Testconsult provides teams who are specialised in concrete bridge assessment in accordance with UK and Irish standards. Typically the investigation work will involve concrete cover surveys, half-cell surveys, depth of carbonation, sampling and testing for chloride ion and cement content, coring, resistivity, delamination and breakouts. We can also supply or arrange the necessary traffic management for the contract.
We will project manage the job from start to finish, including supplying a comprehensive report.
Post – Tensioned Bridge Inspections
The post-tensioning of steel tendons in concrete beams has been widely used in both road and rail bridges. Normally the tendons are carried in ducts which are injected with grout to protect the tendons from corrosion. Where the injection process has been unsuccessful the tendons are left unprotected and prone to corrosion. This process may be accelerated if the concrete is contaminated, for example with chlorides from de-icing salt. A typical inspection of a post-tensioned bridges may involve, in addition to standard bridge tests, several of the following test methods :
· Impulse Radar – using a high frequency antenna to locate rebars and tendon ducts
· Intrusive Surveys and duct inspection by drilling and using a flexible video-imagescope
· Pressure testing to establish the size of any ductvoids if present
· Chemical testing to check for chemical contamination
· In-situ Stress Determination to check existing stresses in both concrete and steel