Development of reference specimens for nondestructive evaluation of concrete bridge decks

Decades of nondestructive evaluation for the quality assurance of concrete bridges revealed the necessity of developing procedures to build reference specimens for different defects. External objects have been widely used in specimen construction to represent defects. However, embedded materials vary the actual defect characteristics, interrupting the nondestructive evaluation (NDE) responses. This study proposes new approaches to fabricating reference specimens for reinforced concrete that feature substantial defects, including cracks, delamination, honeycombing, and rebar corrosion, without external objects. As a result, realistic responses can be acquired to identify promising NDE methods for characterizing actual deteriorations. The procedures were produced with the intent of being reproducible in any laboratory. Destructive and nondestructive testing methods were performed to verify the effectiveness of the processes in creating defects. This study provides research laboratories with techniques for fabricating reference specimens to characterize defects and assess the performance of NDE technologies