Scope
FPrimeC Solutions Inc. was engaged by the contractor to perform non-destructive testing and evaluation (NDT/NDE) on six concrete foundation blocks at a construction site in Timmins, Ontario for a future mining equipment warehouse. It is understood that the concrete foundation blocks had previously been repaired. The main goal of the study was to evaluate the quality, and integrity of concrete foundations following the repair.
Ground Penetrating Radar
After visual inspection and sounding, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) was used to accurately locate the rebars within the concrete and mark their placement on the foundation using chalk. Knowing the location of rebar would allow for more accurate results with further NDT methods.
Uniformity Assessment in Concrete Foundations
1- Rebound Hammer
Rebound Hammer test was used to determine the surface hardness of the foundations and indicate any surface anomalies such as; us air pockets and deformities. Rebound hammer was used to evaluate the overall quality and uniformity of concrete across different foundation blocks, and to assess the extent of potential surface anomalies.
2- Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity
The primary test method for evaluating the quality and uniformity of repaired concrete blocks was the Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV). Since the foundation blocks were exposed on both vertical faces, FPrimeC engineers were able to position the transducers in a direct method arrangement, meaning; transducers were on opposite sides of the concrete facing each other at 180 degree angle. This arrangement enabled the UPV tests to obtain maximum sensitivity of the ultrasound waves, and thus accurate test results in terms of quality and uniformity of the concrete.
