What Is Diamond Pavement Grinding? The Complete Guide to Revolutionary Road Restoration

What Is Concrete Profile Grinding? Your Complete Guide to Diamond Pavement Grinding.

Picture this: you're driving down a highway that was once so rough it rattled your teeth, but now it's smooth as silk. The secret behind this transformation? Diamond pavement grinding – a sophisticated technique that's quietly revolutionizing how we maintain our roads, runways, and concrete surfaces across America.

If you're a property manager, municipal engineer, or facility owner dealing with deteriorating concrete surfaces, you've probably wondered whether there's a cost-effective way to restore your pavement without the massive expense and disruption of complete replacement. The answer lies in understanding what diamond pavement grinding can do for your infrastructure challenges.

Understanding Diamond Pavement Grinding: More Than Just Surface Deep

Diamond pavement grinding is a precision restoration technique that uses diamond-tipped blades to remove a thin layer of pavement surface, correcting imperfections while creating a textured finish that enhances both safety and performance. Think of it as giving your pavement a professional makeover – removing the worn, damaged surface to reveal the strong foundation beneath.

The process employs specialized equipment featuring closely spaced diamond blades mounted on rotating drums. These aren't your typical cutting tools – we're talking about industrial-grade diamonds bonded to steel cores, with modern grinding heads spanning 3-4 feet in width and incorporating 50-60 diamond-tipped blades per linear foot. This precision engineering allows contractors to remove just 3-6 millimeters of surface material while creating longitudinal grooves that dramatically improve water drainage and tire traction.

What makes this technique particularly fascinating is its surgical precision. Unlike impact-based methods like carbide milling that essentially chip away at the pavement, diamond grinding operates through controlled cutting action. This means your pavement's structural integrity remains intact while surface problems disappear. California's Interstate 10 provides a stunning example of this longevity – sections treated with diamond grinding in 1965 continued to handle heavy traffic for over 60 years through repeated treatments.

The Science Behind the Sparkle: How Diamond Grinding Works

The magic happens at the molecular level, where diamond's exceptional hardness (rating 10 on the Mohs scale) allows these blades to cut through concrete and asphalt with remarkable efficiency. The blade configuration varies depending on your pavement's aggregate hardness – soft-bonded blades work best on hard aggregates like quartzite because they rapidly expose fresh diamonds as the bond erodes, while hard-bonded blades suit softer aggregates.

During the grinding process, operators carefully control blade spacing (typically 0.035±0.005 inches), cutting depth, and machine speed to achieve the desired surface texture. Closer blade spacings create finer finishes, while the longitudinal groove pattern that emerges serves multiple purposes. These parallel grooves and lands don't just look professional – they create what engineers call "macrotexture" that enhances hydroplaning resistance by giving water a clear path to escape from beneath vehicle tires.

This is where diamond grinding truly shines compared to alternatives. Traditional transverse tining creates grooves perpendicular to traffic flow, which can generate excessive tire noise and provide inferior drainage. The longitudinal pattern from diamond grinding reduces noise levels by 3-5 decibels while shifting acoustic energy to lower, less intrusive frequencies.

Transforming Performance: The Immediate and Long-Term Benefits

When you invest in diamond pavement grinding, you're not just fixing surface problems – you're fundamentally transforming how your pavement performs. The immediate improvement in ride quality can be dramatic, with studies showing up to 70% reduction in roughness measurements after treatment. But the benefits extend far beyond that initial smoothness.

Safety improvements are particularly impressive. The enhanced surface texture increases skid resistance by 15-41% according to studies from Arizona and Georgia DOTs, while the improved drainage reduces wet-weather accidents by 57% and all-condition crashes by 42%. These aren't just statistics – they represent real lives protected and insurance claims avoided.

From a structural standpoint, diamond grinding redistributes dynamic loads across the pavement surface, reducing stress concentrations that cause fatigue cracking. This effectively extends pavement life by 15-30 years, significantly outperforming asphalt overlays that typically last 10-15 years. The minimal thickness removal preserves your pavement's load-bearing capacity while concrete strength actually increases over time through continued curing.

Diverse Applications: Where Diamond Grinding Excels

Diamond pavement grinding isn't limited to highways. The technique proves invaluable across various infrastructure applications, each with unique requirements and benefits.

For highway rehabilitation, diamond grinding corrects joint faulting where differential settlement creates uneven slab edges, eliminates construction imperfections like curling from moisture gradients, restores friction in polished wheel paths, and repairs rutting damage from studded tires. Georgia DOT has successfully employed cyclical grinding every 5-7 years on undoweled pavements as a cost-effective alternative to expensive dowel retrofits.

Aviation infrastructure presents particularly demanding requirements where diamond grinding truly excels. Airport runways benefit from the technique's precision in eliminating localized depressions that cause aircraft bounce during landing. At Osan Air Force Base in Korea, grinding reduced roughness indices by over 70% while eliminating hydroplaning risks through optimized grooving patterns. The minimal downtime – just 40 days for a 9,000-foot runway – proves critical for single-runway facilities.

