Determining the placement of reinforcing grout in single-width CMU (Concrete Masonry Unit) walls has, in the past, been a painstaking and destructive undertaking. Usually, a test is performed because -- by accident -- missing cells are discovered when a wall penetration is retrofitted or change order is executed, requiring that the wall be opened. Often, a hammer or hammer drill is used to punch holes where the grouting is supposed to be. The test results are used to extrapolate the extent of the problem. This method falls short, since the sample is so small, that only outright fraud can be found, and excess grouting cannot be determined. This paper discusses the results of a joint effort between Stockton Infrared Thermographic Services, Inc. (SITS) and Allen Applied Infrared Technology, Inc. (AAIT) to produce a methodology for using non-destructive infrared thermography to ensure that the design specifications are being met.

Date Published: 19 March 1999
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 3700, Thermosense XXI, (19 March 1999); doi: 10.1117/12.342318

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3700:
Thermosense XXI
Dennis H. LeMieux; John R. Snell Jr., Editor(s)