Electromagnetic Pulse-Induced Acoustic Testing Enables Reliable Evaluation of Debonding Between Rebar and Concret

An electromagnetic Pulse-Induced Acoustic Testing (EPAT) method was investigated for evaluating debonding between rebar and concrete. Debonding specimens were prepared by wrapping polystyrene foam around a rebar to induce debonding between the concrete and rebar. An acoustic emission sensor was placed on the concrete specimen surface to collect elastic wave signals. A powerful pulsed electromagnetic force was applied to the specimens and the elastic waves of the rebar were analyzed. By comparing the differences in signal reach time of the elastic waves between specimens with and without a debonding, it was demonstrated that EPAT is useful for non-destructive evaluation of debonding. Finite element simulations were also conducted, validating the reliability of EPAT for examining debonding in reinforced concrete.