Non-Destructive Testing in Civil Engineering

The special collection on Non-Destructive Testing in Civil Engineering is available in the ASCE Library at http://ascelibrary.org/page/jitse4/ndt_civil_engineering.

This special collection of the ASCE Journal of Infrastructure Systems is a collection of papers that were presented at the International Symposium “Non-Destructive Testing in Civil Engineering (NDT-CE)” in Berlin, Germany, September 15–17, 2015. Initially, this symposium series started in 1986 as a national event in Berlin, and continued later as an international event (Liverpool, Tokyo, St. Louis, Nantes) held every three years. It brings together the growing community of researchers, manufacturers and users of non-destructive test methods especially for infrastructure.

The 22 publications in this special collection are a representative collection from the more than 100 presentations and 100 posters at the symposium. They cover the current research and application of infrastructure assessment utilizing non-destructive testing methods and sensor technologies. They cover structure evaluation (eight papers), monitoring (six), new developments (five), validation (three), and strategy (one).

In the three decades since the first symposium, non-destructive testing methods have made enormous progress, e.g., imaging ultrasound and ground penetrating radar have long left the confines of the research laboratory. Commercial devices for on-site use are now available and have proven their performance. Automation and enhanced data-processing capabilities have contributed to the state of the art.

Efforts in validation and performance comparison are necessary to further enhance the application of NDT-CE methods and will in return trigger the development of new commercially available devices. Independent validation of test solutions and certification of service providers are natural steps forward to reliable NDT services and verified results.

Research in new technologies and applications is alive and there are always new ideas and solutions for inspection challenges that were previously thought to be impossible. Research in combination of methods, data fusion, and robotic testing will meet user needs in the near future. More manufacturers of test equipment have entered the market to offer equipment ready for on-site application.

Monitoring of structures through the installation of sensors and repeated non-destructive evaluations are areas which have much in common and may continue to grow together, potentially supported by the development of sensor networks, infrastructure communication and fast-growing data-processing capabilities. The extraordinary growth of the “Internet of Things” unquestionably will have a strong influence on monitoring of infrastructure and buildings in general. Infrastructure for traffic communication and intelligent structures are in development and promise new opportunities for management of these installations.

The authors and the guest editors of this special collection deserve many thanks for their contributions.