Return to flip book view

2019 Updates from the Field

Page 1

Updates from the field A brief look at a few of our recent projects Winter 19

Page 2

INFRASENSE is an engineering consulting firm that specializes in the nondestructive evaluation NDE of bridge decks highway and airfield pavements tunnels parking structures and other transportation facilities projects 2018 Bridge Deck Scanning Concrete Structure Scanning Pavement Structure Evaluation Utility Locating Mapping Aerial Imaging The company was founded in 1987 with support from National Science Foundation NSF Small Business Innovative Research SBIR Grants Since then Infrasense has provided NDE consulting and testing services using ground penetrating radar GPR infrared thermography seismic vibrations impact echo ultrasonic testing imaging and image processing Infrasense has completed projects for clients in all fifty US states Canada Europe Asia and the Middle East Our staff brings many years of experience and our methods are supported and continually improved through ongoing research and development efforts We provide our clients with highly accurate and actionable information enabling cost effective network level assessments and projectspecific maintenance and rehabilitation decisions This summer was packed with projects with fieldwork and data analysis across 26 different states and three different continents Infrasense teamed with companies in Israel Australia and the United Arab Emirates to provide expertise training and data analysis for major pavement projects using GPR Our engineers evaluated over 7 2 million square feet of bridge decks and more than 5600 miles of pavement along with a range of other structures such as floor slabs and stone archways To keep up with the demand Infrasense welcomed two new full time employees and added two dedicated survey vehicles The following pages showcase a few of our most notable projects from 2018

Page 3

Network Level Bridge Deck Evaluations in Two Wisconsin DOT Regions Wisconsin Total decks 1005 Infrasense continued its bridge deck condition evaluations in 2 Wisconsin DOT regions Total area s f over 10 million 2018 decks 150 Over the past 10 years Infrasense has conducted infrared thermography IR and ground penetrating radar GPR surveys on over 1000 decks representing 8 5 million sq ft in Wisconsin s SW NC NW NE and SE regions In 2018 Infrasense conducted surveys on 131 decks The GPR and IR data collection was carried out using a vehicle based system or a fixed wing aerial infrared system resulting in minimal disruption to traffic The most basic level of bridge deck condition evaluation performed by Infrasense is Level 0 This relatively new approach quickly and efficiently provides an estimated level of delamination at a network level Last year Infrasense participated in a pilot study to determine the feasibility of performing infrared surveys using a fixedwing aircraft by comparing aerial and vehicle based data for four bridges in La Crosse The results of that comparison were positive and in 2018 Wisconsin selected 120 bridge decks to be surveyed and analyzed with the Level 0 approach In addition to the exciting new aerial infrared and Level 0 work Level 1 analyses were completed on 39 decks to provide concrete deterioration rebar level delamination and concrete cover quantities These 39 decks represented over 1 7 million square feet of deck area and included the Leo Frigo Memorial Bridge which is over a mile long The Level 2 analyses were carried out for a select group of decks and consisted of mapping the Level 1 conditions as well as areas of patching and spalling www infrasense com

Page 4

Evaluation of Bonded Concrete Overlays on Asphalt Pavements Throughout the US for NCHRP IL PA MO LA IA MN MT KS CO Number of states tested 9 Number of miles tested 100 Throughout the summer Infrasense collected data at 20 locations throughout the United States where concrete overlays had been placed on top of asphalt pavements These pavements were scanned analyzed and evaluated as part of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program s Project 01 61 which focuses on the performance of bonded concrete overlays on asphalt BCOA pavements BCOA is an emerging pavement preservation and rehabilitation treatment for asphalt pavements in the United States but there is still much to learn about their expected performance under a range of variables Infrasense contributed to the investigation of current in service BCOA pavements using nondestructive ground penetrating radar GPR testing The GPR data provided continuous BCOA layer thickness profiles along each wheelpath of the tested highway section as well as underlying asphalt layer thicknesses when detectable Layer thickness information is an important measure of the performance of a BCOA pavement because one of their primary applications is correcting excessive rutting and shoving caused by heavy slow moving loads Subsequent phases of this larger research project will use the results of Infrasense s GPR testing to expand the understanding of BCOA performance and design including the effects of variables such as overlay thickness and panel size www infrasense com Infrasense used ground penetrating radar to detect the thickness of concrete overlays over asphalt pavements

