Aodh,
I would very much like information on both the re-bound hammer and ultra sound testing. Did you test for carbonation and conditions which might lead to loss of passivation by testing PH?
Thanks -Kent
To experiment with I don't need much phenolphthalein. Sounds like it's available in smaller amounts at pharmacies.
Can anyone simplify this for me a little by providing a recipe? What measure of phenolphthalein to what measure of what type of alcohol to make say... a pint of testing solution?
I'm trying to figure out the best way to expose material for testing without knocking a chunk out of someone's home. If there is a crawlspace... no problem. In Mexico they're mostly slab-on-grade. Too bad drill tailings won't work. Is there a minimum surface area that should be exposed?
I am interested in inspecting homes in Mexico, many of which are built of concrete. Will testing the PH level of concrete walls in a home built say..5 years ago tell me anything useful?
In other words, if I drill a small hole in the walls, mix the particles from the hole with water and then...
So it sounds like a two-part process. ASR is a reaction between alkaline material and aggregate that causes axpansion and spalling, which may lead to exposure of embedded steel and expansion of iron oxide caused by oxidation of the steel also causes spalling.
I'm working on a Home Inspection book and I'd like to know (in laymen's terms more or less) why water corrodes steel. What is the chemical process? Oxidation?
-Kent
I've been looking online for expatriot Inspectors working in Mexico or even Inspectors working out of the US and flying down with absolutely no luck. I did find one Inspector online near Guadalajara, but the e-mail address is no good.
I'm 30 years in residential construction so I have a pretty...
Metal detector is worth a try and I have one, good idea. Home will usually be complete by the time I see them, but it's sometimes possible to see things.
At this point, there are people spending millions of dollars on homes in Mexico wtih no inspections at all. When I querried realtors and lenders looking for work inspecting homes in Mexico, they didn't know what I was talking about. So a lot of what seems to go on down there makes little sense.
I'd like to determine the presence of rebar but other than spending a lot of money on equipment that can scan trhough concrete, I don't know of any good way. -Kent
I am a pre-purchase home inspector about to start inspecting homes in Mexican resort towns, most of which are concrete, most of which apparently gets mixed in the street in from of the home being built.
I'm 30 years in residential/light commercial construction so I have something of a handle on...