Application of non-destructive testing to evaluate unknown foundations for Pennsylvania bridges.

Details

• Creators:
  Coe, Joseph T. ; Nyquist, Jonathan E. ; Kermani, Behnoud ; Sybrandy, Lorraine
• Corporate Creators:
  Temple University
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Nondestructive tests
  • Bridge foundations
  • Scour
  • Evaluation and assessment
  • Ultrasonics
  • Field tests
  • Laboratory tests
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA-PA-2013-003-TEM 002
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Pennsylvania
• Corporate Publisher:
  Pennsylvania. Dept. of Transportation. Bureau of Planning and Research
• Abstract:
  Unknown bridge foundations present a unique challenge to Departments of Transportation (DOT) across the country since ; foundation characteristics are a necessary input to assess scour vulnerability and to develop appropriate scour countermeasures. ; A number of non-destructive testing techniques have evolved over time to address this challenge and evaluate unknown ; foundation type and geometry. The most comprehensive study of NDT methods for unknown foundations was performed as part of ; National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 21-05 in 2001. Since NCHRP 21-05 other case studies have ; expanded the literature and further advancements in computer software and hardware have improved NDT capabilities and ; reliability for unknown foundation evaluation. In particular, P-wave reflection imaging has the potential to provide higher resolution ; data and significantly more detail regarding the subsurface in both the laboratory and the field. ; An ultrasonic P-wave reflection imaging system was investigated in this study as a viable NDT method to assess unknown ; foundations. The P-wave system was originally developed to image large scale soil models in the laboratory and to image the ; profile of vertically embedded structural elements such as foundations. The P-wave system was utilized in a field testing program ; to image the vertical profile of foundations at two bridge sites in southeastern Pennsylvania. Site selection, characteristics of the ; foundations tested, and the site soil conditions are summarized. The final foundation depths were unknown to the research team ; at the sites, which resulted in a true blind study and simulated the unknown foundation problem. The ultrasound probe was ; lowered in a PVC-cased borehole alongside the foundation to generate and record P-wave signals. The resulting data was plotted ; to construct an image and predict foundation characteristics. Multiple NDT techniques including Parallel Seismic, Borehole ; Magnetometer, and Borehole Radar were also performed at the sites in conjunction with the P-wave testing. The resulting data ; and interpretation of foundation characteristics are compared between all methods.
  More +
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  510801, TEM 002
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/26680/dot_26680_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 19.59 MB]
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:2509767fc6b841ec7c274988c5ea0bb3853e8fe8e503dee663b9542462f315d1