Applying diffuse ultrasound under dynamic loading to improve closed crack characterization in concrete.

ABSTRACT

Recent studies show the ability of diffuse ultrasound to characterize surface breaking cracks in concrete. However, derived parameters are sensitive to the presence of partially opened zones along the crack whose pattern may differ from one sample to another. The aim of this letter is to study the variation of diffuse ultrasound parameters while the sample is driven by a low frequency bending load which alternatively opens and closes the crack, allowing to access supplementary information about its morphology. The results show the sensitivity of the method for various crack depths and highlight its potential for concrete nondestructive evaluation.