Specialized testing environments also rely on diamond grinding's precision. Automakers and tire manufacturers use diamond-ground tracks for vehicle dynamics testing, where uniform macrotexture enables repeatable traction and noise measurements. The process can replicate specific road textures, including European "whisper grind" configurations for acoustic studies.

Making the Right Choice: Diamond Grinding vs. Alternatives

When evaluating pavement restoration options, understanding how diamond grinding compares to alternatives helps you make informed decisions. Unlike carbide milling, which uses impact forces that can create microcracks and accelerate surface deterioration, diamond grinding's cutting action preserves aggregate integrity. This results in surfaces that maintain their texture 2-3 times longer than milled equivalents, with noise levels measuring 5-7 decibels lower.

Compared to asphalt overlays, diamond grinding offers elevation-neutral restoration that doesn't require bridge clearance adjustments or curb modifications. While rubberized asphalt initially matches grinding's noise reduction, it degrades within five years, whereas ground concrete maintains consistent acoustic performance for 15+ years. Life-cycle assessments show grinding reduces CO₂ emissions by 60% compared to overlays, primarily through avoided material production and transportation.

Feature
Surface Integrity Preserves aggregate, avoids microcracks Creates microcracks, accelerates deterioration N/A (new surface)
Texture Durability Maintains texture 2-3 times longer Shorter texture life N/A (new surface)
Noise Levels 5-7 dB lower Higher noise Initially matches grinding, degrades within 5 years
Elevation Elevation-neutral, no bridge/curb adjustments N/A Requires bridge clearance/curb modifications
Acoustic Performance Consistent for 15+ years N/A Degrades within 5 years
CO₂ Emissions Reduces by 60% (avoided material/transport) N/A Initially matches grinding, degrades within 5 years

Implementation Excellence: Ensuring Optimal Results

Successful diamond pavement grinding requires careful attention to several critical factors. Aggregate assessment determines blade selection – hard aggregates like quartzite necessitate soft-bond blades to maintain cutting efficiency, while softer aggregates work better with hard-bond blades. Texture specifications guide blade and spacer configuration to achieve target groove depth (typically 0.125-0.187 inches) and spacing (0.5-0.625 inches).

Quality control includes post-grinding profilograph testing to ensure compliance with smoothness standards, typically requiring a profile index of 7 inches per mile or less. For precision applications, contractors may employ two-pass operations that separate flush grinding for smoothness correction from grooving for friction enhancement.

The expertise required for optimal results makes contractor selection crucial. Look for companies with specialized diamond grinding equipment, experienced operators who understand aggregate characteristics, and quality control procedures that ensure specification compliance.

The Future of Pavement Preservation

As transportation agencies increasingly prioritize sustainable maintenance strategies, diamond pavement grinding's role continues expanding. Emerging innovations include laser-guided grinding heads for complex curvatures and nano-engineered diamond composites that extend blade life by 200%. These technological advances promise even greater precision and cost-effectiveness in the years ahead.

The technique's proven 60-year legacy on routes like California's I-10 underscores its viability as a cornerstone of sustainable pavement management. With aging infrastructure across America requiring cost-effective preservation solutions, diamond pavement grinding offers a path forward that balances performance, economics, and environmental responsibility.

Your Next Step Toward Superior Pavement Performance

Diamond pavement grinding represents more than just a maintenance technique – it's a strategic investment in your infrastructure's future. By choosing this proven technology, you're selecting a solution that immediately improves safety and ride quality while extending pavement life for decades to come.

Whether you're managing a municipal highway system, airport runway, or commercial facility, the benefits of diamond pavement grinding – from dramatic cost savings to environmental sustainability – make it a compelling choice for forward-thinking property owners and engineers.

Ready to transform your deteriorating pavement into a smooth, safe, and long-lasting surface? Contact our diamond grinding specialists today to discuss how this revolutionary technique can solve your specific pavement challenges while delivering exceptional value for your investment.

Airport runway grooving might not be something the average traveler notices, but this engineering innovation has revolutionized aviation safety over the past several decades. When aircraft land on wet runways, the risk of hydroplaning—where tires lose contact with the pavement due to water—becomes a serious concern. Runway grooving addresses this challenge with a surprisingly simple yet highly effective solution. But what exactly is this technique, and why has it become standard practice at airports worldwide?

What Is Airport Runway Grooving?
Airport runway grooving is a specialized pavement treatment process that involves cutting narrow, evenly spaced channels across runway surfaces. These precisely engineered grooves create drainage paths that quickly channel water away from beneath aircraft tires during wet conditions, significantly improving traction and reducing hydroplaning risks.

The standard groove configuration, as established by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), consists of cuts that are ¼-inch (6mm) wide and ¼-inch deep, spaced at 1½-inch (38mm) intervals across the runway surface. These dimensions have been scientifically determined to provide optimal water evacuation while maintaining the structural integrity of the pavement.

As John Sharratt, a runway safety expert, explains: “Those small grooves make a tremendous difference. They can reduce stopping distances by up to 30% in wet conditions—that’s the difference between a safe landing and a potential runway excursion.”

