Carbonation assessment in concrete by nonlinear ultrasound

The carbonation process results in a change in the elastic properties of concrete, resulting in a variation of standard acoustic indicators such as wave speed. However, this evolution is too low to ensure an efficient carbonation assessment. The present communication focuses on the feasibility of carbonation assessment in concrete by applying Nonlinear Resonant Ultrasound Spectroscopy (NRUS). The results show that the nonlinear parameter is significantly affected by the presence of carbonation, which is interpreted with respect to the evolution of concrete microstructure in the presence of this pathology.