Comparison of Two Nondestructive Evaluation Technologies for the Condition Assessment of Bridge Decks

Selection of the appropriate condition assessment tool to meet the decision-making needs for preservation, maintenance, and repair (PM&R) actions can be difficult, because different nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies have different performance characteristics. The objective of the research was to compare the reliability of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and infrared thermography (IRT) for the detection of delamination in concrete bridge decks. Field tests were conducted on two in-service concrete decks constructed in the same era and having significant deterioration due to corrosion damage. Reliability of the technologies was evaluated using receiver operator characteristics (ROC) analysis, a methodology that allows for a quantitative point-by-point comparison of results from NDE technologies with ground truth. The analysis results quantified the reliability of IRT and GPR for the two candidate concrete decks. It was found that IRT exhibited a higher reliability measure as compared with GPR for these two bridge decks. The implication of the test results for implementation of these technologies is discussed. The results of the analysis provide useful data for bridge owners making decisions regarding suitable NDE technologies for the condition assessment of bridge decks.