The use of ultrasonic pulse velocity to estimate the water permeability of concretes

Abstract

In this work we investigated the possibility of estimating the water permeability of concrete from the ultrasonic surface wave velocity (Rayleigh's waves). This is a method for the non-destructive permeability diagnosis of the in situ auscultation of a structure. Four ordinary concrete compositions with different W/C ratios and two self compacting concretes SCC were used. This study showed a decrease in of ultrasonic pulse velocity with the increase in the W/C ratio, this is due to the increase in porosity. Curing in air of the concrete specimens produces greater permeability than curing in water. The increase in the permeability with the increase of W/C ratio is more important for curing in water than for the curing in air. SCC1 has a lower permeability than that of SCC2, this difference is respectively 20% and 10 % for curing in air and in water. The study show that permeability estimation with ultrasonic surface waves is more reliable for curing in water mode than tin curing in air. The correlations obtained between the permeability and the indirect ultrasonic velocity are linear, with an inversely proportional relation.