Visual Inspection of Concrete Structure
By
Kaushal Kishore
Materials Engineer, Roorkee
Visual inspection is one of the most versatile and powerful of the NDT methods, and it is
typically one of the first steps in the evaluation of a concrete structure. Visual inspection can
provide a wealth of information that may lead to positive identification of the cause of
observed distress. However, its effectiveness depends on the knowledge and experience of
the investigator. Broad knowledge in structural engineering, concrete materials, and
construction methods is needed to extract the most information from visual inspection.
Before performing a detailed visual inspection, the investigator should develop and follow a
definite plan to maximize the quality of the record data. Visual inspection has the obvious
limitation that only visible surface can be inspected. Internal defects go unnoticed and no
quantitative information is obtained about the properties of the concrete. For these reasons,
a visual inspection is usually supplemented by one or more of the other NDT methods, such
as by concrete test hammer, ultrasonic concrete tester and partial destructive testing by
drilling cores and testing them for compressive strength.
Optical magnification allows a more detailed view of local areas of distress. Available
instrument range from simple magnifying glasses to more expensive hand-held microscope.
A very useful tool for crack inspection is a small hand-held magnifier with a built-in
measuring scale on the lens closet to the surface being viewed. With such a crack
comparator the width of surface opening cracks can be measured accurately. Identification
of cracks in a concrete structure is given in table-1.
Table-1: Non-Structural cracks which can occur in concrete:
Type of Cracking Common Cause of Cracking Remedy Time of Fig.
Location Appearance No.
Plastic Settlement Top of Excess bleeding Reduce bleeding 10 min to 3 h a
columns, slabs
Plastic shrinkage RCC slabs Rapid early drying Prevent 30 min to 6 h b
evaporation just
after casting
Early thermal Thick walls and Rapid cooling Reduce heat and 1 day to 2 or 3
contraction slabs insulate weeks
Long term drying thin wall and Inefficient joints Reduce water Several weeks or C/1,
shrinkage slabs content, Improve month C/2
curing
Crazing Slabs Rick mixes over Improve curing 1 to 7 day
travelling, poor and finishing
curing
Corrosion of Column and Inadequate cover, Eliminate the more than 2 years d
reinforcement beams poor quality concrete listed cause
Alkali aggregate Deep location Reactive aggregate Eliminate the More than 5 years e
reaction and high alkali listed cause
cement
Sulphate Attack Members Soluble sulphates as Ref. table 4 IS: — f
expose to SO3 in soil and 456-2000
sulphate attach ground water
TESTING CONCRETE BY TAPPING METHOD
As part of visual inspection the strength of concrete may be roughly obtained by tapping
method. However, this may not be treated as substitute of cube testing. Tapping an object
with a hammer is one of the oldest form of non-destructive testing based on stress-wave
propagation. The method is subjective, as it depends on the experience of the operator,
sounding is a useful method for detecting near-surface delimitations.
In the tapping method the strength of concrete may be determine either from its hardness
when scratched with a metal “pencil” or a chisel, or from the character of the sound when
struck with a hammer, or from the character of the mark left after a hammer blow.
The tapping method is not very exact but it is simple and can be easily applied for an
approximate determination of the strength of concrete. On the concrete to be tested a
smooth surface about 100×100 mm is chosen and cleaned with a wire brush. Then a
hammer 300-400 gms in mass is struck against the concrete from elbow height directly or
through a metal worker’s chisel placed at right angles to the tested surface. The size of the
mark left by the hammer or the chisel and the sound of the hammer stroke are indicative of
the strength of concrete. Ten blows of average force are made at different points on the
specimen. Results, exceeding low, are disregarded. Approximate values of the strength of
concrete obtained from these tests are given in table.2.
The tapping method is used for an approximate determination of strength of concrete,
because the force of the blow and the accompanying sound vary greatly depending on
subjective factors.
