REINFORCEMENT COVER MEASUREMENT USING MAGNETIC METHODS
Magnetic Method for Reinforcement Cover Measurement of Hardened Concrete
Magnetic methods may be used to determine the location and cover to reinforcement embedded in hardened concrete. Some of the models commercially available in market are Micro-cover meter, Pachometer, Profometer, Fe-Depth meter, etc. These equipment are based on the principle that the presence Micro-Cover Meter of steel affects the field of an electromagnet. Most cover meters consist of a unit containing the power source, amplifier and meter and a separate search unit (probe) containing the electromagnet which is coupled to the main unit by a cable.
Profometer is a portable, battery operated equipment used for measuring the depth of cover concrete, location and size of the steel reinforcement embedded in concrete. The equipment is useful
for investigating the structures where drawings are not available.
for investigating the structures where drawings are not available.
The equipment consists of data logger, diameter probe and depth probe and calibration block.
Profometer
The equipment has sufficient memory to store the scanned data. The meter needle is zeroed and the probe moved over the concrete surface, the probe is moved and rotated to obtain a maximum reading and this position correspond to the location of reinforcement bar (minimum cover). It is used for (a) measuring concrete cover (b) detecting reinforcing bar (c) determining bar size and direction.
Fig: Reinforcement Cover Measurement Using Profometer
In heavily reinforced section, however, the effect of secondary reinforcement cannot be eliminated completely. Nevertheless, the these equipment give fair idea about the average thickness of cover with maximum variation of +5mm.