The Science Behind Runway Grooving

How Hydroplaning Occurs
To understand why grooving works, we first need to understand the problem it solves. Hydroplaning happens when a layer of water builds up between an aircraft’s tires and the runway surface. This water layer creates a barrier that prevents direct contact between rubber and pavement, essentially causing the aircraft to “float” on a thin film of water.

There are three main types of hydroplaning that can affect aircraft:

  1. Dynamic hydroplaning: Occurs when water depth exceeds 0.1 inches and tire pressure can’t displace water quickly enough
  2. Viscous hydroplaning: Happens even on slightly damp surfaces when a thin film of water combines with runway contaminants
  3. Reverted rubber hydroplaning: Results when tires lock during heavy braking, creating steam that lifts the tire from the pavement

How Grooving Prevents Hydroplaning
Runway grooves work through several mechanisms:

  • Water evacuation: The grooves provide channels for water to escape from beneath tires
  • Increased surface area: The edges of the grooves create additional contact points for tires
  • Pressure release: Grooves reduce hydrodynamic pressure that builds up in front of moving tires
  • Texture enhancement: The grooved surface provides better macrotexture for tire grip

The History of Runway Grooving

The development of runway grooving represents a fascinating chapter in aviation safety history. The technique emerged in the 1960s as a response to a growing problem: the introduction of larger, faster jet aircraft coincided with an increase in hydroplaning-related incidents.

NASA researchers at Langley Research Center, led by engineer Thomas Yager, conducted pioneering studies on tire-pavement interactions. Their experiments revealed that cutting transverse grooves into runway surfaces dramatically improved wet-weather performance. By 1967, Washington National Airport (now Reagan National) became the first commercial airport to implement runway grooving.

The results were immediate and compelling. Accident rates on wet runways dropped significantly, leading the FAA to gradually adopt grooving as a standard safety measure. Today, virtually all major commercial airports worldwide incorporate some form of runway grooving.

The Grooving Process: How It’s Done

Creating these precision grooves requires specialized equipment and expertise.
Companies like Penhall, with decades of experience in concrete cutting and grooving, employ purpose-built machines equipped with diamond-tipped saw blades to create these critical safety features.

The grooving process typically follows these steps:

  1. Surface preparation: The runway is thoroughly cleaned to remove debris and contaminants
  2. Layout marking: Precise measurements ensure consistent groove spacing
  3. Cutting operation: Specialized grooving machines cut thousands of parallel grooves across the runway
  4. Cleanup and inspection: Debris is removed, and grooves are inspected for proper dimensions
  5. Final testing: Friction testing confirms the improved performance of the grooved surface

Benefits Beyond Hydroplaning Prevention

While preventing hydroplaning is the primary purpose of runway grooving, this technique offers several additional benefits:

Enhanced Braking Performance
Grooved runways provide better friction coefficients in all weather conditions. This improved traction translates to shorter stopping distances, which is particularly valuable at airports with shorter runways or challenging approach paths.
Reduced Rubber Buildup
Aircraft tires deposit rubber on runways during landings, gradually reducing surface friction. Grooves help mitigate this problem by:

  • Providing spaces for rubber particles to collect without affecting the entire surface
  • Making rubber removal maintenance more effective
  • Extending the time between required rubber removal operations

Improved Water Runoff and Drainage
Beyond preventing hydroplaning, grooves improve overall runway drainage, which:

  • Reduces standing water that can damage pavement over time
  • Minimizes splash and spray that can affect visibility
  • Helps prevent ice formation in colder climates

Extended Pavement Life
By efficiently channeling water away from the surface, grooves help protect the pavement structure from water infiltration and freeze-thaw damage, potentially extending runway lifespan by years.

Maintenance Considerations for Grooved Runways

Like any infrastructure element, grooved runways require ongoing maintenance to ensure continued effectiveness:

Rubber Removal
Aircraft landings deposit significant amounts of rubber in touchdown zones. This rubber gradually fills grooves, reducing their effectiveness. Regular rubber removal operations using:

  • High-pressure water blasting
  • Chemical treatments
  • Mechanical grinding

These methods restore groove functionality and maintain proper friction characteristics.

Re-grooving
Over time, grooves can wear down due to:

  • Normal wear from aircraft operations
  • Maintenance activities like snow removal
  • Pavement expansion and contraction

When groove dimensions fall below minimum standards (typically when 40% of grooves in a 1,500-foot section are less than 1/8 inch in depth), re-grooving becomes necessary to restore safety performance.

Inspection Programs
Regular inspection of groove dimensions using:

  • Laser profiling equipment
  • Manual depth gauges
  • Friction testing vehicles

These tools help airport operators monitor groove condition and plan maintenance activities.

The Cost-Benefit Analysis of Runway Grooving

While installing runway grooves represents a significant investment, the safety benefits far outweigh the costs. A typical grooving project might cost between $2-5 per square foot, depending on pavement type and local conditions.

