Diffusion of ultrasound in concrete

The propagation and scattering of ultrasound in concrete is discussed. The heterogeneous composition of concrete causes the ultrasound to scatter considerably. In the limit of many scattering events, the ultrasonic energy density in circular cylinders of concrete is shown to evolve in accordance with a one-dimensional diffusion equation. The ultrasonic diffusivity and dissipation are measured experimentally over the frequency range of 100-900 kHz. Theoretical descriptions of the diffusivity are in accord with the experimental values. Such frequencies are well above typical frequencies used for concrete inspection. Thus, it is anticipated that the use of these higher frequencies will result in new techniques for characterizing material properties and damage in concrete structures.