# US 11,906,455 B2 · Electrical methods and systems for concrete testing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,906,455 B2 - Document ID: US11906455B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/066,642 - Filed: 2022-12-15 - Published: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2024-02-20 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-30 - Assignees: Giatec Scientific Inc. - Applicants: Giatec Scientific Inc. - Inventors: Pouria Ghods; Rouhollah Alizadeh; Mustafa Salehi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11906455B2 ## CPC - G01N 27/04: by investigating resistance - G01N 17/02: Electrochemical measuring systems for weathering, corrosion or corrosion-protection measurement - G01N 17/04: Corrosion probes - G01N 27/02: by investigating impedance - G01N 27/026: {Dielectric impedance spectroscopy (electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for measuring corrosion G01N17/02)} - G01N 33/383: {Concrete or cement} - G01L 1/10: by measuring variations of frequency of stressed vibrating elements, e.g. of stressed strings (using resistance strain gauges G01L1/22) - G01L 1/20: by measuring variations in ohmic resistance of solid materials or of electrically-conductive fluids (of piezo-resistive materials G01L1/18); by making use of electrokinetic cells, i.e. liquid-containing cells wherein an electrical potential is produced or varied upon the application of stress - G01L 1/22: using resistance strain gauges - G01N 17/00: Investigating resistance of materials to the weather, to corrosion, or to light - G01N 17/006: {of metals} - G01R 27/00: Arrangements for measuring resistance, reactance, impedance, or electric characteristics derived therefrom - Y02W 30/91: Use of waste materials as fillers for mortars or concrete - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G) - G01R: MEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES (indicating correct tuning of resonant circuits H03J3/12) - Y02W: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO WASTEWATER TREATMENT OR WASTE MANAGEMENT ## Abstract Hundreds of thousands of concrete bridges and hundreds of billions of tons of concrete require characterization with time for corrosion. Accordingly, protocols for rapid testing and improved field characterization systems that automatically triangulate electrical resistivity and half-cell corrosion potential measurements would be beneficial allowing discrete/periodic mapping of a structure to be performed as well as addressing testing for asphalt covered concrete. Further, it is the low frequency impedance of rebar in concrete that correlates to corrosion state but these are normally time consuming vulnerable to noise. Hence, it would be beneficial to provide a means of making low frequency electrical resistivity measurements rapidly. Further, prior art techniques for electrical rebar measurements require electrical connection be made to the rebar which increases measurement complexity/disruption/repair/cost even when no corrosion is identified. Beneficially a method of determining the state of a rebar without electrical contact is taught. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: providing an electrical measurement system for measuring an electrical characteristic of a predetermined material; providing a plurality of beacons, each beacon including a predetermined portion of a transceiver providing pulses of a predetermined format; establishing with a microprocessor at least a relative distance of a plurality of relative distances, each relative distance being that of the electrical measurement system relative to a predetermined beacon of the plurality of beacons in dependence upon the pulses of the predetermined format from that predetermined beacon of the plurality of beacons; and storing data generated by the electrical measurement system when measuring the electrical characteristic of the predetermined material together with the plurality of relative distances established by the microprocessor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the pulses of predetermined format are at least one of ultrasonic pulses, visible optical pulses, infrared optical pulses, microwave signal pulses and radio frequency pulses. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a global positioning system to provide a global position; and storing in association with the data generated by the electrical measurement system and the plurality of relative distances the global position; wherein the global positioning system forms part of one of a beacon of the plurality of beacons or the electrical measurement system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing a local positioning system to provide a local position; and storing in association with the data generated by the electrical measurement system and the plurality of relative distances the local position; wherein the local positioning system forms part of one of a beacon of the plurality of beacons or the electrical measurement system; and the local positioning system employs wireless signals of one or more predetermined formats at least one of transmitted to and received from wireless infrastructure selected from a group comprising cellular base stations, wireless access points and radio broadcast towers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising defining a local position of another predetermined beacon of the plurality of beacons prior to performing the steps of the measurement with the electrical measurement system and determining the plurality of relative distances; storing in association with the data generated by the electrical measurement system and the plurality of relative distances other data relating to the local position; wherein the local position is one of a predetermined location established by surveying, a predetermined distinctive point of a structure of which the predetermined material forms part, a marker attached to a predetermined portion of the structure, and a marker embedded within another predetermined portion of the structure. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrical measurement system measures the electrical characteristic of the predetermined material with a process comprising: generating an electrical pulse which is applied with a first probe to a first part of the predetermined material; measuring an output electrical signal with a second probe applied to a second part of the predetermined material, the output electrical signal being the result of application of the electrical pulse to the first part of the predetermined material; and applying a predetermined signal processing algorithm to the output electrical signal to generate a low frequency electrical characteristic of the predetermined material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrical measurement system measures the electrical characteristic of the predetermined material with a process comprising: generating an electrical signal of predetermined characteristics and applying the electrical signal to a first predetermined portion of a predetermined material with a first electrical probe; measuring an output electrical signal with a second electrical probe applied to a second predetermined portion of the predetermined material, the output electrical signal being the result of application of the generated electrical signal to the first predetermined portion of the predetermined material; applying predetermined signal processing to the output electrical signal to generate a processed output; and determining a characteristic of the predetermined material in dependence upon an aspect of the processed output. