1. Study of materials in place

1.1 Studies on samples

• Samples, the size and number of which are limited so as not to aggravate the potential damage to the structure, are taken in the least vital areas. The results of measurements carried out on these samples are not necessarily representative of the structure as a whole: they are used instead as a calibration reference or as a point of comparison, to supplement the information obtained from non-destructive testing.

• Mechanical measurements relate to strength parameters (compressive, tensile, etc.), but the results must be corrected to take account of scale effects linked to the size of the samples. In some cases, mechanical tests can provide information on the nature of the material itself:...