Novel Integrated Non-destructive Testing Methodology for Detection and Evaluation of Corrosion in Cement-Based Materials

摘要

The objective of this project focused on the development of a hybrid non-destructive testing and evaluation (NDT&E) and methodology that combines the benefits of microwave NDT and thermograph into one new technique. In this way, unique features of both NDT methods ca be brought together to achieve new results that one method alone cannot achieve. Preliminary results have shown the combination of microwave and IR methods as a promising technique for detection corrosion in metals. The objective of this project is to build upon these preliminary (AMT), to detect and evaluate the presence of corrosion in cement-based materials (e.g., corrosion of reinforcing steel bars, or rebar), which is critical importance to the nation's transportation infrastructure. Included in this investigation was the acquisition of a small AMT system (designed and built by the graduate student supported by this project) to allow investigations to perform properly controlled experiments with consideration give to incident microwave power, distribution of the microwave energy, frequency, polarization of the incident signal, etc.