Estimating the elastic modulus of concrete under moderately elevated temperatures via impulse excitation technique

PurposeTo evaluate the temperature-dependency of the Young’s and shear moduli of concrete after exposure to moderately elevated temperatures using the non-destructive impulse excitation technique (IET).Design/methodology/approachThe study involved heating the concrete up to 225 °C and measuring the dynamic Young’s and shear moduli using the non-destructive technique of impulse excitation, which measures the natural vibration frequency from a mechanical impulse received by an acoustic sensor. The effects of temperature on the dynamic Young’s and shear moduli were analysed and the importance of the spatial variability of the measured values was also verified.FindingsThe study found that even moderately elevated temperatures (below 225 °C) resulted in a significant permanent reduction in the Young’s modulus of concrete (reduction in the range of 23%–36% for the maximum temperature considered in this research) as well as a modest and permanent reduction in the shear modulus of around 6%. It was also observed that spatial variability of the mechanical properties of concrete plays an important role in the measured values; higher dispersion of the results was found for the values of the Young’s and shear moduli of concrete measured along the height of the beam. The non-destructive test method used in this study was found to be extremely useful in the investigation of heat-related damage in concrete structures for its ease of use, low time consumption and accuracy. The results were consistent with the published literature.Originality/valueThis study provides important insights into the temperature-dependent behaviour of the dynamic Young’s and shear moduli of concrete and highlights the significance of proper consideration of the spatial variability of the measured values. The use of a non-destructive test method for continuous acoustic testing during heating and cooling proved to be effective, and the findings contribute to the fields of materials science and civil engineering in understanding the effects of elevated temperatures on concrete properties. The findings confirm that IET can be easily used to gather important information in the condition assessment and rehabilitation of concrete structures after a fire event. Further studies to foster the application of this technique to real structures are suggested.