2-D near-field SAR non-destructive testing of rebars in a concrete wall

Issue title: Special Volume: Proceedings of the eleventh International Symposium on Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics ISEM-Versailles ISEM 03

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Franchois, Ann^{a; *} | Lewyllie, Peter^a | Taerwe, Luc^b

Affiliations: [a] Department INTEC-IMEC, Ghent University, Sint-Pietersnieuwstraat 41, 9000 Gent, Belgium. Tel.: +32 9 264 8937; Fax: +32 9 264 3593; E-mail: [email protected] | [b] Department of Struct. Eng., Ghent University, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 9, 9052 Gent, Belgium. Tel.: +32 9 264 5517; Fax: +32 9 264 5845; E-mail: [email protected]

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author

Abstract: A microwave non-destructive testing technique to localize metal reinforcement bars in a concrete wall is presented. The technique is based on a two-dimensional near-field Synthetic Aperture Radar imaging algorithm in a monostatic stepped frequency arrangement. The resulting, qualitative, images of the induced sources give a clear indication on the position of the highly conductive rebars, thanks to their strongly reflective properties. The algorithm takes into account the presence of the concrete, the complex permittivity of which is assumed to be known. The technique has been succesfully tested on simulated and experimental data for a number of concrete wall samples with various reinforcement configurations.

Keywords: non-destructive testing, reinforced concrete, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), microwave imaging

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-2004-586

Journal: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 19, no. 1-4, pp. 333-338, 2004