However, these costs are offset by:

  • Reduced accident risk and associated liability
  • Extended pavement life due to improved drainage
  • Fewer weather-related delays and diversions
  • Decreased maintenance requirements for rubber removal

The Unseen Safety Feature That Saves Lives

Airport runway grooving represents one of aviation’s most successful yet least visible safety innovations. These precisely engineered channels have prevented countless incidents and saved lives through a remarkably simple concept: giving water somewhere to go.

The next time you experience a smooth landing on a rain-soaked runway, remember that those invisible grooves beneath your aircraft are working hard to keep you safe. For airports and aviation authorities worldwide, runway grooving isn’t just a safety feature—it’s an essential component of modern air travel infrastructure.

For concrete professionals like Penhall who create these critical safety features, runway grooving represents the perfect intersection of precision engineering and practical safety solutions. Through careful cutting and maintenance of these grooves, they help ensure that even in the most challenging weather conditions, aircraft can land safely day after day.

So what makes airport runway grooving so important? It’s the perfect example of how sometimes, the most significant safety innovations are the ones passengers never see or think about—until they’re needed most.

What are the Different Types of Concrete and Why They Matter

Concrete is the single most widely used construction material on Earth, forming the backbone of our cities, infrastructure, and homes. Not all concrete is the same, however. Understanding these different types is crucial for selecting the right material for specific construction projects, ensuring optimal durability, strength, and cost-effectiveness.

Modern construction demands a material customized for every unique challenge from building the world’s tallest skyscrapers to designing eco-friendly pavements. So, how many types of concrete are there? There’s no single number, as concrete is continuously engineered for specific performance needs, but we can categorize the primary formulas used today based on their composition, strength, and specialized application.

Concrete Classified by Strength and Performance

These types are designed to withstand exceptional loads and harsh environments, going far beyond the capabilities of standard mixes.

Standard (Normal-Strength) Concrete

The base layer of modern construction, standard concrete is a foundational mix of Portland cement, water, and aggregate (sand, gravel, or crushed stone). The balance of the water-to-cement ratio is key to its final strength.

  • Key Property: Compressive Strength typically ranges from 2,500 to 5,000 psi.
  • Common Use: Foundations, sidewalks, residential slabs, and basic structural elements.

High-Strength Concrete (HSC)

Defined by the American Concrete Institute (ACI) as having a compressive strength exceeding 6,000 psi, HSC achieves its superior performance through the inclusion of specialized admixtures like silica fume and superplasticizers. These additives densify the mixture and improve the bond between the cement paste and the aggregates.

  • Key Property: Compressive Strength between 6,000 and 15,000 psi.
  • Common Use: High-rise buildings (columns and walls), long-span bridges, and heavy-load bearing structures.

High-Performance Concrete (HPC)

Unlike HSC, HPC is defined not just by strength but by a suite of enhanced characteristics, including high durability, low permeability, and resistance to chemical attack. HPC is engineered to deliver exceptional longevity in challenging environmental conditions.

  • Key Property: Enhanced durability and resistance to freeze-thaw cycles or corrosion.
  • Common Use: Marine structures, bridge decks, and parking structures exposed to de-icing salts.

Ultra High-Performance Concrete (UHPC)

This advanced material pushes the boundaries of concrete engineering. UHPC uses a unique blend of fine powders (Portland cement, quartz flour, silica fume) and often includes small steel or organic fibers for reinforcement. This results in phenomenal compressive strength and, critically, high tensile strength, often eliminating the need for traditional rebar.

  • Key Property: Compressive Strength up to 29,000 psi. Exceptional durability and post-cracking performance.
  • Common Use: Blast-resistant structures, complex architectural elements, and bridge connections.

Concrete Classified by Placement and Workability

These types of concrete are mixed to simplify installation and ensure even filling in congested or complex forms.

Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC)

SCC is highly flowable and stable, allowing it to spread into formwork and tightly reinforced areas under its own weight without the need for mechanical vibration. This eliminates labor costs, reduces noise pollution on site, and ensures a superior, void-free surface finish.

  • Key Property: Exceptional flowability and ease of placement, achieved with high-range water reducers.
  • Common Use: Complex architectural elements, congested formwork, and areas requiring a high-quality surface finish.

Shotcrete

Also known as pneumatically applied concrete, Shotcrete is concrete (or mortar) conveyed through a hose and pneumatically projected at high velocity onto a surface. It can be applied to vertical or overhead surfaces without requiring extensive formwork. It can be mixed using the dry-mix (water added at the nozzle) or wet-mix (pre-mixed concrete) method.

  • Key Property: Applied via high-velocity projection; ideal for vertical or overhead surfaces.
  • Common Use: Swimming pool construction, tunnel linings, slope stabilization, and structural repairs.

Specialized and Eco-Friendly Concrete Types

These formulas are tailored to meet specific non-structural requirements, from aesthetic appeal to environmental sustainability.

Reinforced Concrete

This is a composite material that utilizes the strengths of both concrete and steel. Standard concrete has high compressive strength but low tensile strength (it cracks easily when pulled apart). Reinforced concrete embeds steel reinforcement (typically rebar or mesh) into the concrete to absorb the tensile and shear stresses, creating a robust, durable structural element.

