NOVI, MI An article by Steve Nielsen at WPRI, Experts Testing X-ray Technology that Could Identify Infrastructure Damage, discussed "a two-part system that sees through concrete using infrared thermography and ground penetrating radar."Dr. Nicole Martino, an Associate Professor at Roger Williams University who is working with the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, was interviewed for the article. She stated that the difficulty with identifying failures in concrete on bridges is that they are often invisible. Using this new technology, engineers can essentially take an X-ray of the bridge, which allows workers to see where the damage lies and where work needs to be done.

They estimate that this could save millions in time and money. NTH is familiar with this technology, its resident expert, Tyler Dawson, Ph.D., P.E., discussed this topic during a webinar, New Approaches to Utility Cut Pavement Repair.

According to Dr. Dawson, this infrared technology is a great way to obtain detailed information on bridge deck conditions that cannot be observed through traditional methods. The technologies rely on differences in the heating rates and density of damaged versus intact concrete structures to identify and quantify potentially damaged areas. The use of infrared thermography and ground penetrating radar on bridge decks is relatively fast and can be performed without having to close lanes to traffic along the bridge.

The Michigan Department of Transportation has performed similar inspections on bridges in the Metro and Southwest Regions over the past few years. Infrasense, a Massachusetts based firm, and NTH have performed such inspections on more than 60 bridges along I-75, I-94, I-69, US-131, and other major roadways. The results have supported the selection of cost-effective rehabilitation and maintenance solutions to enhance the longevity of the bridge decks.