Civil Engineering Association

Infrared Thermal Integrity Testing Quality Assurance Test Method to Detect Drilled Shaft Defects

Thermal integrity profiling uses the measured temperature generated in curing concrete to assess the quality of cast in place concrete foundations (i.e. drilled shafts or ACIP piles) which can include effective shaft size (diameter and length), anomaly detection inside and outside reinforcement cage, cage alignment, and proper hydration of the concrete. The ability to detect concrete volumes outside the reinforcing cage is perhaps its strongest feature. For this study, no anomalies within the reinforcing cage were encountered but various forms of external section changes were identified as well as several cases of off-center cages. Cage alignments generally varied with depth. Notably, only two cases of reduced concrete cover were detected; bulges were most common.