 231
Copyright
Copyright © 2004 ASCE.
History
Received: Dec 2, 2002
Accepted: Apr 29, 2003
Published online: Oct 15, 2004
Published in print: Nov 2004
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