Effect of water saturation and porosity on the nonlinear elastic response of concrete

Nonlinear interaction of a monochromatic elastic wave with a low frequency should be a good tool for non-destructive evaluation of existing concrete structures. Nonlinear indicators have already proved efficient in detecting global damage by exhibiting a significant sensitivity regarding classical linear ultrasonic methods like wave speed or attenuation. However, it is necessary to understand the influence of some structural parameters such as porosity, stress state, or water saturation on the nonlinear processes. In this way, a recent model containing all of these potential contributors is presented in this paper. It is sustained by nonlinear interaction experiments in impact mode. This method reveals a great potential for in situ measurements with a low frequency propagating into the whole structure. We make use of a calibrated concrete sample's series, conditioned at different water saturation states, to quantify the influence of water content and porosity on the nonlinear response of concrete.