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the electrical signal is a plurality of alternating currents applied in a predetermined sequence, each alternating current at a predetermined frequency; the output electrical signal is a plurality of measured output voltages, each measured output voltage associated with the application of an alternating current at a predetermined frequency; the processed output comprises establishing a frequency dependence of a magnitude of the plurality of measured output voltages with applied alternating current frequency; and the aspect of the processed output is related to a first derivative of the established frequency dependence of the plurality of measured output voltages with applied alternating current frequency. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the electrical signal is a voltage pulse; the output electrical signal is a measured output voltage measured over a predetermined period of time; and the processed output comprises gain versus frequency data and phase versus frequency data. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the electrical signal is a current pulse; the output electrical signal is a measured output voltage measured over a predetermined period of time; and the processed output comprises gain versus frequency data and phase versus frequency data. ### Claim 11 A method comprising: providing an electrical measurement system for measuring an electrical characteristic of a predetermined material including a transceiver operating according to a predetermined format; providing a plurality of beacons, each beacon including another transceiver operating according to the predetermined format; establishing with a microprocessor at least a relative distance of a plurality of relative distances, each relative distance being that of the electrical measurement system relative to a predetermined beacon of the plurality of beacons in dependence upon pulses of the predetermined format from that predetermined beacon of the plurality of beacons; and storing data generated by the electrical measurement system when measuring the electrical characteristic of the predetermined material together with the plurality of relative distances established by the microprocessor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the transceiver and the another transceiver each exploit pulses of a predetermined type; the pulses of the predetermined type are one of ultrasonic pulses, visible optical pulses, infrared optical pulses, microwave signal pulses and radio frequency pulses; and the pulses of the predetermined type are transmitted by the another transceiver and received by the transceiver. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the transceiver and the another transceiver each exploit pulses of a predetermined type; the pulses of the predetermined type are one of ultrasonic pulses, visible optical pulses, infrared optical pulses, microwave signal pulses and radio frequency pulses; and the pulses of the predetermined type are transmitted by the transceiver and received by the another transceiver. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising providing a global positioning system to provide a global position; and storing in association with the data generated by the electrical measurement system and the plurality of relative distances the global position; wherein the global positioning system forms part of one of a beacon of the plurality of beacons or the electrical measurement system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising providing a local positioning system to provide a local position; and storing in association with the data generated by the electrical measurement system and the plurality of relative distances the local position; wherein the local positioning system forms part of one of a beacon of the plurality of beacons or the electrical measurement system; and the local positioning system employs wireless signals of one or more predetermined formats at least one of transmitted to and received from wireless infrastructure selected from a group comprising cellular base stations, wireless access points and radio broadcast towers. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising defining a local position of another predetermined beacon of the plurality of beacons prior to performing the steps of the measurement with the electrical measurement system and determining the plurality of relative distances; storing in association with the data generated by the electrical measurement system and the plurality of relative distances other data relating to the local position; wherein the local position is one of a predetermined location established by surveying, a predetermined distinctive point of a structure of which the predetermined material forms part, a marker attached to a predetermined portion of the structure, and a marker embedded within another predetermined portion of the structure. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the electrical measurement system measures the electrical characteristic of the predetermined material with a process comprising: generating an electrical pulse which is applied with a first probe to a first part of the predetermined material; measuring an output electrical signal with a second probe applied to a second part of the predetermined material, the output electrical signal being the result of application of the electrical pulse to the first part of the predetermined material; and applying a predetermined signal processing algorithm to the output electrical signal to generate a low frequency electrical characteristic of the predetermined material. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein the electrical measurement system measures the electrical characteristic of the predetermined material with a process comprising: generating an electrical signal of predetermined characteristics and applying the electrical signal to a first predetermined portion of a predetermined material with a first electrical probe; measuring an output electrical signal with a second electrical probe applied to a second predetermined portion of the predetermined material, the output electrical signal being the result of application of the generated electrical signal to the first predetermined portion of the predetermined material; applying predetermined signal processing to the output electrical signal to generate a processed output; and determining a characteristic of the predetermined material in dependence upon an aspect of the processed output. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the electrical signal is a plurality of alternating currents applied in a predetermined sequence, each alternating current at a predetermined frequency; the output electrical signal is a plurality of measured output voltages, each measured output voltage associated with the application of an alternating current at a predetermined frequency; the processed output comprises establishing a frequency dependence of a magnitude of the plurality of measured output voltages with applied alternating current frequency; and the aspect of the processed output is related to a first derivative of the established frequency dependence of the plurality of measured output voltages with applied alternating current frequency. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the electrical signal is a voltage pulse; the output electrical signal is a measured output voltage measured over a predetermined period of time; and the processed output comprises gain versus frequency data and phase versus frequency data. ### Claim 21 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the electrical signal is a current pulse; the output electrical signal is a measured output voltage measured over a predetermined period of time; and the processed output comprises gain versus frequency data and phase versus frequency data.