  • Key Property: High resistance to both compression (from concrete) and tension (from steel).
  • Common Use: Nearly all structural elements: beams, columns, slabs, and foundations.

Pervious (Permeable) Concrete

Pervious concrete is designed to allow water to pass directly through it. It contains little or no fine aggregate (sand), resulting in a high volume of interconnected voids. This addresses stormwater runoff issues, recharges groundwater, and helps mitigate the urban “heat island” effect.

  • Key Property: High porosity (15-25% void content); allows for rapid drainage.
  • Common Use: Parking lots, low-traffic pavements, sidewalks, and driveways in areas with stormwater management concerns.

Stamped Concrete

An architectural type of concrete used for decorative applications. After the slab is poured, molds (stamps) are pressed onto the surface while it is still plastic to mimic the texture of natural materials like slate, brick, wood, or flagstone.

  • Key Property: Highly customizable aesthetic versatility with various patterns and colors.
  • Common Use: Patios, driveways, pool decks, and interior flooring where natural stone appearance is desired at a lower cost.

Limecrete

Also known as lime concrete, this ancient material replaces modern Portland cement with lime as the binder. Limecrete is known for its “breathability,” allowing moisture to pass through the structure, which prevents dampness and mold growth. It is often used in the restoration of historic buildings and eco-friendly construction due to its lower carbon footprint.

  • Key Property: Breathability and lower environmental impact due to carbon absorption during curing.
  • Common Use: Historic building restoration, traditional flooring systems, and natural building projects.

The Role of Concrete Expertise

With many different types of concrete available, selecting the correct mix design is a critical decision that influences the entire lifespan of a structure. Whether a project requires the immense compressive strength of UHPC, the environmental benefits of Pervious concrete, or the workability of SCC, partnering with concrete service experts like Penhall Company ensures that the material is not only specified correctly but is also cut, cored, and handled safely and efficiently throughout its life.

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March 16, 2020

To Our Valued Penhall Company Customers,

First and foremost, safety is and will always be our first priority at Penhall Company – it is part of our core values, it is shared with our employees, our owners, our customers, our strategic partners and our vendors. Therefore, out of abundance of caution, I thought it would be helpful to provide an update on how we are handling the situation at Penhall Company.

  • We have enacted our Business Resiliency Plan for Penhall Company which includes separate response plans for hurricanes, infectious diseases, or other areas of concern. We have included a copy of our Infectious Disease Response and Preparedness Plan for immediate implementation.
  • With our Business Resiliency plan enacted, we have assembled the Penhall Task Force which are select members of the Senior Leadership Team to meet periodically during the week to monitor the COVID-19 risk and potential impacts to our employees, customers and operations.
  • We are continuing to follow the recommendations of CDC as it relates to hand washing. Wash with soap and water for 20 seconds. If soap and water is not available, we are utilizing an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, at least 60 to 90% alcohol concentration, similar to Purell. We have asked our employees to wash often and wash properly.
  • We have asked our employees that are not feeling well to stay at home, consult their doctor and not return to work until they feel better and have no symptoms so they can return to work and potentially your job site. If we have an employee that has the virus that has been on your job site, we will immediately contact your respective job site owner. We are requesting the same notification if one of your employees or subcontractors on the job site has the virus to immediately contact our local Penhall sales representative or Penhall branch manager
  • Effective immediately, we have adopted a company policy until further notice of “no hand shaking”, which also includes hugging and kissing. Use a fist bump, bump elbows, wave or simply state hello.
  • Our branch managers have been asked to supply hand sanitizer, tissues, waste receptacles with hands free touching or similar, Clorox or similar wipes to be available for our employees to wipe down areas of need for our branches and or offices as per our last message and per CDC guidelines.
  • We are limiting business travel to only that essential to operating our business. Penhall Company is a service company and we must still operate to service our employees and customers. We will use phone, video wherever possible for non-essential meetings until further notice. Therefore, please bear with us as we will communicate with you first before traveling.
  • We have discontinued shared food events, to include donuts, lunches at our offices for meetings or other group gatherings.
  • Our branch offices are routinely being cleaned and disinfected at least once a week after work hours. If our offices believe it needs to be more frequent, then they have the ability to make that happen. We are focusing on cleaning frequently touched surfaces, countertops, workstations, and doorknobs.
  • Employees who have traveled for personal reasons to any high-risk COVID-19 areas, have had family members who have done so, and/or who have been in proximity to anyone suspected of having confirmed with the virus with in the last 14 days, will self-isolate at home for the next 14 days.
  • We are communicating these policies with our strategic partners and vendors and are asking them to apply similar guidance to their employees who might visit our Penhall offices or branch locations. We have been assured by our strategic partners and vendors that they do not see any interruption in supplies or services to Penhall.

