Concrete NDT

RTUTec provides cutting edge equipment for nondestructive testing of concrete structures and products, enabling high end results on site for informed construction planning and calculations as well as repair and maintenance decisions..

Concrete NDT is conducted for a variety of requirements. Whether the concrete is used in fresh on site casting or as pre-cast units, testing for the determination its quality and for detecting structures in it are a routine part of construction. Concrete NDT enables detection and location of structures within the concrete, such as rebar wires/ wire mesh, pipes, conduit direction, electric sealing boxes and cables, cooling and heating lines etc. Detecting these targets is important before drilling or cutting into the concrete. Other tests help perform static calculations of concrete based reinforcements. With NDT the quality of the concrete cast is determined and damages such as corrosion or cracks can be detected for maintenance purposes.

Concrete is inspected according to criteria and standards determined by the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) and American Association of State and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Various testing methods for concrete include radiography (RT) or digital radiography (DR), ground penetrating radar (GPR), electrical resistivity measurement, temperature measurement, half-cell potential measurement, resistance to chloride penetration test (RCPT), and … to name a few.

So Where is the Technological Twist?

As concrete structures tend to be large and the concrete itself is a dense material, conducting NDT can be quite challenging. Technologies such as GPR (ground penetrating Radar), Radiography and electrical resistivity are just a few which make our buildings and structures safer.

Conventional Radiography is a known method for concrete NDT, creating X-ray images of the concrete that are clear and easy to understand. With Digital radiography (DR), concrete radiographic testing is at its peak! The imaging can be conducted in the field, with results available almost in real-time. The digital detectors enable a reduction of radiation exposure levels and no chemicals are required for image developing, this leads to cost savings and the testing is more environmentally friendly.

RTUTec also offers a variety of electrical resistivity products, with various measuring techniques. Our SMART BOXTM wireless measuring device enables the measurement of both electrical resistivity (as an indicator for water content and concrete setting time) and temperature with one unit. The RCON2TM unit conducts tests based on uniaxial method, employing AC impedance technique for the accurate and fast readings, with a wide range of frequencies. The SURFTM lab testing unit uses the four-probe (Wenner-Array) technique, while reducing the duration of test and minimizing the ambient effects.

Our XCELLTM half-cell potential unit can be operated with a smart-phone or tablet for real-time corrosion contour plotting. The PARMA2TM RCPT lab testing unit offered by RTUTec provides rapid results and does not require caulking.