Structural safety referring to ultrasound on concrete bridges

Abstract Measuring means knowing. The structural engineer's knowledge about structures is vitally important for the assessment of their structural safety. This contribution shows, how non‐destructive testing methods can be used to collect valuable information about existing structures. This value is expressed in this paper by the usability in probabilistic assessments and thus by the reliability of the information. The development of non‐destructive testing methods in civil‐engineering allows the realistic measurement and visualization of inner constructions of concrete components with a minimum of destructive interventions. The evaluation of the quality of measurement data is of fundamental importance for quantitative measurements in order to ensure the objectivity of testing and evaluation and to assess the reliability of the knowledge acquired. Both systematic and random deviations must be identified, quantified and taken into account to obtain statistically sound data. The focus of this contribution is on the methodical path, how displayed measurement data can be processed into reliable knowledge. It is not about developing assessment methods but about providing necessary knowledge to increase their operational usability.