We all know the Coronavirus COVID-19 disease and the impacts they are having on daily life with our employees. We are stressing to them to stay on task and if for any reason they feel unsafe and not certain that they can perform their task safely, please STOP THEIR WORK immediately and regroup. The most immediate risk and hazards are the ones associated with their work on your job sites and not the COVID-19.

While some of these precautionary measures may seem inconvenient, they are being taken out of abundance of caution and to keep everyone safe. It is presently unclear how long these restrictions will remain in place, though we will continue to communicate regularly as the situation evolves. We appreciate your continued business as well as your understanding and commitment during this very challenging time. Should you have any questions or concerns please contact your local Penhall sales representative or Penhall Company branch manager.

Best Regards,

Gregory G. Rice, President and CEO

Written by Adam Jimerson, Branch Manager – Nashville

Nashville Building damaed after storm and tornados

In the very early morning of Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020, Nashville and surrounding areas were hit with multiple tornadoes ranging in strength from EF 0 to EF 4 (185 MPH wind strength). As people began to wake up and start their normal work day, Nashvillians quickly realized that the usual normal was gone and a new normal was forming.  By the day’s end, the loss of life was at 25 and many, many others were living among devastation and ruin.  The amount of areas and people affected is baffling.

Andy Mayer, dispatcher in Nashville, was able to utilize his military training ensure all Penhall employees and family members were accounted for.  After we knew employee status, we changed our focus to our customers and their job sites trying to get an idea of potential damage.  There were many road closures due to debris and emergency people working.  On Tuesday, even though our building simply lost power, we were not about to function as normal.  Two crews were sent out to two job sites outside of the affected area.  We were able to spend the time calling on customers outside of Nashville, having conversations with customers who saw damage from the tornadoes, and strategizing best ways to continue to move things forward.   Over the next day and a half, we quickly realized along with citizens all over middle Tennessee that there is much to be done and Penhall, as a group of people, can step in and lend a hand.

Penhall truck and grill arriving in Nashville

After getting the go ahead from our President and CEO, Greg Rice, we devised a plan to bring in the grill to Nashville so that we could serve our community.  Ben McMahan, Branch Manager in Atlanta, was tremendous help.  He and his team went above and beyond.  It seemed impossible to get the grill to Nashville from Orlando, so we were going to put together an arsenal of smaller grills, but Ben refused that option and graciously sent Brad Walker to Orlando to get the grill to Georgia.  After the grill arrived in Forsyth, GA, Ben then sent “Tree” and Jon Huffine up from Atlanta at 3:00 a.m. determined to help us give back to Nashville.

Here in Nashville, Anita Woodall, Office Administrator, worked countless hours shopping for the event, buying supplies and organizing the details of whatever was needed.  Her organizational skills and determination to give back to her life-long community was evident.

 

Penhall Grill serving service workers after Nashville storms and tornado

The grill arrived at 8:30 a.m. on Friday. Because of the extent of damage in the area and the amount of electrical crews and emergence personnel in the area, we set up in the street. Russ Grub and Berry Thompson, who are scan techs here in Nashville, walked the streets inviting people to come and eat.  After firing up the grill, many first responders, crews, and people now without a home came to eat.  We were able to serve: 20 lbs of BBQ pork, 225 hamburgers, and 350 hot dogs to more than 300 people. Mike Bogle and David Duer, account managers, were able to work the grill and keep everyone feed.  People really came together.  Feeding that many people was incredible, but we also got to interact with people living in and working in that area. For example,  Joe Kemp, Operator for Nashville, served the community by moving boxes, washing machines and dryers, etc.  He even had lent his shoulder for a few to cry on. There were many tears fought and many shed by those of us serving and those we were able to serve.

What an amazing day for the folks at Penhall Nashville!!  We came together as a team and were able to make a change, even if it was only for a few hours.

Huge thanks goes to the following list of people  (in no particular order):

Penhall Team standing with grill after Nashville storms and Tornado

Atlanta Branch
Ben McMahan
Brad Walker
“Tree”
Joe Huffine
Nashville Branch
Anita Woodall- Admin
Andy Mayer- Dispatcher
Joe Kemp- Operator
Russ Grubb- Scan Tech
Berry Thompson- Scan Tech
Mike Bogle- Sales
David Duer- Sales
Scott Bennett- Area General Mgr
Corporate Support

“SAFETY FIRST” IS “SAFETY ALWAYS.”
-CHARLES M. HAYES

Seattle TeamAfter two years, eight months and twenty-seven days Penhall’s Seattle branch has demonstrated what it means to be an industry leader. After recently being awarded 1,000 days OSHA Recordable Incident free work place, the branch already has its eyes set on the next milestone.

December 29th, 1970 President Richard Nixon signed into law the Occupational and Health Act of 1970 which was the precedent for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Also known as, OSHA, this administration set forth the standards for employers and employees to maintain a safe and healthful work environment.

