METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CHECKING THE SEAL OF STRUCTURAL SEALS

The invention relates to a method for determining damaged or faulty points, in particular weak points with a reduced material thickness in a membrane-type, non-electrically conducting or only minimally conducting structural seal (3) having a high electrical dielectric strength in comparison to air, said seal provided with an electrically conducting layer (6) disposed inside or outside of the structural seal (3), said layer extending substantially over the full surface of the structural seal, there being an electric test voltage applied to said layer. To establish said damaged, faulty and/or weak points, another electrically conducting layer (7) that is electrically separated from the electrically conducting layer (6) by the structural seal and that extends substantially over the entire surface of the structural seal is used. The level of the test voltage between the electrically conducting layers (6, 7) under voltage is selected such that when at least one non-electrically conducting damaged, faulty and/or weak point is present in the structural seal, the electrical dielectric strength is surpassed and an electric arc or spark forms at the location of the damaged, faulty and/or weak point, wherein the test voltage is selected to be less than a destructive test voltage at which an electric breakdown would result in an undamaged and/or un-weakened structural seal corresponding to the structural seal (3) to be tested, thereby forming an electric arc or spark. Also claimed is a correspondingly designed structural seal (3).