Monitoring Extreme Loading and Climate Impact on Infrastructure

Nondestructive ultrasonic and acoustic emission (AE) evaluation techniques have been used worldwide to assess in-service infrastructure related problems. Numerous studies have demonstrated the applicability and versatility of the techniques to assess and to monitor damage initiation and evaluate its progression for various deterioration processes. To address the problem of climate impact and traffic overload on concrete infrastructure, the aim of this research study is to investigate evaluation and monitoring methods using technologies such as AE monitoring capable of qualifying material damage due to weathering and service condition. For this study, actual Oklahoma climate conditions are evaluated and not national standard conditions, which may not be relevant to local settings nor realistic of field encountered deterioration mechanisms. Cyclic high temperature exposure, cyclic freezing and thawing exposure and cyclic wetting and drying exposure are considered in this study. A total of five different test methods are compared herein to determine the efficacy and sensitivity of the techniques to determine damage initiation and its extent. Two destructive tests, compression and flexural testing are compared with two nondestructive methods, ultrasonic pulse velocity and resonant frequency. It was found that resonant frequency testing might be more sensitive to changes in microstructure caused by microcrack formation while flexural testing was the least effective. Still, all methods discerned (with varying sensitivity) a change in properties after 30 cycles of freeze-thaw exposure, 90 cycles of high temperature variance and 90 cycles of wet-dry exposures. Acoustic emission (AE) monitoring was performed during mechanical loading. A simple AE parameter-based evaluation confirmed that found from the destructive and nondestructive study. Therefore, the method was determined to be effective in discerning changes in material integrity if the member evaluated is subjected to varying levels of stress.

• Record URL:
  • https://static1.squarespace.com/static/526c7a98e4b023d8f09390ed/t/5bec7c03352f532af5d3a42e/1542224905023/SPTC14.2-09+Hartell.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/62503
• Supplemental Notes:
  • This document was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation, University Transportation Centers Program.
• Corporate Authors:

  Oklahoma State University, Stillwater

  School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  207 Engineering South
  Stillwater, OK  United States  74078-5033

  Southern Plains Transportation Center

  University of Oklahoma
  201 Stephenson Pkwy, Suite 4200
  Norman, OK  United States  73019

  Office of the Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology

  University Transportation Centers Program
  Department of Transportation
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Hartell, Julie Ann
  • Zeng, Hang
• Publication Date: 2018-10-30

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 71p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acoustic emission; Climate; Freeze thaw durability; High temperature; Impacts; Infrastructure; Mechanical tests; Nondestructive tests; Test procedures; Traffic loads; Wetting and drying tests
• Geographic Terms: Oklahoma
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01686345
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: SPTC14.2-09-F
• Contract Numbers: DTRT13-G-UTC36
• Files: UTC, NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 26 2018 10:03AM