At Penhall, we pride ourselves on putting safety at the forefront of all our projects. We have cultivated a culture of putting our team and customers’ safety first. By adhering to OSHA’s standards, and those of our own, our Seattle branch has triumphantly made it as a 1,000 days OSHA Recordable Incident free work place. An OSHA Recordable Incident is an incident in which an injury, illness or fatality that was directly caused by a work-related event occurs. What this means is that for almost three years, our Seattle branch maintained and executed industry leading safety standards every day, for every project, for every person. Accomplishments such as these cannot be reached without the dedication, implementation and hard work from the whole team; our drivers, field operators, technicians, administrators and managers.

Our Seattle branch is full service, providing everything from concrete cutting, scanning, utility locating, pavement reinforcement, highway and building trade services, and much more. We are led by our seasoned Branch Manager, Jim Wiltshire, who has been an integral part of the company’s success for over 25 years. Some highlights from Penhall’s Seattle branch include a management team with 100 combined years of experience, and recycling 100% of their spent water from sawing projects.

“SAFETY IS NOT AN ACCIDENT.” – ANONYMOUS

We cut concrete, not corners. Our employees make safety a habit. Maintaining one of the best safety records in the industry for over 60 years is no simple task. Penhall works vigorously day in and day out to educate, plan and implement the newest safety standards as the industry modernizes. Our annual safety conferences invites team members nationwide to come and share their values, ideas and accomplishments on safety. Led by Penhall’s President and CEO, Greg Rice, we encourage an open dialogue with our team members to improve upon our procedures. We also take this time to reward those branches who have demonstrated an incident free work environment. As well as our annual conferences, Penhall holds monthly safety meetings at both the branch level and the senior executive level. These meeting are used to communicate updates and notices company wide. Best practices, new technology, new strategies, safety concerns and much more are discussed.

In addition to safety meetings, Penhall has also implemented a mentorship program to further emphasize safety education. Penhall’s mentor program provides specially-trained, knowledgeable mentors to facilitate and guide new trainees. Mentors help to instill a strong foundation of experience and understanding in new hires to ensure mastery of required skills and safety. Penhall’s mentorship program’s goal is to educate trainees how to discover, learn, problem-solve, and develop their own natural strengths and potential while working safe. As we continue to grow and modernize Penhall, we do so knowing that we have gotten this far by the persistent insistence on what matters most, our team and customers’ safety.

Some words from Penhall’s President and CEO, Greg Rice, “This was not a milestone though a goal something that each one our Seattle employees achieved over those 1,000 days. Our next goal is to go 2,000 days, then so on and so on. These goals cannot be accomplished without working one job, one day, one week, one month, one-year incident free. It must start from your very next job. It can be done.”

References
(https://www.osha.gov/Publications/about-osha/3302-06N-2006-English.html)

The following is designed to provide some helpful tips and guidelines for safe and effective concrete cutting. It is not a substitute for comprehensive training or following manufacturers’ manuals for equipment operation.

  1. Safety: basic precautions must always be followed to reduce risk of injury or death
    1. Wear proper protective gear
      1. Safety glasses, safety footwear, ear protection, hard-hat and rubber boots if possible danger of electric shock. Also breathing protection or respirator in certain conditions
    2. Avoid openings and drop areas
      1. No matter how thick concrete slab is, the area has to be secure so as not to fall on anybody nearby
    3. Do not operate inside enclosed area that is not fully vented with a gasoline or diesel powered generator
      1. Due to carbon monoxide exposure
    4. Keep electrical connections dry and grounded to avoid electric shock and other injuries
    5. Do not cut into live electric or gas lines or operate in area that contains combustible materials or fumes
    6. Never stand in line with the blade and avoid all moving parts
    7. All operating equipment has to be correctly used
      1. Large cords are necessary to carry maximum current ratio
      2. Blade guard has to be in place
      3. Inspect flush-cut lade mounting screws daily
      4. Use proper lifting techniques because equipment is heavy
      5. Diamond blade should be inspected
        1. Don’t operate if it has core cracks, missing or broken segments, arbor hole damage, loss of blade tension
      6. Tighten blade shaft bolt to correct torque (50ft/lbs of torque for the AK-400M saw)
      7. Properly anchor equipment
      8. Maintain equipment properly
  2. Set Up: basic direction for set up of equipment must be followed, refer to diagram for further explanation
    1. Set the anchors completely and to the proper depth
    2. Mount the boots square to the cut line and proper distance away. Make sure they are tightly secure to the anchors
    3. Lay the track in the boots, and tighten in using the toe clamps. Make sure it’s completely secure
    4. Use the proper amount of boots for the length of track. (2 for 4 ft. track, 2 for 8 ft. track, but 3 for 10,12,20 ft. track). And if you are running a continuous track butt two tracks together in one double boot.
    5. Place the radial arm carriage onto the rack. Use the back roller handles to place in anywhere on track. Use the eccentric roller handles to secure the carriage.
    6. Install the blade and make sure it’s turning the proper direction. Re-installing the two belleville washers with the bolt when securing the blade is critical for safety.
    7. Install the motor with the spline shaft with the locking ears pointing away from motor and the male and female splines lined up. Close the locking ears when motor is secure.
    8. Install blade guard
    9. Plug all the necessary cords and controllers and make sure everything is off and in the correct mode until ready to begin cutting
      1. Male end of yellow cord into inverter
      2. Remote control into inverter
      3. Female end of incoming power cord into inverter
      4. Male end of incoming power cord into power source
      5. Start button on front panel of inverter should be pressed to turn both lights green
      6. Hook up and turn on water connections
  3. Cutting
    1. Always “up-cut” on first pass
    2. Always cut with the “rooster tails” trailing behind diamond blade. This means blade has to be taken off and flipped in reversed in direction
    3. When making a new pass, the blade has to enter gradually
    4. The first pass should not be deeper than 1in and therefore shallow
    5. The bigger the blade the slower it has to turn
    6. When cutting vertically always start at the top
    7. Last cut has to be vertical and secure to wall saw, preferably on the outside of opening, so it doesn’t move
  4. Tips
    1. Weather: cold
      1. Warm-up equipment and generator by starting it and keeping it running
      2. Bring extra water hose in case it freezes, and keep the water running, preferably have it be warm water
      3. Blow air out of all motors and saw to avoid frozen, expanded water ways damage
      4. Use antifreeze for equipment to avoid engine coolant from freezing

