Year: 1998
Type: dissertation
Abstract: The assessment of the structural conditions of aging large infrastructure systems, such as bridges, roads and pipelines, plays a key role on the management of such systems. Still, commonly used non-destructive evaluation techniques for concrete are conducted on a relatively slow point by point basis, and involve high time and cost requirements. We need therefore, more efficient ways of scanning and analyzing concrete structures. Wave Stress Methods show potential to this effect. In this thesis, we first analyze the impact of a steel pellet on to a pavement. As this is a common way of generating stress pulses for the non-destructive evaluation of concrete decks. Second, we present three simple ways to estimate wave velocities in concrete. These methods use the concepts of wave time of arrival, time of delay and phase delays. The first two concepts correspond to the time domain, while the third one to the frequency domain. Third, we study the propagation of a transient pulse in an elastic half space and draw similarities with the case of an elastic plate. In the last chapter, we propose a technique based in non-linear least squares fitting to estimate velocities and
Author: David Prosper
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1513950935