This paper presents a review on combining NDT techniques, such as rebound hammer and ultrasonic pulse velocity, for assessing concrete compressive strength. These methods, though being favorably not invasive and easy to be extended to a larger number of elements, are affected by many contingency factors. The SonReb technique suggests combining the two methods to partially offset their low reliability if considered separately. For years, this concept was introduced in order to improve the evaluation compared with the use of one NDT. In order to combine the ultrasonic pulse velocity and rebound hammer, many empirical, multiparametric models were proposed in the literature as linear, power, exponential, or polynomial. However, the variety of these models emphasizes that they can give a correct strength prediction only for the particular cases that they are derived for. Therefore, to assess concrete on site, the strength should be predicted using a calibration procedure due to the variability of existing concrete mixes. This paper presents a brief outline of the key aspects of strength assessment, including the different approaches used to build the SonReb model and a calibration procedure for assessing concrete strength. A comparison study between the different approaches is proposed, and a performance analysis using Monte Carlo simulations is discussed. Finally, the estimation capacity of the existing model identification approaches is investigated, and the effect of the “trade-off” is analyzed for different random sampling with varying the number of cores.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the train/track induced loads on the substructure by modelling the wheel, at each instant, as a moving sinusoidal pulse applied in a very short period of time. This assumption has the advantage of being more realistic as it reduces the impact of time on the load definition. To that end, mass, stiffness, and dumping matrices of an elementary section of track will be determined. As a result, the equations of motion of a section of track subjected to a sinusoidal pulse and a rectangular pulse respectively is concluded. Two numerical methods of resolution of that equation, depending on the nature of the dumping matrix, will be presented. The computation results will be compared in order to conclude about the relevance of that load model. This approach is used in order to assess the nature and the value of the loads received by the substructure.