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Title: Development of nondestructive evaluation techniques for DAM inspection. Progress report, January 1995 through August 1997

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/584738· OSTI ID:584738

The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has concluded a two and a half year study on the development of an ultrasonic inspection system to inspect post stressed steel tendons on dams and flood gates. The inspection systems were part of a program for the California Department of Water Resources. The effort included the identification of the location and amount of corrosion damage to the tendons, identification of the cause of corrosion, and the technology for inhibiting corrosion. Several NDE methods for inspecting and quantifying damage to steel reinforced concrete water pipes were investigated and presented to the DWR for their consideration. The additional methods included Ground Penetrating RADAR, Electro- Potential Measurements, Infrared Technology, Pipe Inspection Crawlers (designed to travel inside pipelines and simultaneously report on the pipe condition as viewed by ultrasonic methods and video cameras from within the pipeline.) Reference to consultants hired by LLNL for similar on-site corrosion inspections were given to the DWR. The LLNL research into industries that have products to prevent corrosion resulted in the identification of an Innsbruck, Austria, company. This company claims to have products to permanently protect post- or pre-stressed tendons. The caveat is that the tendon protection system must be installed when the tendons are installed because no retrofit is available. Corrosion mitigation on the steel reinforcements surrounding the concrete was addressed through active and passive cathodic protection schemes. The combination of corrosion and erosion were addressed during consideration for the inspection of water-pump impeller-blades that are used in the three stage, million horsepower, pumping stations at Edmunston.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
584738
Report Number(s):
UCRL-ID-128421; ON: DE98050714
Resource Relation:
Other Information: PBD: 4 Sep 1997
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English