LUNA INNOVATIONS INCORPORATED — Department of Defense SBIR Phase I: N163-137

Description

The presence of the minerals pyrrhotite in concrete aggregate can reduce the structural integrity and life expectancy of a concrete structure by as much as 90%. In Canada and the Northeast U.S., pyrrhotite-rich aggregate has had a devastating effect on the housing sector, causing approximately $1 billion in damages in the past decades. As a large consumer of concrete for a multitude of construction and repair jobs around the world, the U.S. Navy may face significant costs associated with pyrrhotite related concrete corrosion. To minimize facilities maintenance and sustainment costs, there is a need for a method for detecting and quantifying the presence of pyrrhotite in source aggregate and formed structures to assess existing structural integrity and prevent pyritiferous aggregate from ever being used. Existing diagnostic methods must be carried out in a lab, are overly expensive, and highly time consuming. To meet the needs of the Navy, Luna will develop a portable, compact, robust, electromagnetic sensing system capable of providing rapid, near real-time diagnostics of pyrrhotite concentration in aggregate and formed concrete structures in harsh, field environments.