Ensure the durability and longevity of your concrete structures with expert material testing services.
At VCS Engineering, we are your trusted partner for concrete material testing for the construction or engineering industry. Concrete and steel reinforcement are crucial in building strong and durable structures. But concrete and steel can deteriorate over time and compromise the lifespan of your structures. VCS can evaluate these materials to determine their condition and the risk for deterioration.
We support our clients from beginning to end of materials testing and evaluation.
- Our highly trained engineers and technicians properly collect and document the samples in the field and work with experienced laboratories to ensure quality of results.
- The typical testing conducted may include steel coupon testing, concrete carbonation depth, chloride concentration and profile analysis, concrete compressive strength, and petrography analysis.
- We analyse the factual testing data to provide insight into how the condition may impact the future durability of that structure.
Our team has decades of combined experience providing reliable and accurate concrete material testing services. We use the latest technology and equipment to ensure that our testing is precise and consistent, and our team of experts is committed to delivering exceptional service and results.
We understand that every project is unique, so we offer customized testing solutions to meet your needs. Whether you are in bridge construction or a building manager at an industrial facility, each structure requires safe and durable concrete infrastructure, and we have the expertise and experience to help you ensure their reliability and longevity.
Methods
Our experts will help you determine which methods are most effective and economical for your needs.
Carbonation Depth
The depth of carbonation in concrete can indicate the risk for corrosion activity. Since carbonation lowers concrete's pH as carbon dioxide diffuses into moist concrete, carbonation can lower the pH of the concrete surrounding the reinforcing steel. In that case, depassivation of the reinforcing begins, and general corrosion starts. Therefore, at VCS, we evaluate the carbonation depth and reinforcement cover-depth to determine the risk for corrosion and understand the remaining service life.
Chloride Concentration
Concrete samples are collected from structures to evaluate the level of chloride penetration and risk for corrosion activity of the reinforcing steel. We evaluate the contamination of the concrete, determine the risk for corrosion, and calculate the rate at which the chlorides are diffusing into the concrete. This information is critical when we do service life modeling of reinforced concrete structures.
Compressive Strength
We collect cores from the structure for compressive strength measurements to understand the concrete quality and strength, which is critical to understanding the capacity of structures and load ratings.
Petrography
Petrographic analysis can identify if physical deterioration processes such as freeze-thaw, chemical deterioration processes such as alkali-silica reaction, or sulfate attacks occur in the concrete. A petrographic analysis also defines the general properties and volumetric proportions of the concrete mixture used in the original construction. A petrographic analysis details the type of aggregates, binder composition, and distress mechanisms in the concrete samples.
Project Experience
We provide extensive experience across a range of structures and environmental conditions.
Where it Applies
Service offerings are relevant across these sectors.