Relationship of time-dependent parameters from destructive and non-destructive tests of structural concrete

Abstract

Reinforced concrete structures are typically exposed to a combination of aggressive substances and mechanical stresses, which contribute to fast degradation. The present research was conducted to evaluate five time-dependent parameters from several different tests, namely compressive strength, static modulus, dynamic modulus, surface, and bulk electrical resistance. Some parameters were obtained using destructive testing (DT) and some using non-destructive testing (NDT). Due to the correlation and calculation of regression curves, it was possible to compare the correlation of parameters important for estimating the durability of reinforced concrete structures in relation to degradation and corrosion. Concrete of C40/50 grade was examined in several time periods, and the parameter relationships were analysed. At the same time, a statistical evaluation was carried out, and therefore the study contains the average values and standard deviations of all measured parameters. The results show that the compressive strength and the electrical resistivity of the surface and bulk have a high correlation. In contrast, the dynamic modulus and electrical resistivity have low linear correlation, but it was possible to apply a quadratic curve with a high degree of fit. For the comparison of static elastic modulus and electrical resistance, the quality of the quadratic regression model was low but sufficient. The results show that, for structural concrete, the presented NDT methods can be used to estimate other parameters obtained from the DT methods.