NON DESTRUCTIVE

METHODS FOR TESTING OF

CONCRETE
By
DEEPAK KUMAR
M.E. Structures (1st Year)

Definition of NDT
It is defined as the course of inspecting, testing, or evaluating
materials, components or assemblies without destroying the
serviceability of the part or system.

Testing methods that do not affect the future usefulness of a

part or system are considered to be non-destructive even if
they consist of invasive actions.

Importance and need of nondestructive testing

Can be applied to both old and new structures
Done without or partially damaging the structures
explore indications of properties without reaching component
or assembly failures
confirming or negating doubt concerning the workmanship.
It can assessed voids, density, elastic modulus, strength as well
as surface hardness and surface absorption, and reinforcement
location, size and distance from the surface.

Basic methods for NDT of concrete

structures

Visual inspection
Schmidt/rebound hammer test
Ultrasonic pulse velocity testing
Permeability test
Radiographic testing
Cover meter testing
Carbonation depth measurement test
Half-cell electrical potential method

Visual testing
It can often provide valuable
information to the well trained eye.
Visual features may be related to
workmanship, structural serviceability,
and material deterioration, cracks, popouts, disintegration, colour change,
weathering, staining, surface blemishes
and lack of uniformity.

Sketches of typical defects found

in concrete structures.

Sketch of surface appearance when concrete has been mixed

for too long or the time of transport has been too long

Sketch of effect of fire on concrete.

Cracks due to differential settlement of central column.

Cracks due to bending and shear stresses.

Schmidt/rebound hammer test

IS 13311( Part 2 ) : 1992

Objective & principle of test

When the plunger of the rebound hammer is pressed against the surface of
the concrete, the spring-controlled mass rebounds and the extent of such a
rebound depends upon the surface hardness of the concrete.
The surface hardness and therefore the rebound is taken to be related to
the compressive strength of the concrete. The rebound value is read from
a graduated scale and is designated as the rebound number or rebound
index.
Could be used for assessing for uniformity of concrete, the likely
compressive strength of concrete with the help of suitable correlation's
between rebound index and compressive strength.

Apparatus
It consists of a spring controlled mass that
slides on a plunger within a tubular housing.

Si No

Application

1
2

For Testing Normal Weight Concrete

For Light-eight concrete or small and
impact sensitive parts of concrete
For testing mass concrete, for example in
Roads, air-fields pavement and hydraulic

Approximate
impact energy
required for
rebound
hammer(N-m)
2.25
0.75
30.0

The fixed load required is of the order of 7 N/mm2 when the impact
energy of the hammer is about 2.25 Nm.

For testing, smooth, clean and dry surface is to be selected.

The point of impact should be at least 20 mm

away from any edge or shape discontinuity.

For taking a measurement, the rebound hammer should be held at right

angles to the surface of the concrete member. The test can thus be
conducted horizontally on vertical surfaces or vertically upwards or
downwards on horizontal surfaces.

It is conducted around all the points of observation on all accessible faces.

Range and limitations of Schmidt rebound

hammer test

Smoothness of the test surface

Size, shape and rigidity of the specimen
Influence of Curing and Age of Concrete
Age of the specimen
Surface and internal moisture conditions of concrete
Type of coarse aggregate
Carbonation of the concrete surface
Average
Quality of
Types of cement
rebound number
More than 40
30 to 40
20 to 30
Less than 20

concrete

Very good
Good
Fair
Poor

Ultrasonic pulse velocity test

Objective & principle of test: A pulse of longitudinal vibrations is produced by an electro-acoustical
transducer, which is held in contact with one surface of the concrete
under test.
When the pulse generated is transmitted into the concrete from the
transducer it undergoes multiple reflections at the boundaries of the
different material phases within the concrete.
A complex system of stress waves is developed which includes
longitudinal, surface & shear waves
It could be used to establish; the homogeneity of concrete, the presence
of cracks, the quality of concrete, change in structure of concrete which
may occur with time.

Apparatus
Electric Pulse Generator, Amplifier and Electronic Timing Device

Transducer (Transmitter)
Transducer (Receiver)
Natural Frequency of Transducers for different Path Lengths
Path length (mm)

Natural Frequency of
Transducer (kHz)

Up to 500

150

Minimum Transverse
Dimension of Members
(mm)
25

500-700

>60

70

700-1500

>40

150

Above 1500

>20

300

Testing modes

Direct transmission

Semi-direct transmission

Indirect or surface transmission

Calculation and Interpretation

Calculations:
V=L/T
Where:
V = Pulse Velocity (km/s)
L = Length of the path traversed(mm)
T = Transit Time (micro sec)

Concrete Quality

Factors influencing pulse velocity

measurements
Surface condition and moisture content of concrete
Path length, shape and size of the concrete member
Temperature of concrete
Effect of reinforcing bar

Temperat Correlation to the measured pulse

ure
velocity

(oc)
Air dried concrete
Water
saturated concrete

60

+5

+4

40

+2

+1.7

20

-0.5

-1

-4

-1.5

-7.5

Permeability test
The permeability of aggressive substances into concrete is the main
cause for concrete deterioration. Permeability represents the
governing property for estimating the durability of concrete
structures.

The three categories of measuring concrete permeability are;

Hydraulic permeability
Gas permeability
Chloride-ion permeability

The test involves coring a standard sized cylinder from the in-situ
concrete. The sample is then trimmed, sealed with an epoxy coating
from two sides, saturated in water and then placed in a split testing
device filled with a sodium chloride solution with an applied voltage
potential and charge is measured.
100-1000 coulomb represent low permeability
>1000 coulomb represent high permeability

Radiographic testing
Radiographic testing, used to detect voids in the concrete and the
position of stressing ducts. It is similar to taking X-ray or gamma
radiation pictures in the medical field.
As the radiation passes through the member its intensity is reduced
according to the thickness, density and absorption characteristics of
the materials within the member. The quantity of radiation passing
through the member is recorded on X-ray film
Reinforcing bars absorb more energy than the surrounding concrete
and show up as light areas on the exposed film. Cracks and voids,
on the other hand, absorb less radiation and show up as dark zones
on the film

Carbonation depth measurement test

It occurs when the CO2 in the
atmosphere in the presence of
moisture, reacts with hydrated cement
minerals to produce carbonates.
The significance of carbonation is that
the usual protection of the reinforcing
steel generally present in concrete due
to the alkaline conditions caused by
hydrated cement paste is neutralized
by carbonation. Thus, if the entire
concrete cover over the reinforcing
steel is carbonated, corrosion of the
steel would occur if moisture and
oxygen could reach the steel.
Carbonated portion

Procedure

carbonation can be determined

easily by spraying on freshly
extracted cores with a
1% phenolphthalein solution .

The 1% phenolphthalein solution is made by dissolving 1gm of

phenolphthalein in 90 cc of ethanol. The solution is then made up to 100 cc
by adding distilled water
The depth of the uncoloured layer (the carbonated layer) from the external
surface is measured to the nearest mm at 4 or 8 positions.

Half-cell electrical potential method

It measures potential of an
embedded reinforcing bar relative to
a reference half-cell placed on the
concrete surface.
The concrete functions as an
electrolyte and the risk of corrosion
of the reinforcement in the
immediate region of the test
location may be related empirically
to the measured potential difference.
Potential difference
levels (mv)
Less than -500
-350 to -500
-200 to -350
More than -200

Chance of re-bar being corroded

Visible evidence of corrosion
95%
50%
5%

TH

K
AN

U
YO