Non-Destructive Testing of Composite Materials

Abstract

Composite materials, these days have become an integral part of any construction. In India infrastructure industry is growing rapidly due to globalization, raising awareness and growing importance of India around the globe. Most of the structures, these days, are built using composite materials. Despite improved properties of the materials they are still facing the common structural problems which consist of cracks, spalling, corrosion, leakage, chloride & sulphate attack, carbonation etc. If these problems are not solved at their initial stages then it might lead to the serious damages to the structures. This paper deals with non-destructive analysis of residential building composed of the composite materials such as reinforced cement concrete wherein the building has been assessed using rebound hammer test, ultrasonic pulse velocity test, carbonation test and resistivity test in concrete. Rigorous visual inspection followed by detailed distress mapping using the non-destructive tests was carried out for each structural member of building to find out extent and root cause of the deterioration of the materials used in building. The test results have shown a significant decline in the strength and the durability properties of the materials used in the building.

 Keywords: Composite Materials, Rebound Hammer Test, Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test, Carbonation.