The effect of material present in the void for thermography inspection in concrete

Abstract

In the previous study by the author, a numerical model to predict the thermal contrasts resulting from subsurface voids (i.e. delaminations) in concrete under a given set of environmental conditions was developed using the finite element method. The model was verified using the experimental test data, and the results indicated that the model could be an effective tool to support the thermography inspection of the concrete. In this present study, the use of the verified model to evaluate the effects of materials present in the void created by the delamination expected to influence the detectability of the subsurface voids. The effect of this parameter on the thermal contrast developed on the surface above a subsurface delamination was assessed under a specific set of environmental conditions. The results indicated that air-filled void produced a significant thermal contrast compared to water-filled void, ice-filled void, and epoxy adhesive-filled void.