Application of Electromagnetic-acoustic Transducers for Nondestructive Testing in Steel Bridge Structures

Report No: 96-R30

Published in 1996

About the report:

This report presents the results of a study to (1) assess the applicability of electromagnetic-acoustic transducers for nondestructive evaluation of stresses in bridge structures and (2) evaluate the new ultrasonic instruments as an effective technique for stress surveys in bridge structures. Field tests were performed on two bridges, one a simply supported design and the other an integral backwall bridge. Residual stress measurements were made on a vertical scanline in the web at midspan of a simply-supported bridge. Live load measurements were made by determining the normalized change in arrival times of surface waves propagating between two transducers mounted on the bottom flange. Good agreement between strain gage and ultrasonic data was obtained, both for the time-history of strain and also for the equivalent stress range. The ultrasonic equipment for live load measurements is portable and easily installed. Unlike strain gage installation, ultrasonic measurements could be made without paint removal.

Documents

96-R30

_{Disclaimer Statement:The contents of this report reflect the views of the author(s), who is responsible for the facts and the accuracy of the data presented herein. The contents do not necessarily reflect the official views or policies of the Virginia Department of Transportation, the Commonwealth Transportation Board, or the Federal Highway Administration. This report does not constitute a standard, specification, or regulation. Any inclusion of manufacturer names, trade names, or trademarks is for identification purposes only and is not to be considered an endorsement.}

Authors

Margarit G. Lozev, Alfred V. Clark, Paul A. Fuchs

Last updated: December 17, 2023