Visual Inspection of Concrete Structure

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April 15, 2012

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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 Common Cause of Remedy Time of Fig.

Cracking Location Cracking Appearance No.

Plastic Top of Excess bleeding Reduce 10 min to 3 a

Settlement columns, bleeding h
slabs

Plastic RCC slabs Rapid early Prevent 30 min to 6 b

shrinkage drying evaporation h
just after
casting

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 Early thermal Thick walls Rapid cooling Reduce heat 1 day to 2
contraction and slabs and insulate or 3 weeks

Long term thin wall and Inefficient joints Reduce water Several C/1,
drying slabs content, weeks or C/2
shrinkage Improve month
curing

Crazing Slabs Rick mixes over Improve 1 to 7 day

travelling, poor curing and
curing finishing

Corrosion of Column and Inadequate Eliminate the more than 2 d

reinforcement beams cover, poor listed cause years
quality concrete

Alkali Deep Reactive Eliminate the More than 5 e

aggregate location aggregate and listed cause years
reaction high alkali
cement

Sulphate Members Soluble Ref. table 4 — f

Attack expose to sulphates as SO3 IS: 456-2000
sulphate in soil and
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.

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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.

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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:

Strength Test Results

of
concrete
(N/mm2) Blow of hammer (0.4 kg) Blow of hammer (0.4kg) upon Scratching by
upon concrete surface chisel placed at right angles chisel
to concrete surface

Blow 6.0 Sound-toneless deep Chisel is easily driven into Concrete cuts
dent with crumbling concrete easily and
edges crumbles

6-10 Sound-slightly toneless. Chisel can be driven into Visible

Dent has smooth edges, concrete deeper than 5 mm scratches 1-
concrete crumbles 1.5 mm deep

10-20 Sound-clear whitish mark Thin scales split off round the Visible
remains mark scratches no
deeper than 1
mm

Over 20 Sound-ringing metallic Mark is not very deep Barely visible

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- Aggregate colour changes to pink to red

3000C

3000C Paste develops a brown or pinkish colour

300- Serious cracking in paste

5000C

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 400- Portlandite converts to lime
4500C

5000C Change to anisotropic paste

500- Paste changes from red or purple to grey

6000C

5730C Quartz gives a rapid expansion resulting from a phase change from alpha
to beta quartz

600- Limestone particles become chalky white

7500C

9000C Carbonates start to shrink

950- Paste changes from grey to buff

10000C

Change in aggregate

250- Aggregate colour changes to pink to red

3000C

5730C Quartz gives a rapid expansion resulting from a phase change from alpha
to beta quartz

600- Limestone particles become chalky white

7500C

9000C Carbonates start to shrink

Changes in the paste

3000C Paste develops a brown or pinkish colour

400- Portlandite converts to lime

4500C

500- Paste changes from red or purple to grey

6000C

950- Paste changes from grey to buff

10000C

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Kanwarjot Singh
Kanwarjot Singh is the founder of Civil Engineering Portal, a leading civil engineering
website which has been awarded as the best online publication by CIDC. He did his BE
civil from Thapar University, Patiala and has been working on this website with his team
of Civil Engineers.
If you have a query, you can ask a question here.

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