Eng. & Tech. Journal,Vol.29, No.

14, 2011

Non-Destructive Test of Concrete Structures Using:

FERROSCAN

Aseel A.Salman*
Received on: 5/5/2011
Accepted on: 8/9/2011
Abstract
The non-destructive testing (NDT) industry is reviewed, the major techniques
being described and current development directions and challenges identified. One
of the most common techniques (ferroscan) is explained briefly below.
Ferroscan is a non-destructive measuring method based on the generation and
detection of electromagnetic fields in conductive materials. In concrete structures,
the strength of this induced field depends on the diameter and the cover of the
reinforcement. The techniques has been shown to find location and orientation of
reinforcement bars, stirrup, or other metal pipe, in the concrete, measure thickness
of concrete cover over reinforcement bar, and to determine the bar diameter.
In this paper Ferroscan FS 10, a portable detection, was used for measuring and
mapping system which provides an immediate liquid crystal image of the
reinforcement within a survey area which include reinforcement concrete beam
(1000*200*120)mm.
The great advantage of measurements with ferroscan, compared to existing
detection systems, is that the measurements can be carried out far quicker and more
accurately, accurate mapping out of reinforcement and verification of
reinforcement in old building.
Keywords: Nondestructive test, ferroscan, reinforcement beam structure.

Ferroscan: ‫ﺍﻟﻔﺤﺹ ﺍﻟﻐﻴﺭ ﺘﺩﻤﻴﺭﻱ ﻟﻠﺨﺭﺴﺎﻨﻪ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﺤﻪ ﺒﺄﺴﺘﺨﺩﺍﻡ ﺠﻬﺎﺯ‬

‫ﺍﻟﺨﻼﺼﻪ‬
‫ﻴﻌﺘﺒﺭ ﺍﻟﻔﺤﺹ ﺍﻟﻐﻴﺭ ﺘﺩﻤﻴﺭﻱ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﻔﺤﻭﺼﺎﺕ ﺍﻻﺴﺎﺴﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﺴـﺘﺨﺩﻡ ﻓـﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺠـﺎل ﺍﻻﻨﺸـﺎﺌﻲ‬
( Ferroscan) ‫ ﺍﺤﺩ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻨﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺸﺎﺌﻌﺔ ﺍﻻﺴﺘﻌﻤﺎل ﻟﻠﻔﺤﺹ ﺍﻟﻐﻴﺭ ﺘﺩﻤﻴﺭﻱ ﻫـﻭ ﺠﻬـﺎﺯ‬. ‫ﻭﺍﻟﺼﻨﺎﻋﺔ‬
‫ﻭﺍﻟﺫﻱ ﻴﻌﺘﻤﺩ ﻤﺒﺩﺀ ﻋﻤﻠﻪ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺘﻭﻟﻴﺩ ﺤﻘل ﻜﻬﺭﻭﻤﻐﻨﺎﻁﻴﺴﻲ ﺒﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﺠﻬﺎﺯ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺎﺩﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﻭﺼﻠﺔ ﻭﻤـﻥ ﺜـﻡ‬
‫( ﺒﺎﻻﻋﺘﻤـﺎﺩ‬Ferroscan ) ‫ﻓﻲ ﻤﺠﺎل ﺍﻟﺨﺭﺴﺎﻨﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﺤﻪ ﻴﻘﻭﻡ ﺠﻬـﺎﺯ‬.‫ﺍﻟﻜﺸﻑ ﻋﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺎﺩﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﻭﺼﻠﺔ‬
‫ﻋﻠﻰ ﺍﻟﺤﻘل ﺍﻟﻜﻬﺭﻭﻤﻐﻨﺎﻁﻴﺴﻲ ﺍﻟﺫﻱ ﻴﻭﻟﺩﻩ ﺒﺎﻟﻜﺸﻑ ﻋﻥ ﺤﺩﻴﺩ ﺍﻟﺘﺴﻠﻴﺢ )ﻗﻁﺭ ﺤﺩﻴﺩ ﺍﻟﺘﺴﻠﻴﺢ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﺨﺩﻡ‬
. ‫ﻭ ﺴﻤﻙ ﻁﺒﻘﺔ ﺍﻟﺨﺭﺴﺎﻨﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﻐﻁﻲ ﺤﺩﻴﺩ ﺍﻟﺘﺴﻠﻴﺢ‬
‫( ﻟﺘﺤﺩﻴﺩ ﻤﻭﻗﻊ ﻭﻗﻁﺭ ﺤﺩﻴﺩ ﺍﻟﺘﺴﻠﻴﺢ ﻟﻨﻤﻭﺫﺝ ﻤﻥ‬Ferroscan ) ‫ﻓﻲ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﺘﻡ ﺍﺴﺘﺨﺩﺍﻡ ﺠﻬﺎﺯ‬
‫(ﻤﻠﻡ ﻭﻗﻴﺎﺱ ﺴﻤﻙ ﻁﺒﻘﺔ ﺍﻟﺨﺭﺴﺎﻨﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﻐﻁﻲ ﺤﺩﻴـﺩ‬120*200*1000) ‫ﺍﻟﺨﺭﺴﺎﻨﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﺤﻪ ﺒﺄﺒﻌﺎﺩ‬
.‫ ﻜﺫﻟﻙ ﻴﺯﻭﺩﻨﺎ ﺍﻟﺠﻬﺎﺯ ﺼﻭﺭﺓ ﻜﺭﺴﺘﺎﻟﻴﺔ ﻋﻥ ﺘﻭﺯﻴﻊ ﺤﺩﻴﺩ ﺍﻟﺘﺴﻠﻴﺢ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻨﻤـﻭﺫﺝ‬، ‫ﺍﻟﺘﺴﻠﻴﺢ ﻟﻠﻨﻤﻭﺫﺝ‬
‫ﺍﻟﻔﺎﺌﺩﺓ ﺍﻻﺴﺎﺴﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻔﺤﺹ ﺍﻟﻐﻴﺭ ﺘﺩﻤﻴﺭﻱ ﺘﺘﻠﺨﺹ ﻴﻜﻭﻥ ﺍﻟﻔﺤﻭﺼﺎﺕ ﺘﻜﻭﻥ ﺍﺴﺭﻉ ﻭﺍﻜﺜﺭ ﺩﻗﺔ‬
‫ ( ﻟﻔﺤﻭﺼﺎﺕ ﺤﺩﻴﺩ‬Ferroscan) ‫ ﻜﺫﻟﻙ ﻴﻔﻴﺩﻨﺎ ﺠﻬﺎﺯ‬، ‫ﻭﺍﻗل ﻜﻠﻔﺔ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﻔﺤﻭﺼﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻠﻴﺩﻴﻪ ﺍﻻﺨﺭﻯ‬
. ‫ﺍﻟﺘﺴﻠﻴﺢ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﺠﺭﻱ ﻟﻼﺒﻨﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻘﺩﻴﻤﺔ‬

