FFRC and SASW nondestructive evaluation of concrete strength from early ages

Abstract

Free-Free Resonant Column and Spectral Analysis of Surface Waves are two nondestructive testing techniques which are becoming increasingly relevant in construction engineering, as they offer the possibility of assessing the mechanical properties of the building materials without damaging the sample. In the present study, these two testing methods are applied on concrete samples with increasing curing times, from 9 h to 60 days, estimating the dynamic elastic modulus and proposing relationships to obtain the compressive strength from these values. The nondestructive results are compared with the actual strength of the material obtained via uniaxial compression tests, proving the accuracy of the proposed nondestructive testing methodologies, even for early ages. SASW tests are also carried out on a reinforced concrete sample, concluding that the presence of the reinforcement does not alter the results of the test. Keywords: Concrete; Early-age concrete; NDT; SASW; FFRC