Piletest.com Ltd. – Review of Thermal Testing of Drilled Shafts Integrity

Presented by: Joram M. Amir

The thermal method, based on measuring the hydration temperatures of fresh concrete, is the latest one devoted to testing the integrity of drilled shafts. It is claimed to cover the whole volume of the piles, both inside and outside of the rebar cage. The flaw detection capabilities of the method are still undecided, having been established by a small number of controlled site tests. This document presents a new numerical method that can simulate the thermal behavior of newly-cast shafts of any shape and under any boundary conditions.  The results of a few situations modeled prove that under worst-case scenarios the thermal method is unable to establish the integrity of the pile skin and may even totally miss a complete discontinuity. To qualify as a dependable practical tool the thermal method still needs extensive development and validation.

All Authors:
Erez Amir, Piletest.com Ltd.
Joram M. Amir, Piletest.com Ltd.