Written by adminSeptember 11, 2017 A corroded structure (whether it is a bridge, or a jetty, or a simple ramp) could be scary for many people. Imagine yourself driving along the Gardner Express (Downtown Toronto), or the highway 40 (Montreal), and all of a sudden, a piece of concrete falls onto your
Written by adminAugust 3, 2016 Corrosion of steel reinforcement is often investigated in the context of the durability performance of the structure; however, corrosion can equally impact the structural performance. Steel corrosion may result in reduced flexural capacity (loss of rebar cross section), reduced bond, and limited ductility. In this article, we
Written by adminAugust 5, 2016 Damaged Bridges are a major concern in the maintenance and operation of transportation infrastructure. Bridge structures in North America were mainly developed in the 1960’s and 1970’s and are rapidly approaching the end of their initial service life. Major mega cities in North America spend millions of dollars
Written by adminAugust 10, 2016 Deterioration of reinforced concrete structures can happen for a number of reasons. Physical and Chemical processes can impact durability and structural performance of the concrete. Defects in design, materials, workmanship, curing and maintenance can all impact the service life, safety and reliability of an element. In this
Written by adminOctober 18, 2016 In this article, we will investigate the use of maturity method for in-place strength measurement. We will review the concept behind the maturity technique, and the most common practices. Later, we will describe the benefits and limitations of this method for in-place strength prediction. In the last part
Written by adminJanuary 12, 2017 This articles reviews some of the most accepted and widely used nondestructive tests of thickness measurement for concrete elements. Thickness measurement can be of interest for engineers and technicians involved in the assessment of existing concrete elements, such as slabs, foundations, or pavements, or as a means
Written by adminJanuary 20, 2017 The use of electrical resistivity method for quality control and evaluation of concrete durability is becoming very popular among scholars and engineers. The measurement of electrical resistivity of concrete provides useful information about the microstructure of concrete material. The test procedure has since been standardized by AASHTO TP 95. This
Written by adminFebruary 7, 2017 Taking core samples from concrete structures is required for comprehensive assessment of durability and structural performance of the structure. The compression test on core samples is known as the most reliable method for assessing the compressive strength and a means of quality control. The procedure for taking
Written by adminFebruary 28, 2017 Structure inspection manuals such as the Ontario Structure Inspection Manual (OSIM) mostly emphasizes on the visual inspection and physical condition of bridge structures. The visual inspection methodology in this guideline consists of close up visual assessment of defects in the superstructure and substructure. This methodology is limited to
Written by adminApril 25, 2017 Half Cell corrosion mapping is an effective method for assessing the severity of corrosion activity in concrete structures. It is the most well-known procedure to identify the likelihood of active corrosion; however, the test does not provide any information about the kinetics of corrosion activity. The easy and
