ASAES - Full Lecture

ADVANCED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING STRUCTURES
ADVANCED
STRUCTURAL
ANALYSIS OF
EXISTING
STRUCTURES
WHY THE ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING

BUILDINGS IS NECESSARY
Historical monuments that must be restored.
Regular buildings damaged in time.
Buildings that are intended to be demolished.

Trei Ierarhi Church, Iasi, Romania

1637-1639
Bolomey Mansion, Cosmbeti, Romania

1898
Cantacuzino-Pacanu Mansion, Ceplenia, Romania

1835-1838
122 Leadenhall Street, London

EVALUATION PURPOSE
Assessment of existing buildings involves the elucidation of two
fundamental aspects:
assessment of structural safety for elements/structure due to
degradations;
estimation of the remained service time for initial and retrofitted
building.
Evaluation of safety level for the existing buildings can be made in
three steps:
A. Geometrical characteristics, details and conformity assessment.
B. Evaluation of material properties and investigation of the
degradations.
C. Numerical evaluation of bearing capacity and estimation of service
time.
GEOMETRICAL CHARACTERISTICS, DETAILS

AND CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT
knowledge
Level of
Reliable
Geometry Details Materials factor
Based on simulated design in

line with the practice at the Values from the practice at
KL1 time of the time of construction CF=1,35
construction and based on and limited on site tests.
limited inspection on site.
From the original From the originally incomplete From the original project
project and/or and limited on site
project and limited on site
KL2 from inspection or from an CF=1,20
inspection or from an extended extended on site
measurements on site inspection.
made on site inspection.
From the originally complete From the original material

project and limited on site reports and limited on site
KL3 inspection or from an inspection or from an CF=1,0
comprehensive on site comprehensive on site
inspection. inspection.
ACTIONS
Actions are defined as causes of any kind capable of generating
degradation in a building. Actions can be classified as follows:
mechanical actions which produce mechanical stresses being represented
usually by force systems;
physical actions that produce changes in the integrity of materials and / or
components but without altering the chemical structure;
chemical and biological actions that produce changes in the chemical
structure of materials.
In the design codes (Eurocode 1), the term action is usually used for
mechanical actions.
Physical, chemical and biological actions are also named corrosive actions.
CLASSIFICATION OF MECHANICAL ACTIONS

ACCIDENTAL ACTIONS
Windsor Tower, Madrid, Spain

The Windsor Tower was a 32-

storey concrete building with a
reinforced concrete central
core.
A typical floor was two-way

spanning 280mm deep waffle slab
supported by the concrete core,
internal RC columns with additional
360mm deep steel I-beams and
steel perimeter columns.
W
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d
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o
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T
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w
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M
a
d
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d
A. Actions from construction:

Loads (dead loads, live loads)
Corrosive actions:
Alkali-aggregate reaction
Expansive cements
B. Actions from natural environment:
Climatic actions:
Humidity
Temperature variations
Freeze-thaw
Snow
Wind
Corrosive actions:
Air
Water
Marine environment
Aging (creep, shrinkage)
Biological actions
Exceptionally actions:
Earthquake, fire, hurricanes, flooding
Soil failure
C. Actions from industrial environment:
Corrosive actions
Polluted air
Polluted water
Exceptionally actions:
Fires
Shock
D. Actions resulted in designing/execution process
Accepted risk
Insufficient knowledge
Ignorance
Mistakes
Blunders
Malevolence
ASSESSMENT METHODS OF MECHANICAL

CHARACTERISTICS OF CONCRETE AND
REINFORCEMENTS
Investigations must be performed with an adequate complexity to
assess the safety level of the structure with satisfactory accuracy. At the
same time, the assessment cost must justify the proposed solution.
The complexity of the investigations is established according with:
type and characteristics of the structure;
causes and spreading of damages;
the importance class of the building;
technical equipment available for investigations;
availability of standard and norms.
The investigations can be achieved by:

simple tests on site, performed by a trained person with simple
tools;
complex investigations that are carried out by qualified
personnel using special equipment; complex investigations can
be made on site or in the laboratory.
SIMPLE TESTS
Visual examination
Acoustic impact
Reinforcement inspection
Testing of alkalinity (with phenolphthalein)

Testing of chloride ions (with silver nitrate)

