There are different methods of estimating the life of a building. This can be done by carrying out health check up of the building. Depending on the degree of sophistication and desired accuracy level vis-a-vis the problem in hand ,there are many equipment and methodologies available to evaluate the probable life of a structure. Many times a thorough visual inspection reveals the distress and the causes.
Equipments used for HEALTH CHECK UP of the building are:
REBOUND HAMMER: It senses the soundness of concrete up to a marginal depth.
IMPACT ECHO TESTER: Finds out defects in the interior of concrete.
ULTRASONIC TESTERS: Scans through the concrete for the full depth/thickness.
COVER METER: Finds out the cover to the reinforcement (steel bars inside the concrete).
PROFOMETER: Establishes configuration and quantum of interior reinforcements (steel bars inside the concrete)
REBAR PHOTOGRAPHER: Displays interior reinforcements (steel bars) skeleton.
ENDOSCOPIC DEVICE: To examine the void in the concrete.
THERMOGRAPHIC CAMERA: To locate possible defect in a new building.
CRACK MEASUREMENT DEVICE: It measures surface cracks.
PERMEABILITY TESTER: Tests for water penetration in concrete.
THICKNESS GAUGE: Measures the thickness from the surface.
LEAK SEEKER: It locates source of leakages.
COROSION ANALYZER: It measures the extent of corrosion in reinforcements. Corrosion is regarded as equivalent of cancer in the concrete.
X-RAY: Scans inside the concrete.
Ground penetrating radar (GPR)
Vibration characteristics