* Building and Construction Engineering Department, University of Technology/ Baghdad

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 Eng. & Tech. Journal, Vol.29, No.14, 2011 Non-Destructive Test of Concrete
Structures Using: FERROSCAN

Introduction

A
t present, the usual way to 1. 1 Typical Applications of Non-
inspect and diagnose [7]
destructive test
facilities with high 1. For quality control of pre-cast units
precision is to perform strength and construction in situ.
testing and material analysis on 2. The workmanship involved in
samples removed from an existing hatching, mixing, placing,
facility. This method, by compacting or curing of concrete.
definition, consumes part of an 3. Monitoring of strength
existing facility, so it is difficult development.
to apply it to the entire structure of 4. Location and determination of the
an aged existing facility. extent of cracks, voids, etc.
5. Determine the position, quantity or
Furthermore, in large-scale
condition of reinforcement.
facilities like tunnels, the conditions 6. Increasing the confidence level of a
often vary with the measurement smaller number of destructive tests.
position, so it is difficult to
evaluate the condition of the 2.2 Non-destructive Methods
In the case of non-
whole facility from local Destructive t e s t i n g o n
measurements. On the other hand, c o n c r e t e structures, various
non-destructive testing evaluates techniques can be applied:[6]
the condition of a structure without 1. Visual Inspection
damaging it, so it has two 2. Schmidt rebound hammer test
advantages: it can be applied to the 3. Resistivity measurement
whole of a large-scale structure and 4. Radiographic testing
can efficiently evaluate the 5. Pulsevelocity test
degradation condition of that 6. Ferroscan
structure. Likewise, in the case of 7. Impact echo
concrete structures, it is important 8. Ground penetration radar
9. The Ultrasonic shear wave
to take effective action at the stage
test method
before visible degradation of the
concrete occurs. If highprecision 2.3 Ferroscan
facility evaluation by non- One of the most common
destructive testing were available, techniques (ferroscan) is explained
it would be possible to continue briefly below.
operating and maintaining existing Ferroscan is a non-destructive
[4] measuring method based on
facilities for a long time .
Non-destructive testing can be the generation and detection of
applied to both old and new magnetic fields in conductive
structures, for new structures the materials. In concrete
principal applications are likely to structures, the strength of this
be for quality control old induced field depends on the
structures- renovation purposes. diameter and the cover of the