COMPLEX INVESTIGATIONS
Complex investigations are carried out by qualified personnel using
special equipment. Complex investigations can be made on site or in the
laboratory.
The assessment of mechanical characteristics of concrete and
reinforcements can be made with:
direct methods, who establish directly the strength of the
material;
indirect methods, who establish other properties of the material
(such as hardness) and the strength can be estimated later
according with these properties.
DIRECT METHODS FOR STRENGTH ASSESSMENT

PULL OUT TEST
A pullout test measures the force
required to pull a specially shaped steel rod
out of the hardened concrete into which it
has been cast. Because of its shape, the
steel rod is pulled out with a cone of
concrete whose surface slope is
approximately 450 to the vertical. A hollow
tension ram bearing on the concrete
surface exerts the necessary pull on the
steel rod, with power supplied by a hand-
operated hydraulic pump.
PULL OFF TEST
The pull-off test is a near-to-

surface method in which a circular
steel disc is glued to the surface of
the concrete with an epoxy or
polyester resin. The force required to
pull this disc out from the surface,
together with an attached layer of
concrete, is measured. Simple
mechanical hand-operated loading
equipment has been developed for
this purpose.
FLATJACK TEST
Flatjack testing is a non-destructive way to evaluate the stress
condition of in-situ masonry. Mortar joints in a local building are cut out
and preloaded. Two methods of testing are utilized: measurement across
one cut to evaluate acting stress and between two cuts to evaluate
deformation or modulus of elasticity of the masonry wall.
Before cutting the wall, original dimensions are taken between gage
points. Once the cuts are made, flatjacks are loaded in the cuts and readings
between the gage points are taken at various pressures.
From this data you can back calculate the stress present in the wall
before the cuts were made as well as the modulus of elasticity of the
masonry.
After data for both tests are obtained, the cuts are repointed with
mortar.
BREAK-OFF TEST
A direct assessment on
strength can be made by core
sampling and testing. Cores are
usually cut by means of a rotary
cutting tool with diamond bits. In this
manner, a cylindrical specimen is
obtained usually with its ends being
uneven, parallel and square and
sometimes with embedded pieces of
reinforcement.
The break-off test is one of the

recent developments for testing in-
place concrete strength. In the break-
off method, the force required to
break-off an in-place concrete
cylindrical specimen is measured. This
force is then related to the
compressive strength of the concrete
from a predetermined calibration curve
developed for the particular concrete.
The Break-Off test method
measures the flexural strength of the in
place concrete.
CONCRETE CORE TEST
Compressive strength test on drilled

concrete cores is required to determine the
strength of hardened concrete with maximum
accuracy. Tests are performed in the laboratory.
Before testing cores for strength, they have
to be trimmed to length and the ends prepared so
that they are flat and perpendicular to the
longitudinal axis. This is achieved by grinding or,
more usually, capping with high alumina cement
mortar or a sulphur/sand mixture. A large variety
of mechanical and physical properties can be
determined on concrete cores.
INDIRECT METHODS FOR STRENGTH ASSESSMENT
SCLEROMETER TESTS ON CONCRETE
The sclerometer tests are NDTs that allow the estimation of the
concrete quality on-site. The tests use a Schmidt sclerometer that
measures the superficial hardness of the concrete from the recoil of an
incident mass after the collision with the surface being tested. This recoil is
then converted to a value of compression resistance through an abacus.
The test must be carried out on homogeneous concrete surfaces and it
usually involves the removal of the carbonated superficial layer by scraping
before.
The Schmidt OS-120 Pendulum

Hammers are designed to test on softer
material such as light weight concrete,
gypsum boards, fresh concrete and the
mortar of joints in brickwork. Their
unique design allows easy to handle
measurements on vertical and horizontal
surfaces.
Schmidt OS-120 working with
the pendulum system, thus it must not be
loaded on the test surface. The larger
plunger surface on the Schmidt OS-120PT
allows tests on soft concrete starting with
a compressive strength of 1 MPa.
Digital Sclerometer
Field check of concrete
hardness and homogeneity during
process inspections and on-site
surveys; testing of bricks, lightweight,
heavy and high grade concrete, and
constructional and composite
materials. The sclerometer allow flaw
detection of products and research of
elastic and plastic properties of
materials. Density measurement of
composite materials is also possible.
METAL HARDNESS TEST
The Equotip 550 is the

most versatile all-in-one
solution for portable hardness
testing. The Leeb hardness
principle is based on the
dynamic (rebound) method and
is best suited for on-site testing
of heavy, large or already
installed parts.
WINDSOR PROBE TEST
The Windsor probe test

is used to evaluate the
compressive strength of in-place
concrete. This non-destructive
test can be used on fresh or
mature concrete with equal
effectiveness. The system
features an electronic measuring
device for accuracy and
efficiency.
ULTRASONIC PULSE VELOCITY TEST

Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV)
testing of concrete is based on the pulse
velocity method to provide information on
the uniformity of concrete, cavities, cracks
and defects. The pulse velocity in a
material depends on its density and its
elastic properties which in turn are
related to the quality and the compressive
strength of the concrete. It is therefore
possible to obtain information about the
properties of components by sonic
investigations.
Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV)

test instrument to examine the quality of
concrete and other materials such as rock,
wood and ceramics.
The Pundit PL-200PE employs

state-of-the-art pulse echo technology
to extend the ultrasonic application to
objects where access is restricted to a
single side. The measurement process
is greatly assisted by advanced echo
tracking and automatic estimation of
Pulse Velocity.
This allows the user to
determine the slab thickness and to
localize subsurface deformities such as
voids, pipes, delaminations and
honeycombing.
IMPACT ECHO TEST

Impact Echo is a method for
nondestructive evaluation of concrete and
masonry. It is based on the use of impact-
generated compression waves that travel
through the structure and are reflected by
internal flaws and external surfaces.
Impact Echo can be used to measure the
thickness of slabs, plates, columns and
beams, and hollow cylinders. It can also be
used to determine the location and extent
of flaws such as cracks, delaminations,
voids, honeycombing and debonding in
plain, reinforced and post-tensioned
concrete structures.
Impact Echo testing consists of

measuring both the time record and
frequency spectrum associated with a
mechanical impact on the surface of a
structure. As stress waves propagate through
the structure, they reflect off internal and
external boundaries and. cause periodic
displacements on the surface. These motions
are monitored by a transducer and digitized.
The waveform is transformed into the
frequency domain, so that the periodicity of
stress-wave arrivals can be accurately
determined.
SURFACE WAVE TEST
This method applies

the mechanical surface waves,
to investigate the medium.
Surface waves penetrate the
medium from the surface down
to a depth of approximately one
wave length. This means that by
using different wave lengths it
will be possible to investigate
the medium to different depths
METHODS TO DETECT REINFORCEMENTS

ELECTROMAGNETIC METHOD
The profometer is an advanced
cover meter for the precise and non
destructive measurement of
concrete cover and rebar diameters
and the detection of rebar locations
using the eddy current principle with
pulse induction as the measuring
method.
RADIOGRAPHIC TESTING
Radiography can be used to
obtain permanent image of surface and
sub-surface (embedded) discontinuities.
With concrete radiography, precise
locations of rebar, cable and metal
conduit can be detected prior to core
drilling or saw cutting. This can verify
size and spacing of reinforcement in
concrete.
RADAR TESTING
Radar test is a high-frequency electromagnetic method that can

be commonly applies to a number of engineering problems associated
with both new and aging concrete structures.
A GPR system radiates short pulses of high-frequency EM energy
into the concrete from a transmitting antenna. This EM wave propagates
in the concrete at a velocity that is primarily a function of the relative
dielectric permittivity of subsurface materials. When this wave
encounters the interface of two materials having different dielectric
properties, a portion of the energy is reflected back to the surface, where
it is detected by a receiver antenna and transmitted to a control unit for
processing and display.
INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY
Infrared thermography, a nondestructive, remote sensing

technique, has proved to be an effective, convenient, and economical
method of testing concrete. It can detect internal voids, delaminations,
and cracks in concrete structures. As a testing technique, some of its most
important qualities are that it is accurate, it need not inconvenience the
public and it is economical.
An infrared thermographic scanning system can measure and
view temperature patterns based upon temperature differences as small
as a few hundredths of a degree Celsius. Infrared thermographic testing
may be performed during day or night, depending on environmental
conditions and the desired results.
HALF-CELL POTENTIAL TEST

