National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

Project description

Degradation in concrete bridge decks is typically manifested as rebar corrosion, concrete delamination, and surface cracks. Nondestructive evaluation and testing (NDE/NDT) technologies have been increasingly used in concrete bridge deck evaluation to identify, localize, and quantify deterioration in bridge decks. Each NDE method has its advantages and limitations on the type of defect that can be detected. Therefore, combining multiple NDE technologies is needed in order to give comprehensive and reliable information about the bridge deck condition. For effective application of multiple NDE tests, we need to use automated positioning for each NDE to facilitate post-processing and data fusion of different NDE data. In this research work, the research team developed an NDE platform that will allow multiple NDE data collections either simultaneously or in sequence, with real time position information on bridge decks. The NDE platform consists of two main components: the data collection unit and the localization box. The data collection unit is made of a series of single board computers that were linked together to acquire data from many different channels. Any NDE technology with open data connection can be connected to the platform. The localization box incorporates localization devices including light detection and ranging (LiDAR), differential global positioning system (DGPS), and a camera as distance measurement instrument to accurately locate the signals captured by data collection unit. The moving NDE platform can be attached to hitch extension of a vehicle to provide a completely mobile solution. Three Nebraska bridges were surveyed using four NDE technologies: Vertical Electrical Impedance (VEI), ground penetrating radar (GPR), acoustic scanning system, and high definition imaging. Each bridge has different overlay type: no overlay, concrete overlay, and asphalt overlay. For each bridge deck, post-processed NDE data were analyzed, combined using two advance data fusion algorithms, and the final results are presented in 2D image maps.