Main topics

The professional content of the subject is divided into two professional areas:

1. testing in civil engineering,
2. methods of new building diagnostics.

Ad 1)

• General requirements for building materials and the system of testing building materials, components and structures.
• Division of tests into evidential and control, destructive and non-destructive.
• Regression relationships and statistical evaluation of results.
• Basics of non-destructive testing methods and their application in laboratories (electroacoustic, electromagnetic, hardness and other non-destructive methods) and the possibilities of their use in checking the implementation of structures.
• Basics of strain gauge measurement and destructive testing methods.

Ad 2)

• The role of diagnostics in checking the implementation of new structures.
• Application of destructive and non-destructive testing methods in determining the properties of materials and structures, specified non-destructive tests, evaluation of results by statistical methods.
• Use of the full spectrum of non-destructive testing methods on test specimens, models and real structures (concrete inspection in the structure, verification of the cover and position of reinforcement, measurement of thicknesses, dimensional deviations, deflections, etc.).
• Diagnostics of defects and malfunctions during construction.

Lecture syllabus

1. Introduction to testing and diagnostics, testing methods for fresh concrete.
2. Shrinkage of concrete.
3. Ultrasonic pulse velocity method and pulse-echo method.
4. Dynamic and static moduli of elasticity of concrete.
5. Durability tests of concrete.
6. Rebound hammer test.
7. Creation of regression relationships for determining properties from non-destructive tests.
8. Evaluation of concrete of new structures in case of doubt (non-destructive methods, core drilling).
9. Localization of reinforcement.
10. Methods of diagnostics of wood and wooden structures.
11. Strain gauge tests.
12. Load tests.
13. Checking geometric accuracy in construction, final summary.

Syllabus of the laboratory practices:

1. Introductory laboratory practice, introduction to testing and diagnostics.
2. Testing methods for fresh concrete.
3. Ultrasonic measurement - concrete uniformity, structure thickness.
4. Modulus of elasticity of concrete.
5. Durability tests of concrete.
6. Rebound hammer test.
7. Creation of regression relationships for determining properties from non-destructive tests.
8. Assessment of concrete quality of new structures by combining non-destructive and destructive methods.
9. Checking the position and coverage of reinforcement.
10. Methods of wood and wooden structures diagnostics.
11. Testing by strain gauges.
12. Load tests.
13. Final summary, colloquium, credit.

Learning outcomes

After completing the subject, the student should have the following professional knowledge, professional skills and competencies.

The student will have basic awareness of testing building materials, especially concrete. The student will know:

• what are the most common destructive and non-destructive methods and testing methods,
• what tests are used to determine mechanical, physical and durability properties,
• which methods can be used in laboratory practice and which methods can be used to control a new building structure in case of doubt.

The student will know and be able to:

• decide which properties of building materials, especially reinforced concrete, and in which cases it is appropriate to require and how to determine them,
• perform and evaluate basic tests,
• design tests during the diagnostics of a new building structure so that the properties can be verified with the least possible intervention in the structure in case of doubt.

The student will have the competence to perform common destructive and non-destructive tests of materials in the laboratory and in-situ, including their evaluation and assessment of the condition of the material or newly built structure.