CONDITION SURVEYS OF CONCRETE IN SERVICE

PROCEDURES AND TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED IN FIELD STUDIES ON CONDITION SURVEYS OF CONCRETE IN SERVICE ARE DISCUSSED. THE STEPS INVOLVED IN A CONDITION SURVEY OF CONCRETE IN SERVICE ARE LISTED AS: (1) DEFINE THE PROBLEM, (2) ASCERTAIN WHO IS INVOLVED, (3) DETERMINE THE SCOPE AND PARTICIPANTS, (4) ESTABLISH A PROCEDURE, (5) PLAN THE INVESTIGATION, (6) CONDUCT THE INVESTIGATION, AND (7) ANALYZE AND REPORT THE FINDINGS. THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES ARE USED IN CONDUCTING A BRIDGE DECK SURVEY: (1) DETERMINE THE TYPES AND EXTENT OF DECK DETERIORATION IN SELECTED AREAS, (2) DETERMINE THE CAUSES OF THE VARIOUS TYPES OF DETERIORATION, (3) DEVELOP METHODS FOR PREVENTING DETERIORATION OF FUTURE CONSTRUCTION, AND (4) DEVELOP METHODS FOR RETARDING DETERIORATION OF EXISTING BRIDGES NOW SHOWING DETERIORATION. THE BRIDGE DECK CONDITION SURVEY WAS UNDERTAKEN BY PORTLAND CEMENT ASSOCIATION IN COOPERATION WITH THE BUREAU OF PUBLIC ROADS AND A NUMBER OF STATE HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS. CONDITION SURVEYS WERE MADE IN TWO WAYS: (1) RANDOM SURVEYS ON APPROXIMATELY 100 BRIDGES IN EACH OF 12 STATES, (2) DETAILED SURVEYS OF APPROXIMATELY 12 BRIDGES IN EACH OF FIVE STATES THAT WERE INCLUDED IN THE RANDOM SURVEYS. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS PRESENTED OF A SURVEY CONDUCTED ON A LESS COMPREHENSIVE SCALE, RESULTING FROM THE OCCURRENCE OF EXTENSIVE PATTERN-CRACKING OBSERVED IN TWO SOUTHEASTERN STATES (GEORGIA AND ALABAMA) ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO. A CONDITION SURVEY MAY BE MADE ON CONCRETE IN ANY CONDITION FROM NEW AND UNDAMAGED TO COMPLETELY DETERIORATED. SAMPLING IS GENERALLY NECESSARY IN ORDER TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON ANY ABNORMALITIES OF THE CONCRETE. AN ON-THE-SITE INVESTIGATION WILL SOMETIMES REVEAL THE PRESENCE OF DETERIORATING INFLUENCES, BUT USUALLY A MORE THOROUGH LABORATORY STUDY IS REQUIRED. SONISCOPE TESTS HAVE BEEN VERY USEFUL IN MAKING NONDESTRUCTIVE FIELD EXAMINATIONS OF CONCRETE.

• Record URL:
  https://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/sr/sr106/106-003.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Highway Research Board (HRB)

  Washington, DC   
• Authors:
  • Oleson, Calvin C
• Publication Date: 1970

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References;
• Pagination: pp 9-12
• Monograph Title: Observations of the performance of concrete in service
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Special Report
  • Issue Number: 106
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Bridge decks; Concrete; Concrete pavements; Condition surveys; Deterioration; Field studies; Laboratory tests; Nondestructive tests; Pavement cracking; Sampling
• Uncontrolled Terms: Deteriorated concrete
• Old TRIS Terms: Inservice; Soniscope
• Subject Areas: Highways; Materials;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00213690
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB, ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 17 1970 12:00AM