• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 2014

One of the widely used NDT(Non-destructive techniques) is the ultrasonic pulse velocity (USPV) method, which determines the travel time of the ultrasonic pulse through the tested materials and most studies were focused on the results expressed in time domain. However, the signal of ultrasonic pulse in time domain can be transformed into frequency domain, through Fast fourier transform(FFT) to give more useful informations. This paper shows a comparison of changes in the pulse velocity and frequency domain signals of concrete for various load histories using lightweight fine aggregates. The strength prediction equation for normal concrete using USPV cannot be used to estimate lightweight fine aggregate concrete strength. The signals in frequency domain of ultrasonic pulse of lightweight fine aggregate concrete does not show any significant difference comparing with those of normal concrete. The increases in stress levels of concrete change the pulse velocities and maximum frequencies, however the apparent relationship between themselves can not be found in this experiment.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.391-406
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• 2008

This study attempts to develop a real-time debonding monitoring system for carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) strengthened structures by continuously inspecting the bonding condition between the CFRP layer and the host structure. The uniqueness of this study is in developing a new concept and theoretical framework of nondestructive testing (NDT), in which debonding is detected without relying on previously-obtained baseline data. The proposed reference-free damage diagnosis is achieved based on the concept of time reversal acoustics (TRA). In TRA, an input signal at an excitation point can be reconstructed if the response signal measured at another point is reemitted to the original excitation point after being reversed in the time domain. Examining the deviation of the reconstructed signal from the known initial input signal allows instantaneous identification of damage without requiring a baseline signal representing the undamaged state for comparison. The concept of TRA has been extended to guided wave propagations within the CFRP-strengthened reinforced concrete (RC) beams to improve the detectibility of local debonding. Monotonic and fatigue load tests of large-scale CFRP-strengthened RC beams are conducted to demonstrate the potential of the proposed reference-free debonding monitoring system. Comparisons with an electro-mechanical impedance method and an inferred imaging technique are provided as well.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.199-206
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• 2015

Regular high-strength carbon steel is currently the most commonly used pipe material for onshore and offshore pipelines. The corrosion of offshore pipelines is a major problem as they age. The collapse of these structures as a result of corrosion may have a heavy cost is lives and assets. Therefore, their monitoring and screening is a high priority for maintenance, which may ensure the integrity and safety of a structure. Monitoring risers and subsea pipelines effectively can be accomplished using eddy current inspection to detect the average remaining wall thickness of corroded low-alloy carbon steel pipelines through corrosion scaling, paint, coating, and concrete. A test specimen for simulating the offshore pipeline is prepared as a standard specimen for an analysis and experiment with differential bobbin eddy current sensors. Using encircling coils, the signals for the defect in the simulated specimen are analyzed and evaluated in experiments. Differential bobbin eddy current sensors can diagnose the defects in a specimen, and experiments have been carried out using the developed bobbin eddy current sensor. As a result, the most optimum coil parameters were selected for designing differential bobbin eddy current sensors.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.101 no.3
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• pp.412-425
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• 2012

Concrete Soil Erosion Control Dam, which blocks flow of debris flow in torrential stream, are reported to lose expected functions due to structural failure and collapses, caused by poor construction, material deterioration and external impacts. In this paper, an integrity assessment technique for debris barriers was proposed, which allows preliminary detection of problems inherent in debris barriers. The proposed integrity assessment technique is a non-destructive method based on SASW method, one of surface-wave tests. In this paper, a practical procedure and analysis guidelines in applying the SASW technique to debris barrier was proposed and its validity was verified using five decrepit debris barriers older than 20-year old. As a result, the SASW method was validated for the reliable grade evaluation method for concrete soil erosion control dam, and the resulting grades turned out to agree with the results determined by Sabang Associations.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1509-1521
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• 2013

Social demand for the stability of structures lead to the development of the technology to accomplish it. The non-destructive seismic technique, which is able to assess structural integrity of infrastructures, belongs to this category. Seismic technique is focused on the measurement of seismic velocity propagating through the material, and has to utilize sensors coupled to material surface, which does not allow the testing to be performed on the fly. In this paper, a general vocal microphone, which works as a non-contact sensor, was adopted to facilitate seismic testing with mobility and efficiency improved. The target of using microphones was oriented toward quality assessment of compacted subgrade, stiffness evaluation and health monitoring of concrete structures. Experimental parametric study and field applications were performed to investigate reliability and efficiency of microphones. Finally, the optimal test configuration of microphones was suggested for resonance tests and surface-wave tests.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.185-192
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• 2002