The method measures the electrochemical potential of
reinforcement against a reference electrode placed on the concrete surface.
A number of reference electrodes may be used, including copper/copper
sulphate or silver/silver chloride.
The evaluation of the results is normally performed by means of a
personal computer.
ASTM C876-87 provides a classification for assessing the results of the

half-cell potential mapping:
a potential bigger than 350 mV, indicate an active corrosive process;
for a potential between 200 and 350 mV the result is inconclusive
(probability of 50 % for a corrosive process);
for a potential under 200 mV the corrosive process is not present on
the reinforcement.
ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY TEST
The electrical resistivity test is used to estimate the speed of the

corrosive process in the reinforcements.
Concrete electrical resistivity can be obtained by applying a current
into the concrete and measuring the response voltage. There are different
methods for measuring concrete resistivity:
with two electrodes (contact resistance can significantly add to the
measured resistance causing inaccuracy);
with four electrodes when the problem of contact resistance is overcome
(the two end electrodes are used to inject current as before, but the
voltage is measured between the two inner electrodes).
The results can be classified in:

for resistivity bigger than 20 kcm, the corrosive speed is
negligible;
for resistivity between 10 and 20 kcm, the corrosive speed is
small;
for resistivity between 5 and 10 kcm, the corrosive speed is
high;
for resistivity lower than 5 kcm, the corrosive speed is very
high.
METHODS FOR ESTABLISHING PHYSICAL AND

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE ON SITE
RESISTIVITY METHOD FOR ASSESSMENT OF HUMIDITY
In a porous material, the resistivity decreases with an increase of
moisture content. This is because the resistivity of the pore fluid is lower
than the resistivity of the solid base. Thus, moisture content changes can
be monitored by measuring changes in the electrical resistance of the
material. Monitoring resistivity will show at which locations changes in
moisture are presented.

USING SENSORS
FOR ASSESSMENT OF HUMIDITY
The moisture meter identify and monitor moisture in concrete. The
relative humidity test requires placing a measuring sleeve at a specific
depth. This can be done either by drilling a hole or by pre-installing cast
holes in fresh concrete.

Micro-electromechanical systems sensors are small and encapsulated,

which make them difficult to damage. Wireless technologies make them easy to
embed and interrogate.
GAMMA-DENSITOMETRY METHOD
The principle of this

method is based on a beam of
gamma rays emitted by
radioactive source and passing
through the concrete.
The relative intensity of the transmitted particles is related to the mass
of the traversed material, the mass variation of the traversed points can thus
be measured. Since chemical evolutions do not lead to significant losses of
mass, the mass variation in these beams stem solely from water evaporation;
and can be interpreted as the profile of water content variations.
NEUTRON SCATTERING
When fast neutrons are emitted from a radioactive source they
penetrate into concrete and collide with the nuclei of atoms composing
the concrete. The velocity reduction is greatest for collisions with nuclei
that have mass comparable to that of the neutron. After a series of
collisions the slow neutrons can be monitored using a detector that
incorporates a slow neutron absorber.
Hydrogen in water molecules is the dominant source of light
nuclei that causes the production of slow neutrons in concrete. Thus, in
the absence of organic material and other sources of hydrogen, the slow
neutron count is primarily a measure of the total water content.
METHODS FOR ASSESSMENT OF PERMEABILITY
The permeability of concrete at the surface is a major factor in
determining the durability of concrete structures. The surface skin of
concrete is the first line of defence against the ingress of aggressive agents
such as chlorides, sulphates and carbon dioxide. For this reason, there is an
increasing awareness of its importance for durability of concrete.
A reliable permeability test of the concrete cover is therefore
crucial not only in the laboratory but also at the building site. One factor
determining the durability of concrete is the ease with which water and air
can penetrate into concrete.

ASSESSMENT OF PERMEABILITY ON WATER
This method is intended to determine the susceptibility of an
unsaturated concrete to the penetration of water. In general, the rate of
absorption of concrete at the surface differs from the rate of absorption
of a sample taken from the interior.
The exterior surface is often subjected to less than intended
curing and is exposed to the most potentially adverse conditions. This
test method is used to measure the water absorption rate of both the
concrete surface and interior concrete.

