Comparison of Non-Destructive Test Results with Core Strengths Observed in the FHWA Highway Materials Engineering Course

Results of compressive strength of drilled cores are compared with the results of rebound hammer (ASTM C805), penetration resistance (C803), ultrasonic pulse velocity (C597), and the pull-out test (C900). All results were obtained at an age of 3 days. These tests were repeated 12 times over 15 years as an integral component of Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA’s) “Highway Materials Short Course Portland cement conrete (PCC) Module,” conducted as a hands-on demonstration of non-destructive test (NDT) methods and variability of measured strength within a single load of concrete. Participants sampled concrete from the truck, made specimens, and cured them under both laboratory and field conditions. Each team also cast one concrete slab (4ft. x 4ft. x 8in. thick) from which three cores were extracted, and upon which NDT tests were performed. Compilation of the multi-year data-set demonstrates broadly scattered test results in both core and NDT tests. In any given year all specimens were made with concrete sampled from the same single truckload. In the general case, broad correlations or trends could be identified between results of NDT tests and core strength. The precision with which one could infer in-place strength from NDT results varied considerably, with better results often obtainable within, rather than across, a given concrete mixture and set of curing conditions. The utility of generic calibrations accompanying NDT equipment varied considerably.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFN20 Properties of Concrete.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Hover, Kenneth C
• Conference:
  • Transportation Research Board 94th Annual Meeting
  • Location: Washington DC, United States
  • Date: 2015-1-11 to 2015-1-15
• Date: 2015

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 19p
• Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Admixtures; Compressive strength; Concrete tests; Education and training; Nondestructive tests; Penetration resistance; Rebound
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Federal Highway Administration
• Uncontrolled Terms: Pullout strength
• Subject Areas: Construction; Education and Training; Highways; Materials; I32: Concrete;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01555077
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-1927
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 26 2015 10:03AM