Field Experience in using Resistivity Tests for Concrete

Surface Resistivity (SR) and Bulk Resistivity (BR) are gaining popularity for testing concrete’s ability to resist chloride ingress in lieu of the Electrical Indication of Concrete’s Ability to Resist Chloride Ion Penetration Test (American Association of State Highway and Testing Officials (AASHTO) T277 / American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) C1202) which is commonly referred to as the Rapid Chloride Permeability Test (RCPT). Previous comparison studies among the three tests were mostly focused on laboratory cast samples. This paper analyzed SR, BR, and RCPT data collected by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Mobile Concrete Laboratory (MCL) from 11 concrete paving field projects from across the country. The data showed that the results from the three tests correlate well and confirms the work performed by previous research on laboratory samples. However, the data indicates that care should be taken when using 28 day SR data in lieu of 56 day RCPT data since they may not correlate well for all mixtures. The variability associated with production for SR, BR, and RCPT tests was also analyzed from the field projects. Depending on the project, the Coefficient of Variation (COV) for SR and BR for production samples ranged from 5% to 25% with an average of 13% and 12% respectively. The SR and BR COVs for all the projects were lower than the COV of RCPT. Data also showed that little to no correlation existed between 56 day SR test results, fresh concrete properties and 28 day compressive strength.

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• Supplemental Notes:
  • This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AFN30 Durability of Concrete.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Gudimettla, Jagan M
  • Crawford, Gary L
• 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; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 16p
• Monograph Title: TRB 94th Annual Meeting Compendium of Papers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Chlorides; Compressive strength; Concrete tests; Data analysis; Electrical resistivity; Field studies
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials; I32: Concrete;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01555210
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 15-3357
• Files: PRP, TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Feb 26 2015 10:03AM