We made a study of 3-D migration which could precisely image data of GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar) applied to NDT (Non-Destructive Test) field for the inspection of structural safety. In this study, we obtained 3-D migrated images of important targets in structuresurvey (e.g. steel pipes, cracks) by using 3-D Kirchhoff prestack depth migration scheme developed for seismic data processing. For a concrete model consisting of steel pipe and void, the targets have been well defined with opposite amplitude according to the parameters of the targets. And migrated images using Parallel-Broadside array (XX configuration) have shown higher resolution than those using Perpendicular-Broadside array (YY configuration) when steel pipes had different sizes. Therefore, it is required to analyze the migrated image of XX configuration as well as that of general YY configuration in order to get more accurate information. As the last stage, we chose a model including two steel pipes which cross each other. The upper pipe has been resolved clearly but the lower has been imaged bigger than the model size due to the high conductivity of the upper steel.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.17-21
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• 2017

This paper is to grasp the use of impact-echo response signal induced from impacting an object for the assessment of compressive strength of construction materials nondestructively and to propose the test results. For this study, an impact device was devised and used for impacting an object by an initial rotating free falling impact and following repetitive impacts from the rebound action which eventually disappears. Concrete test specimens which had been mixed for different strengths were tested and the impact echo response signal was measured for each test specimen. The total sound signal energy which is assessed from integrating the impact-echo response signal was compared with the directly measured compressive strength for each specimen. The comparison showed that the total sound signal energy has a direct relationship with the directly measured compressive strength and the results clearly indicated that the compressive strength of construction materials can be assessed nondestructively using total sound signal energy which is assessed from integrating the impact-echo response signal induced from impacting an object.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.5-9
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• 2019

This paper is to provide the results of a pilot study of the usability and possibility of impact force response signal induced from impacting an object for the assessment of compressive strength of various materials (rock, concrete, wood, etc.) nondestructively. For this study, a device was devised for impacting an object and measuring the impact force. The impact was carried out by an initial rotating free falling impact and following repetitive impacts from the rebound action which eventually disappears. Wood and rock test specimens for different strengths were tested and an impact force response signal was measured for each test specimen. The total impact force signal energy which is assessed from integrating the impact force response signal was compared with the directly measured compressive strength for each specimen. The comparison showed that the total impact force signal energy has a direct relationship with the directly measured compressive strength and the results clearly indicated that the compressive strength of construction materials can be assessed nondestructively using total impact force signal energy which is assessed from integrating the impact force response signal induced from impacting an object.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.5A
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• pp.737-746
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• 2008

Recently, NDTs (Non-Destructive Techniques) using electromagnetic(EM) properties are applied to the performance evaluation for RC (Reinforced Concrete) structures. Since nonmetallic materials which are cement-based system have their unique dielectric constant and conductivity, they can be characterized and changed with different mixture conditions like W/C (water to cement) ratios and unit cement weight. In a room condition, cement mortar is generally dry so that porosity plays a major role in EM properties, which is determined at early-aged stage and also be affected by curing condition. In this paper, EM properties (dielectric constant and conductivity) in cement mortar specimens with 4 different W/C ratios are measured in the wide region of 0.2 GHz~20 GHz. Each specimen has different submerged curing period from 0 to 28 days and then EM measurement is performed after 4 weeks. Furthermore, porosity at the age of 28 days is measured through MIP (Mercury Intrusion Porosimeter) and saturation is also measured through amount of water loss in room condition. In order to evaluate the porosity from the initial curing stage, numerical analysis based on the modeling for the behavior in early-aged concrete is performed and the calculated results of porosity and measured EM properties are analyzed. For the convenient comparison with influencing parameters like W/C ratios and curing period, EM properties from 5 GHz to 15 GHz are averaged as one value. For 4 weeks, the averaged dielectric constant and conductivity in cement mortar are linearly decrease with higher W/C ratios and they increase in proportion to the square root of curing period regardless of W/C ratios.

• Journal of the Korean GEO-environmental Society
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.5-10
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• 2018

This study provides a method to assess the compressive strength of granitic gneiss using total sound signal energy, which is calculated from the signal of sound pressure measured when an object impacts on rock surface, and its results. For this purpose, many test specimens of granitic gneiss were prepared. Each specimen was impacted using a devised device (impacting a specimen by an initial rotating free falling and following repetitive rebound actions) and all sound pressures were measured as a signal over time. The sound signal was accumulated over time (called total sound signal energy) for each specimen of granitic gneiss and it was compared with the directly measured compressive strength of the specimen. The comparison showed that the total sound signal energy was directly proportional to the measured compressive strength, and with this result the compressive strength of granitic gneiss can be reliably assessed by an estimation equation of total sound signal energy. Furthermore, from the study results it is clearly believed that the compressive strength of other rocks and concrete can be assessed nondestructively using the total sound signal energy.