Gi PROOVE it User manual

GERMANN INSTRUMENTS, Inc.
8845 Forest View Road,
Evanston, Illinois 60203. USA
Phone: [phone]
[e-mail]
Web-site: www.germann.org
For:
ASTM C 1202
AASHTO T 277-832
ASTM C 1760
NT BUILD 492
& French Standards XP P 18-461 or XP P 18-462
Germann Instruments, Inc.
Test Smart –Build Right
GERMANN INSTRUMENTS, A/S
Emdrupvej 102
DK-2400, Copenhagen NV. Denmark.
Phone: [phone]
[e-mail]
Web-site: www.germann.org
User Manual –v4.0

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Germann Instruments, Inc.
Test Smart –Build Right
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Limited Warranty
Germann Instruments warrants the Product against defects in materials and workmanship under normal
use for a period of 12 months from the Delivery Date. This Warranty does not apply to: (1) any
consumable parts, such as batteries and cables, unless there is evident defect in materials or
workmanship; (2) cosmetic damage, such as scratches, dents, spots, stains, etc.; (3) damage caused by
failure to follow instructions to use it properly, accident, abuse, misuse, neglect or failure to properly
maintain (to include but not limited to water damage and/or condensation or improper temperatures
during storage), or improper installation; (4) damage caused by electrical disturbances or acts of God,
such as civil disturbance, war, flood, fire, rodents or insects; (5) where manufacturer’s serial numbers and
security labels have been removed from the Product; and (6) damage caused during shipment (due to
Customer’s improper packaging) from Customer to Germann Instruments in the case of Product returns
for repair. Germann Instruments disclaims all other warranties, express or implied, including without
limitation implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or against hidden or
latent defects. Germann Instruments’ responsibility for warranty claims is limited to repair or
replacement. Germann Instruments reserves the right to modify this Warranty at any time, at its sole
discretion. Germann Instruments does not warrant that the operation of the Product will be
uninterrupted or error-free. This Warranty is voided immediately if repair, modification (including
upgrades, expansions or usage or addition of non-manufacturer parts or accessories), alteration or other
service is attempted other than by Germann Instruments.
Copyright
Germann Instruments has paid special attention to making this manual a valuable document. However,
we give no warranties that all errors have been eliminated from the manual, or from the hardware or
software to which it relates. The hardware and the software are continuously in a process of
development; therefore, the information in this document is subject to change without notice. All
copyright and reproductions are reserved concerning the hardware and the software. No part of this
manual may be reproduced by print, photocopy or any other means without written permission from
Germann Instruments. To receive the full benefit of the test system it is recommended to go through a
training course organized by Germann Instruments. Workshops are normally programmed and carried
out in a regular basis. Contact us for more information or visit our website www.german.org
Disclaimer
Germann Instruments makes no warranty, representation or guarantee regarding the suitability of the
results obtained by the use of this equipment or any of the items included, for any particular purpose, nor
does Germann Instruments assume any liability arising out of the use or application of any Germann
Instruments product. Germann Instruments specifically disclaims any and all liability, including without
limitation incidental or consequential damages. Germann Instruments and its suppliers hold no
responsibility for damage to health or life, damage expenses, lost profits, or any other claims arising from
the use of its products. Any customer purchasing or using Germann Instruments product(s) shall
indemnify and hold Germann Instruments and its officers, employees, related companies, affiliates and
distributors harmless against all costs, damages, expenses, personal injury or death, and legal fees arising
out of, directly or indirectly, any claim associated with the use of a product, even if such claim alleges that
Germann Instruments was negligent regarding the design or manufacture of the relevant product(s). This
manual does not address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with the use of the test system. It is
the responsibility of the user of the equipment to establish appropriate safety and health practices and
determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

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Test Smart –Build Right
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Contenido
1 Introduction 3
1.1 Proove’it© Classic 3
1.2 Proove’it Cell 3
1.3 ASTM C 1202 using the Proove´it Cell PR-1000 (See figure 3.a) 5
1.4 ASTM C 1760 using the Proove´it Cell PR-1200 (See figure 3.b) 6
1.5 NT BUILD 492 using the Proove´it Cell PR-1100 (See figure 3.c) 8
2 Parts List 9
3 Preparing and producing the specimens 10
4 Conditioning the specimens 11
5 Choosing the correct rubber gasket 12
6 Installing the gaskets without epoxy 13
7 Installing the gaskets with epoxy 15
8 Connecting the cells to the Proove’it©Microprocessor Power Supply unit 15
9 Installing the Proove’it©Software (ProovePC v4.0) 16
10 Turning on and running the system 16
10.1 Running the test for ASTM C 1202 and NT BUILD 492 18
10.2 Running the test for ASTM C 1760 27
11 Turning off the system 32
12 Disassembling a Proove’it© cell and maintenance 32
13 Verification of the Proove’it©Unit 33
14 Remarks on proper operation of the Proove’it©Unit 34
15 Maintenance of the vacuum pump 35
16 References 36
The PROOVE´it system is the sole property of GERMANN INSTRUMENTS A/S, Denmark
Copyright ©, All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in any manner without the permission of GERMANN INSTRUMENTS A/S is strictly forbidden.

