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Title: Techniques and equipment for assessing the structural integrity of subterranean tower anchor rods

Abstract

Techniques and equipment for evaluating structural integrity of buried anchor rods in situ are disclosed. The techniques avoid excavation of soil and avoid, or at least reduce, the possibility of damage to the rods or the concrete in which they may be embedded when evaluations are conducted. Instead, ultrasonic energy is transmitted through the rod from a portable transducer, and returned energy (in either or both of direct and mode-converted states) may be analyzed to assist in detecting flaws, corrosion, wastage, or other degradation of the rod. Data from a field evaluation may be compared with baseline data maintained either for a specific rod or for rods of similar composition and length (or both), and periodic field evaluations of a rod may be used to analyze trends in its structure over time.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Martinez, GA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Savannah River Site (SRS), Aiken, SC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
874101
Patent Number(s):
6311565
Assignee:
Westinghouse Savannah River Company (Aiken, SC)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
G - PHYSICS G01 - MEASURING G01N - INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
DOE Contract Number:  
AC09-96SR18500
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
techniques; equipment; assessing; structural; integrity; subterranean; tower; anchor; rods; evaluating; buried; situ; disclosed; avoid; excavation; soil; reduce; possibility; damage; concrete; embedded; evaluations; conducted; ultrasonic; energy; transmitted; rod; portable; transducer; returned; direct; mode-converted; analyzed; assist; detecting; flaws; corrosion; wastage; degradation; data; field; evaluation; compared; baseline; maintained; specific; similar; composition; length; periodic; analyze; trends; structure; time; ultrasonic energy; /73/

Citation Formats

Hinz, William R, and Parker, Matthew J. Techniques and equipment for assessing the structural integrity of subterranean tower anchor rods. United States: N. p., 2001. Web.
Hinz, William R, & Parker, Matthew J. Techniques and equipment for assessing the structural integrity of subterranean tower anchor rods. United States.
Hinz, William R, and Parker, Matthew J. Mon . "Techniques and equipment for assessing the structural integrity of subterranean tower anchor rods". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/874101.
@article{osti_874101,
title = {Techniques and equipment for assessing the structural integrity of subterranean tower anchor rods},
author = {Hinz, William R and Parker, Matthew J},
abstractNote = {Techniques and equipment for evaluating structural integrity of buried anchor rods in situ are disclosed. The techniques avoid excavation of soil and avoid, or at least reduce, the possibility of damage to the rods or the concrete in which they may be embedded when evaluations are conducted. Instead, ultrasonic energy is transmitted through the rod from a portable transducer, and returned energy (in either or both of direct and mode-converted states) may be analyzed to assist in detecting flaws, corrosion, wastage, or other degradation of the rod. Data from a field evaluation may be compared with baseline data maintained either for a specific rod or for rods of similar composition and length (or both), and periodic field evaluations of a rod may be used to analyze trends in its structure over time.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2001}
}

Works referenced in this record: