Ground-Penetrating Radar for Network-Level Concrete Deck Repair Management

Abstract

The lack of an effective bridge deck condition assessment tool prompted a collaborative research program between Dalhousie University DalTech and the Nova Scotia Department of Transportation and Public Works to assess the accuracy and variability of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for asphalt-covered, reinforced-concrete bridge deck deterioration estimates. The quantity and location of GPR-predicted deterioration on nine bridge decks was compared to actual deterioration detected using the half-cell potential and chain drag survey methods. Good spatial correlation and excellent quantitative correlation were observed between the GPR predictions and the actual deterioration found on the nine decks. These findings have demonstrated that GPR can provide management with a valuable tool for estimating deck repair quantities and prioritization of potential repair candidates on a network level.