Effect of the Temperature on the Nonlinear Acoustic Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Using Dynamic Acoustoelastic Method of Time Shift

During field tests, there is almost no effective way to control thermal changes in concrete structures. It is obvious that temperature fluctuations influence nonlinear acoustic behavior of concrete, which may lead to incoherent results during field investigations. The research presented herein was conducted to assess the effects of temperature changes on the nonlinear acoustic behavior of the reinforced concrete using Time Shift method. The Time Shift method, based on dynamic acoustoelastic principle, takes its roots from the coda wave interferometry method and combines it with the study of the nonlinear behavior in cementitious materials in a methodological manner that allows field investigations. Near-to-field environmental conditions were simulated in the laboratory using an automatic climatic room. The specimens were subjected to temperature changes ranging from \(-\)10 to 40 \(^{\circ }\)C. Such a thermal regime is close to the thermal conditions prevailing for most concrete structures. The effect of the temperature variations was assessed in both sound and damaged concrete elements affected by alkali–silica reaction (ASR). The test-results demonstrate that the nonlinear acoustic responses of concrete depend on the temperature. However, the nonlinear parameter seems to get minimized in low temperatures ranging from \(-\)10 to 10 \(^{\circ }\)C. Moreover, the state of medium (i.e. intact or damaged) can alter the sensitivity level of the nonlinear behavior to temperature variations.