CONDITION ASSESSMENT OF BUILDING CONCRETE STRUCTURES USING NDTs – CASE STUDY

Abstract

The quality of concrete and serviceability for three old buildings utilizing non-destructive testing(NDT) method of rebound hammer (RH) and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) was assessed in the presentstudy. Identification, classification and evaluation of in-situ concrete have helped us to decide whether thesethree buildings need to be repaired and in result extent their service life or it is not acceptable for its intendedusage and they need to be demolished. To evaluate the level of deterioration in historical and fire-damagedbuildings or infrastructures, non-destructive testing (NDT) methods can be used. In fact, NDT methodemploys inspection techniques to evaluate engineering properties to see if it is acceptable for its intendedusage that does not need specimens to be crushed like the destructive testing method. The NDT method ofrebound hammer (RH) and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) in combination with conventional methods suchas internal and external visual inspection and concrete color change to locate deterioration was used toevaluate the quality of concrete structures for three old buildings. According to the results obtained the RHand UPV can be used as reliable tools to predict the mechanical properties of concrete structures subjectedto fire and/or weathering deterioration. In addition, combining the two NDTs decreased inaccuracies causedby utilizing one method alone to evaluate concrete quality.