Acoustic inspection of concrete bridge decks with the hollowDeck

摘要

The determination of concrete integrity, especially ikn concrete bridge decks, is of extreme importance. State of the art systems, such as ground penetrating radar, have inherent problems, especially with ghosting and signal signature overlap. The older method of locating delaminations in bridge decks involves either tapping on the surface with a hammer or metal rod, or dragging a chain-bar across the bridge deck. Both methods require a "calibrated" ear to determine the difference between good sections and bad sections of concrete. As a consequence, the method is highly subjective, different from person to person and even day to day for a given person. In addition, archival of such data is impractical, or at least improbable, in most situations. An instrument that automatess the chain-drag method of concrete inspection has been constructed and tested.