ABSTRACT
Today, social demands for long-lasting reinforced concrete https://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML"> ( R C ) https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9780429227196/8b5c0a5d-ddea-4c88-8eea-7152f7afb008/content/eq8363.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/> structures have made it extremely important to ensure high durability and reliability. RC is typically more durable when denser concrete is used to protect rebars from corrosion due to concrete carbonation and chloride attacks. Inspection techniques for concrete quality can be extremely useful as a method to assess the lifespan of RC structures at a very early stage before signs of deterioration. In this paper, we discuss the criteria for nondestructive inspections of concrete using surface air permeability test (Torrent method) with the goal of evaluating applications to onsite completion inspections of RC structures. The relationships between nondestructive test results and carbonation resistance as an indicator of concrete quality are investigated in order to establish reasonable inspection criteria. The inspection criteria for the Torrent test are proposed in the form of equations that consider the required quality as a function of the design lifespan of RC structures. The impact of concrete curing conditions on the lifespan of RC is also quantitatively evaluated as a construction risk assessment.