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1. Introduction
1.1 Proove’it© Classic
The Proove’it©Classic Microprocessor Power Supply Unit is capable to perform testing with up to 8
channels simultaneously at one set voltage (See figure 1). The voltage range is 0 to 60 V, adjustable in 5 V
steps. Therefore, the Proove’it Classic can be used for testing in accordance with:
-ASTM C 1202 “Standard Test Method for Electrical Indication of Concretes Ability to Resist
Chloride Ion Penetration” (so called The Rapid Chloride Permeability Test or RCPT).
-ASTM C 1760 “Standard Test Method for Bulk Electrical Conductivity of Hardened Concrete”.
-NT BUILD 492 “Nordtest Method for concrete, mortar and cement-based repair materials:
Chloride Migration Coefficient from Non-Steady State Migration Experiments”.
-XP P 18-462 “Accelerated Migration Test of Chloride Ions under Non-Steady State”.
-XP P 18-461 “Accelerated Migration Test of Chloride Ions under Stationary State”.
The software and all testing cells are compatible with the microprocessor power supply unit.
Figure 1 The PR-1050 Proove´it Classic for up to 8 cells.
1.2 Proove’it Cell
The cell is the accessory that holds the concrete specimen, the NaCL and the NaOH solutions in order to
perform the test (See figure 2).
The standard cell might have some variations depending on the test standard to be run, such as: ASTM
C1202, ASTM C1760, NT Build 492, etc. (See figure 3).

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Figure 2 The schematic of a standard Proove´it cell.
7. Red banana jack.
8. Black banana jack.
9. Sealing gasket.
10. Wire mesh.
11. Spacer.
12. Concrete specimen.
1. Reservoir for NaCl solution.
2. Reservoir for NaOH solution.
3. Solution filling inlet.
4. Solution filling inlet.
5. Steel bolt.
6. Washer and nut.

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Figure 3 The Proove´it testing cells.
1.3 ASTM C 1202 using the Proove´it Cell PR-1000 (See figure 3.a)
The Proove’it©equipment is designed to perform a rapid and automated electrical indication of the
concrete’s ability to resist chloride ion penetration in accordance with the ASTM C 1202-12 [1] or AASHTO
T 277-831 [2]. The unit measures the electrical current passing through a concrete specimen for a period of
standard 6 hours at a standard voltage of 60 V-DC.
The current (in milliamps) is measured over 6 hours and the ampere-seconds are achieved by integration
of the curve in order to obtain the Coulombs. This is done automatically. The Coulombs are, according to
ASTM C 1202, an indication of the concrete’s ability to resist chloride ion penetration for a specimen with
a diameter of 95 mm (3 ¾”), 50 mm long (See table 1).
Table 1 Chloride ion penetrability based on charge passed [1].
Coulombs
Chloride Ion
Permeability
Typical of
>4000
4000-2000
2000-1000
1000-100
<100
High
High w/c ratio
Moderate
0.4 - 0.5 w/c ratio
Low
w/c ratio < 0.4
Very low
Latex modified concrete
Negligible
Polymer modified concrete
(a) The standard PR-1000 cell for ASTM C 1202.
(b) The PR-1200 cell for ASTM C 1760.
(c) The PR-1100 cell with cooling ribs for NT BUILD 492, and RCPT with optional heat reduction.
(d) The PR-1000-113-20 modified for the French standard XP P 18-461 for 113 mm diameter and
20 mm thick specimens (cooling ribs can also be mounted here).
NOTE: For stabilization of the temperature of the liquids, the PR-1100 cell with cooling ribs has to be
used. A fan can be positioned in the vicinity of the ribs. Should the temperature measured in the
liquids start rising above a required temperature level, the fan is turned on to enhance the airflow
around the cooling ribs to release the heat from the cells.
(a) (b) (c) (d)