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 Eng. & Tech. Journal, Vol.29, No.14, 2011 Non-Destructive Test of Concrete
Structures Using: FERROSCAN

reinforcement. Following gathered can be

detection of this induced used to supply
magnetic field, the following the following
characteristics can be determined information:-
1- arrangement and position of
for concrete structures[4]:
reinforcement
• Amount and location of
2- depth of cover
reinforcement
• Reinforcement diameter 3- indicative bar diameter
• Cover The images may be evaluated by
• Accurate mapping out of viewing transverse and longitudinal
reinforcement sections, layers at different depths
• Verification of reinforcement or by producing statistical
in old buildings information. All scanned data can
The Ferroscan as shown in figure be downloaded onto a personal
(1) can locate ferrous materials(i.e. computer for further analysis [3],
structural steel such as re-bar and
interpretation and printed output.
post-tension cables) in concrete to
2. Methodology and Results
an effective depth of 150 mm or
The principle of operation of
6 inches, this instrument can give a
ferroscan techniques is
good approximation of the depth of
(electromagnetic surveys),
an object as long as it is within the
Most electromagnetic (EM)
top 100 mm of concrete. The
systems employ an active
diameter of re-bar or cable can be
transmitter so that the source
ascertained accurately within the top
geometry and wave frequency (or
50 mm. Metal conduit can also be
the transient pulse duration) can
detected as long as it is near the
be controlled during the field
surface
operations [1].
and there is not too much
The main function of the
interference from structural steel.
artificial field electromagnetic
The display may be undertaken using
(EM) methods is the detection of
either of two main modes of
b odies of high elect r ica l
operation:
conductivity. Most favorable
Quickscans
In the Quickscan mode, the data targets are: environmental,
recorded includes the position and geotechnical, structural problems,
cover to reinforcing bars that cross underground pipes and cables,
the direction of the scan. Scans can delineating faults, shear and thin
be of up to 30 m in length. conducting veins and groundwater
Image Scan studies.
Image scans produce a full image of The major advantage of these
the reinforcement within the methods over the electrical
scanned area. resistivity methods is that they do
The data not require conductive ground

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 Eng. & Tech. Journal, Vol.29, No.14, 2011 Non-Destructive Test of Concrete
Structures Using: FERROSCAN

connections, and many systems can the conduction currents, whereas

be used from aircraft. the terms involving (€µ ω2) are
Following are the basic equations related to the displacement
for the propagation of electric and currents. The rock properties
magnetic field vectors in an ((€,µ and σ) and angular
isotropic, homogeneous medium frequency ω (where ω=2πf) can
with physical properties[8]. be grouped into one terms K2
Electric conductivity is defined as given by
the reciprocal of resistivity. By The quantity
using these relationships we can K= = €µ ω2- I ω µ σ) … . . ( 3 )
reduce Maxwell’s equations in is called the "complex wave
terms of only two vectors E &H. number "or the
the vertical equations for E and H "propagation parameter".
are
3. Experimental Method and
Δ2E=I ωµσE- €µω2E ……..(1) apparatus
In this research, one sample used
Δ2H=I ωµσH- €µω2H …….(2) for test by the ferroscan FS10
technique as shown in figure (2).
Where I ωµΣe= conduction The dimensions of samples was
currents (1000x200x120)mm,
€µω2H= displacement currents, rectangular reinforced concrete
beam. The details of
where I= reinforcement as shown in figure
There are three relationships (5).
connecting these field vectors: The reading which obtained from
D=€E ferrroscan FS10 transferred to
B=µH Ferroscan PC Software which is
I=σe an application that permits data to
Where: be transferred from the Ferroscan
I= the electric current (A/m2) RV 10 monitor to a personal
€=the dielectric permittivity (F/m) computer for further processing or
µ=magnetic permeability (H/m) evaluation. Where two methods of
σ=electric conductivity(S/m)of surveying have been adapted,
the medium. First -Quick Scan
These are basic equations for Quickscan mode is used to rapidly
the propagation of electric and locate reinforcing bars and to check
magnetic field vectors in an theminimum depth of coverage. So
isotropic, homogenous-medium the number of reinforcing bars
perpendicular to the direction of the
with physical properties €,µ and
scan, their location and depth of
σ. The terms in above equations
coverage as well as the length of the
involving (I ω µ σ) are related to
scan is recorded. Figure (3) shows

