NDE Techniques for Detecting Grout Defects in Cable Stays

摘要

Problems with corrosion of steel strands in grouted bridge cable stays haveraised concern about the integrity of the grout layer protecting the strands. Bleed water that may accumulate in the grout layer if voids or bubbles are trapped during the grouting process can lead to corrosion of the cables. This research study was undertaken to evaluate various nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods for inspection of this grout layer. Methods which were studied include ultrasonics, film radiography, computed tomography (CT), and neutron radiography. The feasibility of using computed tomography for inspection of the grout layer has been demonstrated.