After the concrete has hardened it is often necessary to determine whether the structure is suitable for its intended use. Ideally such a test should be done without damaging the concrete.

Tests available for concrete testing range from completely non-destructive, where there is no damage to concrete, where the concrete surface is slightly damaged, to partially destructive tests, such as core testing and pullout and pull-off tests, where The surface is to be repaired after the test.

The range of properties that can be assessed using non-destructive tests and partially destructive tests is quite large and includes factors such as density, elastic modulus and strength as well as surface hardness and surface absorbance, and reinforcement location, size and distance. Contains basic parameters. Surface. In some cases it is also possible to check the quality of workmanship and structural integrity by the ability to detect voids, cracking and contamination.

Non-destructive testing can be applied to both old and new structures. For new structures, the main applications are likely to be for quality control or the resolution of doubts about materials or construction quality. Testing of existing structures is usually concerned with the assessment of structural integrity or adequacy. In any case, if only destructive testing is used, for example by removing cores for compression testing, the cost of coring and testing may only allow a relatively small number of tests to be performed on a large structure which may be misleading. Might be possible. In those situations non-destructive testing can be used as a preliminary for subsequent coring.

Specific situations where non-destructive testing may be useful are as follows:

Quality control of pre-cast units or manufacturing Besides
Removal of uncertainties about acceptability of materials supplied due to apparent non-compliance with specifications
confirming or denying suspicion of workmanship involved in batching, mixing, placing, compacting or curing of concrete
Monitoring of strength development in relation to formwork removal, curing termination, prestressing, load application or similar purpose
Determination of the location and extent of cracks, voids, honeycomb and similar defects within a concrete structure
Determination of concrete homogeneity, possibly preliminary for core cutting, load testing, or other more expensive or disruptive tests
Determination of the position, quantity, or condition of reinforcement
Increasing the confidence level of a small number of destructive tests
Determining the extent of substantive variability to aid in the selection of sample locations representative of the quality to be assessed
Confirm or detect suspected deterioration of concrete as a result of factors such as overloading, fatigue, external or internal chemical attack or alteration, fire, explosion, environmental impact
Assessment of the potential durability of concrete
Monitoring long-term changes in solid properties
To provide information for any proposed change in the use of a structure for insurance or for change of ownership.