Concrete scanning is a method that finds subsurface hazards through the use of GPR (Ground Penetrating Radar). Some of the objects that GPR detects during scanning include: pipes, conduits, post tension cables, utilities, live wires, rebar, and voids, among others. But, why is it important to find and identify these objects?
Safety
When cutting into concrete without scanning first, there is a possibility that you will encounter a subsurface object or hazard. In some incidents, hitting an object can injure the workers at the jobsite. For example, cutting into a post tension cable. The released tension after the cut can cause the cable to snap or expand, causing a blowout. In addition, your workers could be electrocuted by striking a live conduit.
Time
Striking any subsurface objects can result in delays for your project. Quite often, clients call us after they have hit an object in the concrete. Unfortunately, they have learned the hard way. Now they have decided to scan the rest of their project to ensure that it doesn’t happen again. Other times, the repairs needed to fix the damage that has occurred can cause delays. Avoiding these incidents will help to ensure that you can complete your project on time.
Money
Without hiring scanning services before, one may assume concrete scanning is simply an additional cost to a project. In reality, scanning offers a significant cost savings! By having a clear picture of a proposed cut, core, or trench area, you are no longer playing a guessing game. This provides a tremendous financial benefit by preventing repairs and additional services that result from striking a subsurface object. As mentioned before, concrete scanning helps your projects stay on time. Whereas a project that encounters delays can cost more money.
Accuracy
One of the most significant benefits of concrete scanning is accuracy. You can proceed with your project knowing that the proposed layout areas for any drilling, coring, or cutting are safe. On many projects, our analysts find hazards in the layout proposed by the client. If the client hadn’t decided to scan, there is a possibility they would have encountered many of the problems mentioned.
For these four reasons, concrete scanning is a vital method for your project. At Penhall Technologies, we value your time and safety, so we make sure that our services convey that to your project.