Table-2. Strength of concrete by tapping method:
Test Results
Strength of concrete Blow of hammer (0.4 Blow of hammer Scratching by chisel
2
(N/mm ) kg) upon concrete (0.4kg) upon chisel
surface placed at right angles
to concrete surface
Blow 6.0 Sound-toneless deep Chisel is easily driven Concrete cuts easily
dent with crumbling into concrete and crumbles
edges
6-10 Sound-slightly Chisel can be driven Visible scratches 1-
toneless. Dent has into concrete deeper 1.5 mm deep
smooth edges, than 5 mm
concrete crumbles
10-20 Sound-clear whitish Thin scales split off Visible scratches no
mark remains round the mark deeper than 1 mm
Over 20 Sound-ringing Mark is not very deep Barely visible
metallic mark-visible scratches
VISUAL INSPECTION OF FIRE DAMAGE CONCRETE
Visual observation of spalling and colour change aided by surface tapping is the principle
method of assessment of fire damage. Conclusive results may be obtained by hammer test,
ultrasonic pulse velocity measurement, drilling of cores and testing them for compressive
strength. Finally, if required by load testing of structure. For detail investigation testing of
steel and chemical analysis of concrete samples may be carried out.
Table- 3: Visual observation of fire-damaged concrete structure
Changes in fire-damaged concrete:
<3000C Boundary cracking alone
250-3000C Aggregate colour changes to pink to red
3000C Paste develops a brown or pinkish colour
0
300-500 C Serious cracking in paste
0
400-450 C Portlandite converts to lime
0
500 C Change to anisotropic paste
0
500-600 C Paste changes from red or purple to grey
0
573 C Quartz gives a rapid expansion resulting from a phase
change from alpha to beta quartz
600-7500C Limestone particles become chalky white
9000C Carbonates start to shrink
950-10000C Paste changes from grey to buff
Change in aggregate
250-3000C Aggregate colour changes to pink to red
5730C Quartz gives a rapid expansion resulting from a phase
change from alpha to beta quartz
600-7500C Limestone particles become chalky white
9000C Carbonates start to shrink
Changes in the paste
3000C Paste develops a brown or pinkish colour
400-4500C Portlandite converts to lime
500-6000C Paste changes from red or purple to grey
950-10000C Paste changes from grey to buff
CONCLUSIONS:
1. Visual inspection is a very powerful NDT method. Its efficiency, however, is to a large
extent governed by the experience and knowledge of the investigator. A broad knowledge of
structural behaviour, materials, and construction methods is desirable. Visual inspection is
typically one aspect of the total evaluation plan, which will often be supplemented by a
series of other NDT methods or invasive procedures.
2. Visual features may be related to workmanship, structure serviceability and material
deterioration, and it is particularly important that the engineer be able to differentiate
between the various types of cracking which may be encountered.
3. Visual inspection will also provide the basis of judgment relating to access and safety
requirements. There are already frightening examples where public safety has been put at
risk due to lack of simple regular visual inspection.
REFERENCES:
1. IS: 456:2000, Plain and reinforced concrete- Code of practice (Fourth Revision) BIS, New
Delhi.
2. Assessment and Repair of Fire-damaged Concrete Structure, Tech. Report. 33. Concrete
Society, London, 1990
3. Non-Structural cracks in concrete, Technical Report No. 22 3rd Edn, Concrete Society,
London, 1992.
4. Smith, J.R. Assessment of Concrete Building, Concrete International, 13, No. 12, Dec,
1991, pp. 48-49.
5. Pallock, D.J. Kay, E.A. and Fookes, P.G. Crack Mapping for Investigation of Middle East
Concrete. Concrete, 15, No. 5, May, 1981, pp. 12-18.
We at engineeringcivil.com are thankful to Sir Kaushal Kishore for submitting his research
paper on “Visual Inspection of Concrete Structure” to us. This will be of great help to
all civil engineers.
Source: http://www.engineeringcivil.com/visual-inspection-of-concrete-
structure.html