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 Eng. & Tech. Journal, Vol.29, No.14, 2011 Non-Destructive Test of Concrete
Structures Using: FERROSCAN

diameter of reinforcing bars in the top measurements can be carried out

(10mm) and depth of concrete cover. far quicker and more accurately.
Second- Image Scan References
An area of (1000 x 200) mm is [1]DOBRIN,M.D.(1988)“Introduction
scanned in a series of perpendicular to Geophysical Prospecting”,
paths. The monitor uses this data to 4th edn,McGraw –Hill,NewYork.
produce a graphical representation [2] Follestad, B.A., Korneliussen,
of the reinforcement in the A. & Cook, N.J. (2000):" Testing
concrete. The depth of coverage of multispectral scanner data for
and diameter of the reinforcing prospecting of ferroeclogitein the
bars can then be determined. As Førdefjord area, Western Norway".
shown in figure (4). Norges geologiske undersøkelse
4. Conclusions Bulletin 436, 193-201.
[3] Ferroscan FS10 PC-Software
• The development of a wide
"Software manual 1– 80", Version
variety of nondestructive
4.0.HILTI = registered trademark of
testing methods has provided Hilti Corp., Schaan W 2410
engineers with numerous 0900 1-Pos. 1 1 Printed in
possibilities for evaluating Liechtenstein © 2000 Right of
structures. technical and programme changes
• The engineer faces the reserved S. E. & O.
challenge of dealing with [4]Hiroshi Irie, Yasukatsu
hundreds to many thousands Yoshida, Yousuke Sakurada,
of possible test locations. and Takao Ito, May 2008:
• Time and cost constraints "Non- destructive –testing
work to limit the test number to Methods for Concrete
Structures", NTT, Access
minimum while the desire to
Network service system
accurately assess the state of the laboratories
structure argues for the maximum [5] K.R.ARORA (2008) “SOIL
number of tests. MECHANICSANDFOUNDATION
• The methods described provide ENGINEERING”.
fast and accurate tools for [6] Herbert Wiggenhauser,
quality- control and diagnosis of "Non-Destructive Test in civil
infrastructure, industrial and civil Engineering ", BAM-Federal
structure. Institute for Materials
Research and Testing Berlin.
• The results have high
Germany, 2010.
reproducibility, and may
[7]www.docstoc.com,
be cross-checked through "NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING
different methods. METHODS OF CONCRETE
• The great advantage of STRUCTURS"
measurements with ferroscan, [8] ‫ﺣﺴ ﯿﻦ ﺣﻤﯿ ﺪ‬،‫ﺻ ﺒﺎح ﻧ ﺎﺟﻲ اﻟﻤﻮﺳﻮي‬
compared to existing detection ‫ﻣﺮﻛ ﺰ‬،"‫ﻛ ﺮﯾﻢ"ﻣﻘﺪﻣ ﺔ ﻓ ﻲ اﻟﺠﯿﻮﻟﻮﺟﯿ ﺎ اﻟﺒﺤﺮﯾ ﮫ‬
systems, is that the .1991 ،‫ﻋﻠﻮم اﻟﺒﺤﺎر –ﺟﺎﻣﻌﺔ اﻟﺒﺼﺮه‬

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 Eng. & Tech. Journal, Vol.29, No.14, 2011 Non-Destructive Test of Concrete
Structures Using: FERROSCAN

Figure (1) Ferroscan (HILTI FS10)

Figure (2) Testing of sample by Ferrscan

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 Eng. & Tech. Journal, Vol.29, No.14, 2011 Non-Destructive Test of Concrete
Structures Using: FERROSCAN

Figure (3) Details of Quick scan survey

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 Eng. & Tech. Journal, Vol.29, No.14, 2011 Non-Destructive Test of Concrete
Structures Using: FERROSCAN

Imagescan Image: 1.BAR

No.: 78 Date: 2011-03-23 Time: 10:10

0 100 200 300 400 500 600

0 [mm]

100

200

300

400

500

600
Coordinates [m]: X = 0.00 [m] Y = 0.00 [m] Depth [mm]: max. [mm] Surface overlay: 0

Loc University of Technology Assel

atio Operator: Abaas
n:
Figure (4) Details of Imagescan
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 Eng. & Tech. Journal, Vol.29, No.14, 2011 Non-Destructive Test of Concrete
Structures Using: FERROSCAN

D:\Assel\1.BAR

Ferroscan v4.1 © Hilti AG 2002

Ф
120mm
1
2-Ф10mm
0
m Ф10mm c/c
200 mm

A
2-Ф16mm
1
0
200mm

0
0
m
m

Figure (5) Layout and details of the beam with total length 1000mm

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