Civil Engineering Dept, ISM Dhanbad

Structural Engg Laboratory (M.Tech)

Rebar Detector
Objective of the experiment: To locate the diameter, spacing and the cover of reinforcement
bars in concrete structure.
Apparatus: Rebar Detector (Profoscope)
Theory and working principle:The Profoscope uses electromagnetic pulse induction
technique to detect rebars. The coils in the probe are periodically charged by current pulses
and thus generate a magnetic field. The Profoscope uses different coil arrangements to
generate several magnetic fields. Advancedsignal processing allows localization of a rebar,
localization of the mid-point between rebars, determination of the cover and estimation of the
bar diameter.

Procedure:
1. Place the Profoscope on the test surface and move it slowly in a chosen direction,
when the centre line approaches to the bar it detects and makes a beep when it is
exactly on the centre of the bar. The Profoscope reacts differently depending on its
orientation relative to the rebars.

2. After locating the rebar, check the orientation of the bar

by rotating around the measurement centre.
3. Verify by moving the profoscope in the direction of the rebar and observe that the
cover depth reading displays a constant value.

4. Press reset button of the profoscope again and then start the process once more to
locate further rebars.
5. After observing the cover depth press the function key [ ] on the left side of the
profoscope to determine the diameter of the rebar.
Observation:
S.No

Structure Details

Cover

Diameter

1.
2.
3.

Using Profoscope, cover and diameter of rebars for different structures are checked.