Non-destructive measurement toolkit for corrosion monitoring and fracture detection of bridge tendons

Abstract

One of the most considerable challenges of building management is to ensure the integrity and the functionality of prestressed members during service life. But particularly corrosive and mechanical influences on the prestressing steel reinforcement strongly impair the long-term performance and durability of interior as well as of exterior tendons in concrete bridges and of other prestressed structures. The durability state and degradation of tendons can be assessed primarily on the basis of the tendon's force, the corrosion state and the existence of steel fractures. For the determination of these parameters, this paper will briefly report on the application and practical verification of a measurement toolkit, which is used for monitoring, inspecting and testing of prestressed concrete elements, with main consideration of prestressed tendons in bridges. This toolbox comprises conventional inspection and several innovative measurement and monitoring techniques, which have been developed, tested and optimised by the authors in the last decade.