A COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF THE NEUTRON/GAMMA AND KELLY-VAIL TECHNIQUES FOR DETERMINING WATER AND CEMENT CONTENT OF FRESH CONCRETE

The objective of this investigation was to comparatively evaluate a nuclear (neutron/gamma) technique and a chemical (Kelly-Vail) technique determining water and cement content of fresh concrete. The nuclear technique relies on the characteristic energy emissions of various elements during neutron interactions for determining water and cement content. The chemical technique relies on chloride ion titration to determine water content and flame photometry to determine cement content. Tests results indicate that the neutron/gamma method can estimate water contents to + or - 6 percent, and cement contents to + or - 9 to 22 percent, depending on the type of aggregate used. This compared to cement and water content accuracies of 7.1 and 5.2 percent, respectively, for the chemical technique.

• Corporate Authors:

  Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

  P.O. Box 4005
  Champaign, IL  United States  61820
• Authors:
  • Howdyshell, P A
• Publication Date: 1977-5

Media Info

• Pagination: 167 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Absorption; Accuracy; Cement; Cement content; Chemical analysis; Chemical tests; Chlorides; Components; Concrete; Flames; Gamma rays; Ions; Moisture content; Neutron activation analysis; Neutrons; Nondestructive tests; Nuclear engineering; Photometry; Reaction time; Scattering; Spectrometers; Spectroscopic analysis
• Uncontrolled Terms: Neutron scattering
• Old TRIS Terms: Gamma ray spectroscopy; Neutron absorption; Neutron capture gamma rays; Nuclear applications; Quick reaction; Radioactivation analysis
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00159124
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: CERL-SR-M-216 Final Rpt.
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Aug 31 1977 12:00AM