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The software permits specimens with diameters other than 95 mm to be tested. The Proove’it©software
will automatically adjust the Coulombs for the actual diameter of the specimen to Coulombs for 95 mm
diameter specimens according to ASTM C 1202.
The specimen is positioned in the PR-1000 standard measuring cell, containing a fluid reservoir at each
face of the specimen. For the ASTM / AASHTO test one reservoir is filled with a sodium chloride (3.0%
NaCl) solution, the other with a sodium hydroxide (0.3 N NaOH) solution. For testing effectiveness of
membranes, the face of the specimen containing the membrane is placed in the NaCl reservoir.
The reservoir containing the NaCl is connected to the negative terminal and the NaOH reservoir to the
positive terminal of the Proove’it©Microprocessor Power Supply unit.
The Proove’it©software (ProovePC) is installed in a PC or laptop with Windows 10, and the test is run
after the required parameters have been entered.
If desired, the temperature can be monitored with a probe inserted in the NaCl reservoir. Should the
temperature of the solution exceed 90°C, the test will be automatically interrupted to avoid boiling. The
PR-1100 cell will avoid heating effects with its cooling ribs. The consequence of overheating is that the
relative Coulombs measures will be higher.
The cells may be started up at different times and its time of testing may also be chosen individually.
1.4 ASTM C 1760 using the Proove´it Cell PR-1200 (See figure 3.b)
The Proove’it©system can also be used as specified in ASTM C 1760 for measuring the bulk electrical
conductivity of hardened concrete, which has a theoretical relationship to the diffusion coefficient of
chloride ions in the concrete[17][18]. Experimental data[19][20] confirm that there is a correlation between the
bulk electrical conductivity and the apparent chloride diffusion coefficient as measured by the non-
electrical methods ASTM C 1556 “Test Method for Determining the Apparent Chloride Diffusion of
Cementitious Mixtures by Bulk Diffusion” or NT BUILD 443 “Concrete, Hardened: Accelerated Chloride
Penetration”. These two methods require, however, a minimum ponding period of the specimen of at
least 35 days for natural diffusion to take place. The apparent chloride diffusion coefficient allows service
life estimation using Fick’s Second Law of Diffusion.
With the ASTM C 1760, water saturated cylindrical specimens, 100 mm in diameter by 200 mm length, are
used as a standard. For cores, the trimmed core length has to be between 100 and 200 mm. A 3% NaCl
solution is used in both chambers of the testing cell and the testing takes place at 60 V-DC. The current is
recorded on the screen after 1 minute of test to the nearest 0.1 mA.
The part number of the cell required to perform this test is PR-1200. For this testing procedure, the cells
are mounted with two spacer rings with appropriate holes, spacer distance pieces (for 200 mm long
specimens) and four threaded rods with nuts and washers (See figure 3.b).
NOTE: To ensure quick, trouble-free and watertight assembling of the cells, the recommended size of
the specimens for the Proove’it is 100 mm in diameter by 50 mm thickness and use the B-Gasket. For
other diameters, ranging from 93 mm to 104 mm, matching gaskets are available for the Proove’it cells
(See table 2).

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The bulk electrical conductivity is finally calculated as:
Where:
σ= bulk electrical conductivity, mS/m (miliSiemens per meter)
K= conversion factor = 1273.2
I1= current at 1 min, mA
L= average length of specimen, mm
V= Voltage, V.
D= average diameter of specimen, mm
For concretes with Coulomb values (ASTM C 1202) ranging from 500 to 4000, the values of bulk electrical
conductivity should be in the range of 3 mS/m to 20 mS/m.
NOTE: An alternative to the ASTM C 1760 method is the MERLIN©system produced by Germann
Instruments, measuring the bulk electrical conductivity (or the inverse –the resistivity) in a matter of
seconds without using cells (See figure 4). Most importantly, the conductivity or resistivity can be
measured on any sized specimens, not only 100 mm diameter x 200 mm long specimens. For larger
specimens the MERLIN GRANDE is available.
Figure 4 The MERLIN©system shown with the verification cylinder.
Testing takes 2 to 3 seconds and no cells are needed as with the Proove’it©system. For checking the
system the verification cylinder is used to make sure the whole system is working properly with an
accuracy of ±0.1% in the range from 0.0255 MS/m to 254.65 mS/m.
σ = K x I1 x L / (V x D2)

