05/20/2024
By Tzu-Yang Yu

The Francis College of Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, invites you to attend a Master’s thesis defense by Fatlum Troshani on “Determination of Concrete Compressive Strength using Ground Penetrating Radar with Different Water-to-cement Ratios and at Different Ages."

Candidate Name: Fatlum Troshani
Degree: Master’s
Defense Date: Monday, June 3, 2024
Time: 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Location: Room 215, Perry Hall, North Campus
Thesis/Dissertation Title: Determination of Concrete Compressive Strength using Ground Penetrating Radar with Different Water-to-cement Ratios and at Different Ages

Committee:

  • Advisor: Tzuyang Yu, Ph.D., Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UMass Lowell
  • Susan Faraji, Ph.D., Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UMass Lowell
  • Jianqiang Wei, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, UMass Lowell

Brief Abstract:
The development of non-destructive testing procedures can speed up and simplify the concrete testing process for all structural engineers all over the world but especially in developing countries where typical testing equipment may not be as readily available or reliable. This study intends to expand on the current understanding of how ground penetrating radar (GPR) can be used to determine he compressive strength of concrete using nondestructive testing and evaluation (NDT/E) techniques. Using a commercial GPR device, two different concrete panels with varying water-cement ratios (0.55 and 0.60) were monitored during the first month after casting and after 1 year. Concrete cylinders were also tested to determine compressive strength at 7, 14, and 28 days from casting. The GPR data was processed and analyzed to determine the change in the average dielectric constant and signal amplitude during the first year. The results presented in this thesis show that GPR scanning can be used to predict the dielectric constant during the first year. The results also show a decrease in the dielectric constant over time. With more data, GPR signal amplitude changes over time, and concrete compressive strength could also be correlated to such parameters.