The equipment consist of a

pressure chamber that containing a
watertight gasket. The chamber is
secured tightly to the surface by two
anchored clamping pliers or by
means of a suction plate.
The chamber is filled with water and the water is allowed to be
absorbed by the test surface for 10 minutes. The filling valve is closed,
and the top cap of the chamber is turned until a desired water pressure is
displayed on the gauge. As water permeates into the concrete, the
selected pressure is maintained by means of a micrometer gauge pushing
a piston into the chamber. The piston movement compensates for the
volume of water penetrating into the material. The travel of the piston as
a function time is recorded and the speed the piston travel in m/s is
used to characterize the permeation of the test surface.
ASSESSMENT OF PERMEABILITY ON AIR

The on site permeability
test permits a rapid analysis of the
air permeability of the cover
concrete by a non destructive
method. The essential features of
the permeability test method are a
two-chamber vacuum cell and a
pressure regulator which ensures an
air flow at right angles to the surface
into the inner chamber. The
permeability test takes only 2 12
minutes.
Drilled-hole tests in concrete
The measurement of transport to or from
a drilled hole is the alternative to surface
measurements for insitu assessment of air
permeability. A convenient way of
carrying out these tests is to drill a hole,
seal the top of it, evacuate the space
below the seal and measure the time
taken for the vacuum to decay.

METHODS FOR ESTABLISHING MECHANICAL,

PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF
MATERIALS IN THE LABORATORY
A direct assessment on
mechanical, physical and chemical
properties can be made in the
laboratory by core sampling and
testing.
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Compressive Strength
Tensile Strength (splitting)
Modulus of Elasticity (static modulus of elasticity or dynamic
modulus)
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
Density
Permeability
Freeze-thaw
Shrinkage
Thermal movement
Microscopical examination
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
Chemical analysis of composition (cement stone, aggregates,

steel etc.)
Presence of contaminants - ion penetration (chloride, sulphate
etc.)
IN SITU RAPID LOAD TEST

OF BUILDING STRUCTURES
Valuable information regarding the health and performance of an
existing structure may be gained by simply measuring its response to load.
Traditionally this view has been adopted in the implementation of load
tests and structural monitoring. Both of these practices provide evaluations
of structures that are much more representative than analytical
approaches, especially when little is known about the structures geometry
and composition.
Often, however, much is known about the structure with doubts only
about certain aspects or characteristics. In these circumstances, a load test
would provide valuable information. However, it is difficult to justify the
time and expense associated with full-scale load testing. To this end, rapid
in situ load testing takes the same approach to loading a structure and
measuring its response, but the loads and measurements are specifically
designed to reveal a certain characteristic of the structure.
This approach allows for a much simpler evaluation that can be
carried out in a fraction of the time and at a much lower cost.

For example, it may be of interest to investigate the bending capacity
of a flat slab at mid-span. The rapid load test would involve applying
concentrated loads to the slab through the use of hydraulic jacks.
The location and magnitude of these loads is carefully chosen to
produce critical responses in the structure while limiting the potential for
causing permanent damage. The induced deflections and strains are
measured, and the structures performance is evaluated based on its
response to loading.
PLANNING A RAPID LOAD TEST

A successful load test provides information essential to the
assessment of the structural condition of the tested member. There are
several phases involved in carrying out a successful load test:
A. Evaluation of the Structure:
preliminary investigations:
structural geometry;
loading history;
material characteristics;
definition of objectives:
critical loading condition (recommended at least 85% from the
factored design loads);
critical responses.
B. Test planning:
selection of elements;
methods of load application:
push-down test;
pull-down test with fixed reaction;

pull-down test with mobile reaction;

Closed loop;
vehicle;
dropped weight;
test load magnitude:

load pattern;
load sharing;
boundary condition;
composite action;
temperature and environmental effects;
prediction of structural response.
C. Equipment
hydraulic jacks and pumps;
measuring instrumentation.
LVDT transducers
Wire transducers
Inclinometers
Strain gauge
Extensometers
Load cells
Pressure transducers
D. Execution
IN SITU RAPID LOAD TESTS

TYPES OF LOADING
Vertical loading
Constant loading
Cyclic loading
Horizontal loadings
Monotonic push-over
Cyclic loading
Pseudo-dynamic
Ambient vibration test

STATIC LOAD TEST
In order to test a structure or portion of a structure for purposes of
strength evaluation, the static load test protocol consist of forces that are
applied with unchanged value or in steps with a small loading speed.
If the load is constant in time, the value is established as a ratio of the
design load and the forces are applied for 24-hour-duration.
Static loads can be applied also in small steps and the force will be
increased until a critical parameter is reached (deformation, crack openings
etc.).
CYCLIC LOAD TEST