Page 5

Infrasense returned to Minnesota for a fourth consecutive year to conduct pavement structure evaluations Pavement Structure Evaluation in Four Minnesota Department of Transportation Regions Minnesota 2018 Lane miles 790 Lane miles since 2014 1278 MnDOT Districts Metro D1 D4 D7 GPR asphalt results within 12 of measured core thicknesses In 2018 Infrasense performed pavement structure evaluations using ground penetrating radar GPR in four different Minnesota Department of Transportation MnDOT regions This was the fourth consecutive year that Infrasense has performed this type of work for MnDOT having now tested nearly 1300 lane miles of state and county highways since 2014 All GPR data was collected using a vehicle based system so normal traffic flow was not disrupted A TMA truck shadowed the GPR survey vehicle for surveys of the shoulder lanes where testing was performed at slower speeds to ensure safety Core data was obtained at over 400 locations across the 790 lane miles tested in 2018 and a comparison of these core thicknesses to the corresponding GPR thicknesses revealed that on average the GPR results were within approximately 12 of the actual measured pavement thickness The pavement structure evaluations performed in Minnesota provide MnDOT with important decisionmaking information in their design process Additionally the results of the Metro region GPR evaluations are used in construction planning to identify appropriate pavements for traffic staging during highway maintenance and reconstruction www infrasense com

Page 6

Nondestructive Condition Evaluation of the Delaware Memorial Bridge Eastbound Deck Delaware Test methods GPR IR HRV Deck area 550 000 s f Average daily traffic 45 000 The week before Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer 2018 Infrasense headed south to team with Bridge Diagnostics Inc BDI to evaluate the condition of the Eastbound direction of the Delaware Memorial Bridge deck One of the more recognizable and impressive bridges of the eastern seaboard the Delaware Memorial Bridge is over 2 miles long carrying Interstate 295 and it s 45 000 daily drivers over the Delaware River between Delaware and New Jersey Infrasense performed nondestructive testing at driving speed using ground penetrating radar GPR infrared thermography IR and high resolution visual HRV systems at normal driving speeds with no disruption to normal traffic flow The bridge deck GPR IR and HRV data were evaluated to quantify and map a range of conditions including Top slab rebar level delamination IR Concrete patching IR HRV Concrete deterioration GPR Top slab rebar depth GPR These condition criteria were also calculated for each span and lane to provide the client with detailed information to use for rehabilitation planning The results were combined with BDI s Deck Acoustic Response SounDAR quantities and maps to provide a comprehensive assessment of the condition of the Eastbound roadway area www infrasense com Infrasense used highspeed vehicle based GPR IR and HRV to evaluate the condition of the Eastbound direction of the Delaware Memorial Bridge deck

Page 7

Thickness Measurements at the Tyler Park Stone Archway Bridge Louisville KY Impact Echo tests 72 Infrasense used nondestructive testing to measure thicknesses of the Tyler Park Stone Archway Bridge GPR tests 108 Snowfall during testing KY record for the day 8 4 inches In the spring of 2018 Infrasense performed GPR and Impact Echo IE ultrasonic testing on the Tyler Park Stone Archway Bridge in Louisville Kentucky in order to determine the general size and thickness of structural stones at various locations throughout the structure The more than 100 year old bridge bisects a park and was recently subjected to a water main breakage with the potential to wash away base material and cause voids beneath the roadway carried by the archway bridge Thickness measurements were made on the four main elements that comprise the bridge structure the spandrel walls the approach retaining walls the abutments and the archway These elements were accessed using a ladder or scissor lift so that stones throughout the structure could be measured Both the GPR and IE testing equipment was calibrated on site using exposed stones that allowed for direct measurement with a measuring tape ensuring a high level of accuracy www infrasense com

Page 8

Multi Phase Condition Evaluation of South Dakota Bridge Deck Deadwood SD Test methods GPR IR HRV Chloride Concentration Electrical Resistivity Deck area 93 000 s f This summer Infrasense moseyed on over to Deadwood South Dakota to perform a multi phase condition evaluation of the nearly 2000 foot long deck carrying US14A over the Whitewood Creek A suite of complementary testing methods was deployed including high speed ground penetrating radar GPR infrared thermography IR high resolution visual imaging HRV chloride ion concentration testing and electrical resistivity testing Phase 1 consisted of the high speed vehicle based GPR IR and HRV testing which was performed at normal driving speeds with no disruption to normal traffic Using these results Infrasense identified areas where the chip seal surface had been stripped as well area potential areas of chip seal debonding and concrete degradation These areas were used to plan targeted phase 2 testing Phase 2 consisted of chloride ion concentration and electrical resistivity testing at targeted locations across the length of the deck These tests were used to calibrate and confirm the results of the GPR and IR analyses The phase 2 testing was performed in conjunction with Bridge Diagnostics Inc BDI at more than 20 locations in just 2 days The results were combined into a comprehensive condition map of the entire area of the bridge deck www infrasense com Infrasense lead a multi phase condition evaluation of a nearly 2000 ft long bridge in Deadwood South Dakota Delaminations or Debonding Patching Missing Chip Seal

Page 9

Woburn Massachusetts 01801 21 G Olympia Avenue Suite 45

Page 10

Page 11

Page 12

Page 13

Page 14

Page 15

Page 16