Infrasense has recently been awarded with a U.S. Department of Transportation SBIR Phase I project to develop a method for low-cost, rapid assessment of chloride content in concrete bridge decks. Assessment of chloride contamination is an integral component of bridge deck preservation; normally, it requires lane closures and drilled samples to assess only a few locations. The new method will map the complete chloride distribution with minimal, if any, closures. The Phase I feasibility study includes investigating Infrasense’s database of bridge decks, where:
- Chloride samples are taken along with GPR data
- Analysis of this data for patterns and relationships
- Analytic simulations with an electromagnetic model to investigate the relationship between GPR signals and the degree of deck chloride permeation
- Verification testing of the new method on decks in service
Phase II will build upon the Phase I work, and include the development and implementation of a prototype system.