The procedure of a cyclic load test consists on the application of
patch loads in a quasi-static manner to the structural member, in at least six
loading/unloading cycles. Any load cycle should consist in a sequence of at
least five loading steps followed by five unloading steps (each
loading/unloading cycle last about 20 minutes).
ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
Repeatability
One method of rating a
structures performance during a
rapid load test is by checking the
repeatability of some structural
responses, typically deflection.
Repeatability is a ratio of the
difference between the maximum
and residual deflections recorded
during the second of two identical
load cycles to that of the first.
Pmax = maximum load level achieved by cycles A and B

Pmin = minimum load level achieved at the end of cycles A and B
= maximum deflection in cycle B under a load of Pmax
= residual deflection after cycle B under a load of Pmin

= maximum deflection in cycle A under a load of Pmax
= residual deflection after cycle A under a load of Pmin
Deviation from linearity

Deviation from linearity is a
measure of the nonlinear
behavior of a member being
tested. As a member becomes
increasingly more damaged, its
behavior may become more
nonlinear, and its deviation from
linearity may increase.
In order to calculate the
deviation from linearity, linearity
must be defined.
In order to calculate the deviation from linearity, linearity must be

defined. Linearity is the ratio of the slopes of two secant lines intersecting
the load-deflection envelope. The load-deflection envelope is the curve
constructed by connecting the points corresponding to only those loads,
which are greater than or equal to any previously applied loads.
Pref = reference load level (usually 50% from Pmax )

= reference deflection under a load of Pref
= reference slope for coordinates Pref and
Pi = load level on i point
= deflection under a load of Pi
= slope for coordinates Pi and
Permanency
The amount of permanent
change displayed by any structural
response parameter during any given
load cycle is defined as permanency.
Deflection permanency may only be
legitimately calculated for the second
cycle of two identical load cycles.
MONOTONIC PUSH-OVER TEST
The method consist in
applying of horizontal forces to
a test specimen that is
anchored rigidly to an
immobile ground. These forces
are proportional to the
prescribed ground acceleration
and the local structural
masses.
PSEUDO-DYNAMIC TEST
The pseudo-dynamic test method is an on-line computer controlled
testing technique devoted to the evaluation of structures subjected to dynamic
loads, typically earthquakes.
For large
structures, only
the most critical
part is tested
experimentally
and the rest of
the structure is
modelled on
computer.
AMBIENT VIBRATION TEST
Vibration-based structural health monitoring (SHM) is based on vibration

testing of structures which requires high capacity actuators. However, exciting
structures in a controlled and repeatable manner is rather limited in practice.
In addition, the forced vibration testing is not preferred for heritage building
structures where artificial loading might induce significant damage to the
tested structures.
Thus, monitoring of structural responses from ambient vibration is
preferred, since dynamic properties can be identified by analyzing ambient
responses of the buildings. The ambient vibration test describe the linear
behavior of the structure (with or without damages).
CASE STUDIES
RC SLAB, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
(pull-down method)
PC SLAB, ATLANTA, GEORGIA

(push-down method)
PC FLAT SLAB, WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA

(push-down method)
PC STRENGTHENED SLAB, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

(vehicle)
IN-SITU TEST OF SCHOOL BUILDING STRUCTURE IN TAIWAN

IN-SITU TEST OF 11-STORY RC BUILDING ISRAEL

AMBIENT VIBRATION TEST ON PALLAZO BOSCO LUCARELLI

BENEVENTO, ITALY
AMBIENT VIBRATION TEST ON ST. SIMION MASONRY TOWER

Frequency response
diagrams obtained by
FFT analysis for
x and y direction
ASSESSMENT OF SAFETY LEVEL FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS
Evaluation of existing buildings involves two fundamental

aspects, namely:
assessment of bearing capacity of elements/structure;
estimation of service life for various hypothesis (with or
without interventions).
Evaluation of the safety level of existing buildings is done in
three distinct steps:
preliminary data collection
investigation of degradation
evaluation of bearing capacity of the structure and service
life prediction.
ESTABLISHING OF BEARING CAPACITY

The evaluation process include:
checking of compliance requirements;
investigation of degradations;
evaluation of the bearing capacity.
Based on all results the building vulnerability is established
according with four seismic risk classes:
Rs I (high risk of collapse);
Rs Class II (low risk of collapse but high risk of structural
damages);
Rs III (low risk of structural damages but high risk of non-
structural damages);
Class IV (the behavior is similar with new buildings).
ASSESSMENT OF COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS
Assessment of compliance requirements must establish if
compliance rules provided in current norms are satisfied by the analyzed
building. The main components of this qualitative assessment are:
a. verification of the loads path
b. verification of the redundancy
c. verification of the geometrical configuration
d. verification of interaction with other buildings near by
e. verification of the infrastructure and foundation soil
f. verification of the structural details

Assessment of seismic risk class from compliance requirements point of

view is made according with the table below.
ASSESSMENT OF STRUCTURAL DEGRADATION
The structural damage degree express the structural degradation
produced by the seismic action and other causes.

