Nondestructive Testing of Concrete Elements and Structures

Quality of a concrete structure depends on good construction practice. On the other hand, continuous repair and maintenance preserve the quality of construction. Nondestructive evaluation (NDE) provide relevant means for periodic inspections in order to maintain the quality of constructed facilities. In recent years, due to the state of our decaying infrastructure, extensive amount of research and development has taken place in the area of nondestructive evaluation of concrete structures. Papers selected for publication in this proceedings were presented at sessions sponsored by the Engineering Mechanics Division of the American Society of Civil Engineers in conjunction with the Structures Congress held in San Antonio, Texas, April 13-15, 1992, and represent the latest activities in NDE and condition monitoring of concrete structures. While some of the papers deal with basic research and development of new NDE techniques, others discuss practical applications of these new methods to concrete structures. Topics covered include: acoustic emission techniques, computer tomography, embedded optical fibers, general area of ultrasonics, including impact echo and pulse velocity techniques, and conventional methods.