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1.5 NT BUILD 492 using the Proove´it Cell PR-1100 (See figure 3.c)
For performing the NT BUILD 492 using the Proove’it©Classic system, the PR-1100 cell with cooling ribs is
needed in order to avoid the influence from heating.
The specimen for this test, a 100 mm in diameter, 50 mm long, is water saturated and positioned in the
PR-1100 cell. After checking the cell for water-tightness, the NaCl chamber of the cell is filled up with a
10% NaCl solution (negative –black terminal) and a 0.3 M NaOH solution in the NaOH chamber (positive –
red terminal) according to the NT BUILD 492.
First, the current is measured at a voltage of 30 V-DC then, as specified by the NT BUILD 492 standard, the
voltage and the testing time is chosen independent of the initial measured current. The voltage settings
can be set in increments of 5 V-DC in the range from 5 V-DC to 60 V-DC.
After the test has been completed, the specimen is removed from the cell and split. Then the penetration
depth of the chlorides is determined by a 0.1 M silver nitrate solution on the freshly split surface and the
Migration Coefficient calculated by the equation provided in the NT BUILD 492 standard [4].
The calculated Migration Coefficient in units of 10-12 m2/s is in the literature often named “Diffusivity” [13]
[14]. Note that this is not the “Diffusion Coefficient” obtained by NT BUILD 443 using the Fick’s Second Law
of Diffusion for service life calculations, or by the Nernst-Einstein equation, although good correlations
between them have been found.
Other standards like the French XP P 18-462 or XP P 18-461 specifies a similar procedure; however, a
different cell arrangement may be needed (see figure 3.d). For example, for the XP P 18-461, stationary
migration of chlorides, the PR-1000-113-20 is a modified cell available for 113 mm diameter by 20 mm
thick specimens where cooling ribs can also be mounted.

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2. Parts List
Below are listed all the items available for the Proove’it©system.
Table 2 Parts list for the Proove’it system.
Ordering number
Proove’it©Classic Microprocessor Power Supply unit ……………………………………………………
PR-1050
ProovePC software, version 4.0 …………………………………………………………………………………….
PR-1040
Proove’it©Manual …………………………………………………………………………………………………………
PR-1090
Proove’it©Standard measuring cell for ASTM C 1202 with two rubber gaskets ……………
*The PR-1010B gaskets are the standard if there is no specification.
*Order should specify gaskets’ size.
PR-1000
Gaskets for specimen diameter of 104 - 102 mm (99 mm inner dia, outer dia. 127 mm).
PR-1010A
Gaskets for specimen diameter of 101 - 97 mm (93 mm inner dia, outer dia. 126 mm)…
PR-1010B
Gaskets for specimen diameter of 96 - 93 mm (90 mm inner dia, outer dia. 126 mm) ....
PR-1010C
Proove’it©Measuring cell for NT BUILD 492 with cooling ribs and two rubber gaskets …
*The PR-1010B gaskets are the standard if there is no specification.
*Order should specify gaskets’ size.
PR-1100
Proove’it©Measuring cell for ASTM C 1760 with two rubber gaskets ……………………………
*The PR-1010B gaskets are the standard if there is no specification.
*Order should specify gaskets’ size.
PR-1200
Proove’it©Measuring cell for the XP P 18-461 ………………………………………………………………
PR-1000-113-20
Proove’it©Measuring cell with cooling ribs for the XP P 18-461 ……………………………………
PR-1001-113-20
Red connecting cord ……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
PR-1001
Black connecting cord ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
PR-1002
Spare mesh for cells ………………………………………………………………………………………………………
PR-1003
Temperature probe for Proove’it©Classic, one per channel ………………………………………….
PR-1005
Two 17 mm wrenches ……………………………………………………………………………………………………
PR-1006
300 ml bottle of 3.0 % NaCl solution (only for ASTM C 1202) ………………………………………..
PR-1020
300 ml bottle of 0.3 N NaOH solution (only for ASTM C 1202) ………………………………………
PR-1030
Cable for power supply 220 V-AC ………………………………………………………………………………….
PR-1064
Cable for power supply 110 V-AC ………………………………………………………………………………….
PR-1065
RS-232C serial cable (Classic version) …………………………………………………………………………….
PR-1066
USB cable ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
PR-1067
Verification unit …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
PR-1055
For saturating the specimens with water
Vacuum desiccator for humidifying 8 samples ………….…………………………………………………..
PR-1069
Vacuum desiccator for humidifying 16 samples ………………..…………………………………………..
PR-1070
Vacuum pump with hose for < 50 mm Hg vacuum (specify 110 or 220 V-AC) ………………..
PR-1080
Vacuum pump with hose for < 10 mm Hg vacuum (specify 110 or 220 V-AC) ………………..
PR-1081
For coring and slicing of 100 mm diameter specimens, 50 mm long
Corecase with core bit 100 mm inner diameter and 210 mm long ………………………………..
CEL-100
Precision steel mould, reusable, for casting of 100 mm x 200 mm specimens ……………….
MRLN-1009
Drill machine, 1150 W, for CEL-100 (specify 110 or 220 V-AC) ………………………………………
CC-129
Diamond saw for slicing of cores, (specify 110 or 220V-AC) …………………………………………..
PR-1060