ASSESSMENT OF SEISMIC SAFETY DEGREE

The seismic safety degree revealed the strength and
deformability capacity of the structure. Three methodologies can be used
for the assessment of the seismic safety degree.
Methodology 1
Seismic safety degree is determined in terms of strength:

3 =

where:
capable shear stress
shear stress determined according with seismic norm
Methodology 2
Individual values were determined for each of the structural

elements:

3 =

where:
capable internal force, in j element
design internal force, in j element
behavior factor for j element
Global value of the seismic safety degree is:

,
3 =
, /
where:
, capable shear force for j element
, design shear force for j element
Methodology 3
Seismic safety degree is determined in terms of displacements:

3 =

where:
ultimate lateral displacement
imposed lateral displacement
ESTIMATION OF SERVICE LIFE

Service life of a building is the time where all the building
properties are maintained at an acceptable levels under the conditions of
current maintenance.
Because reinforced concrete degradation is a complex
phenomenon with many variables, service life may be affected by large
errors.
In the estimation of the service life of an element or construction
must be taken into account:
physical, chemical and biological actions from the
environment
characteristics of the materials
the influence of structural damages
The service life assessment can be achieved by the following

methods:
assessment based on experience
evaluating by comparisons with similar situations
assessment with accelerated tests
assessment by mathematical modeling of the degradation
process
evaluation by stochastic analysis

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ADVANCED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING STRUCTURES

WHY THE ANALYSIS OF THE EXISTING

Historical monuments that must be restored.

Regular buildings damaged in time.

Buildings that are intended to be demolished.

Trei Ierarhi Church, Iasi, Romania

Bolomey Mansion, Cosmbeti, Romania

Cantacuzino-Pacanu Mansion, Ceplenia, Romania

122 Leadenhall Street, London

Assessment of existing buildings involves the elucidation of two

assessment of structural safety for elements/structure due to

estimation of the remained service time for initial and retrofitted

Evaluation of safety level for the existing buildings can be made in

A. Geometrical characteristics, details and conformity assessment.

B. Evaluation of material properties and investigation of the

C. Numerical evaluation of bearing capacity and estimation of service

GEOMETRICAL CHARACTERISTICS, DETAILS

Based on simulated design in

From the originally complete From the original material

CLASSIFICATION OF MECHANICAL ACTIONS

Windsor Tower, Madrid, Spain

The Windsor Tower was a 32-

A typical floor was two-way

A. Actions from construction:

ASSESSMENT METHODS OF MECHANICAL

The investigations can be achieved by:

Testing of alkalinity (with phenolphthalein)

Testing of chloride ions (with silver nitrate)

DIRECT METHODS FOR STRENGTH ASSESSMENT

PULL OFF TEST

The pull-off test is a near-to-

The break-off test is one of the

CONCRETE CORE TEST

Compressive strength test on drilled

INDIRECT METHODS FOR STRENGTH ASSESSMENT

SCLEROMETER TESTS ON CONCRETE

concrete quality on-site. The tests use a Schmidt sclerometer that

measures the superficial hardness of the concrete from the recoil of an

then converted to a value of compression resistance through an abacus.

The test must be carried out on homogeneous concrete surfaces and it

usually involves the removal of the carbonated superficial layer by scraping

The Schmidt OS-120 Pendulum

METAL HARDNESS TEST

The Equotip 550 is the

WINDSOR PROBE TEST

The Windsor probe test

ULTRASONIC PULSE VELOCITY TEST

Ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV)

The Pundit PL-200PE employs

IMPACT ECHO TEST

Impact Echo testing consists of

SURFACE WAVE TEST

This method applies

METHODS TO DETECT REINFORCEMENTS

The profometer is an advanced

cover meter for the precise and non

concrete cover and rebar diameters

and the detection of rebar locations

using the eddy current principle with

pulse induction as the measuring

Radiography can be used to

obtain permanent image of surface and

sub-surface (embedded) discontinuities.