Strength and elastic moduli of a concrete bridge using advanced nondestructive techniques

In this research, Non-Destructive Test (NDT) wave tomography techniques are used to estimate the strength and elastic moduli and to assess the health condition of the piers of an existing concrete bridge. There are various empirical relationships to evaluate concrete characteristics based on NDT techniques. However, it is not clear which empirical relationship matches the desired concrete better. Therefore, using only one empirical model can lead to inaccurate results. In the current investigation, the mean value of several appropriate relationships is considered as the desired value. Also, the use of only one NDT technique causes some errors. In order to accurately estimate the concrete characteristics, the combination of two or more nondestructive methods is very efficient. In this research, data of Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) and shear wave velocity tests are used simultaneously. The results show that the combination of the two criteria of strength and elasticity and using an average value of several empirical models give a relatively accurate scale for assessment of the concrete condition. The results show the ability and efficiency of the combination of two different NDT methods to estimate the strength, elastic moduli, and health condition of the concrete structure.