ASSESSMENT OF CONCRETE MATURITY LEVEL USING P-WAVE RESONANCE USING FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

K. Sivasubramanian, R. Ravichandran, K.N. Lakshmikandhan, P. Sivakumar

Abstract: With the recent developments in the non-destructive testing methods, the possibility to assess the changes in material characteristics caused by the addition of admixtures, influence of temperature, and other parameters are gaining significance. Towards this, the present work focuses on using the resonance test method for the experimental investigation. In the case of transient dynamic analysis which involves vibrations at higher frequencies, the understanding obtained from finite element simulations is relatively higher to that gained by conducting experiments. Hence, the present work mainly aims to analytically model the concrete specimens as it matures during the first 28 days after concreting. Towards this, the modelling of the specimens and the adaptation of the appropriate boundary conditions to simulate the resonance test method becomes significant. The results of the experimental and finite element analysis are compared and found to be in good agreement.

Keywords: Finite element analysis, concrete, maturity level, P-wave resonance, vibration characteristics

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15623/ijret.2015.0425076