Dowel Bar Retrofit

Dowel Bar Retrofit (DBR) is a method of pavement repair that helps to re-establish a pavement’s load transfer integrity by placing steel, epoxy-coated dowels into already existing concrete across joints and cracks. The concrete is cut using a diamond-tipped blade and slots are created. Once the existing concrete has been removed, the dowels are placed in these slots, backfilled with a non-shrink grout, and the concrete is ground to ensure that the pavement remains smooth.

Slab Stabilization

Concrete is very often heavily trafficked and traveled. As a result, roads can become distressed, losing serviceability and support because there are spaces beneath concrete pavement slabs. These spaces are normally located around cracks or joints as a result of surface water that seeps into the pavement. Generally, voids are caused by pumping, subgrade failure, bridge approach failure, and consolidation. Slab stabilization solves the void issue without being destructive and is normally implemented in tandem with other concrete pavement restoration methods like diamond grinding or patching. This method fills the small spaces that are created underneath the concrete slabs and so restores support.

In this method, a cementious grout or polyurethane mixture is pumped into holes that are cored throughout the slab. The grout not only fills in the spaces underneath the slab, but also removes free water and continues to keep water from weakening the support once the slab stabilization has been completed. This process takes three basic steps once the voids have been found: drill holes, pump the slab with grout, and test the slabs post-stabilization.

While helpful, this method of concrete pavement restoration does not increase the design structural integrity, correct depressions, stop faulting, or eliminate erosion. However, it does restore the slab’s support and decreases deflections under heavy traffic. This should only be done where there are cracks and joints where support loss exists. The easiest way to find these spaces is simply visually: transverse joint faulting, shoulder drop off, corner breaks, and lines at or near joints and cracks are all indicators that repair is necessary. Although it is normally easiest to visually search for repair signs, another way to search for voids is by employing deflection testing. It is generally suggested that this testing be done at night.

Joint sealing

In concrete pavement, there exist joints by which random, uncontrolled cracking is minimized through a predetermined pattern. They are created by using a diamond blade or are manually input into the concrete. When the pavement is initially created, sealant is installed and once more after the sealant has expired and undergone a certain level of failure. Joint repair, or crack repair, is used to diminish the amount of surface water or other unwanted material that may infiltrate the joint system.

Joint sealants are also used in Concrete Pavement Restoration techniques to help diminish dowel bar corrosion. Resealing involves first removing the old sealant, shaping and cleaning the reservoir, and installing the rod before installing the sealant. In order to remove the sealant, one can saw, plow, cut, or even manually remove the old sealant and saws are often utilized in the shaping of the reservoir. It is important to be thorough when cleaning the reservoir: no traces of old sealant, dirt, or dust should remain and so it is suggested that water washing, sand-blasting, and air blowing the reservoir be done to remove any remaining particles. A double-wheeled, steel roller is used in backer rod installation when inserting the rod to the desired depth. Once the backer rod has been installed, the joint is filled with sealant which can be composed of numerous materials including silicone, preformed compression seals, and hot pour bituminous liquid.

Our team is busy completing demolition work on the I-90 Bridge over Rainier Ave.

Stay tuned for the full story…

In the meantime, check out this short video highlighting our work thus far!

Are you wondering if you need to use private utility locating services? Here are the most common reasons why our clients hire us for their locating needs.

811 won’t do the utility location.

811 is a public utility locator. They can locate all utilities from the street to the meter. Any utilities in your private property would need to be located by a private utility locator, such as Penhall Technologies.

They already hit a utility.

Oftentimes, our customers will call us because they started excavating without scanning first and hit a utility line. Therefore, they want us to scan the rest of their property to prevent any further damage. Striking a utility line can be costly and can result in injury.

They called someone else and they were unsuccessful.

This scenario goes hand in hand with the reason previously mentioned. Sometimes our clients do scan. However, the company they selected didn’t provide accurate markings and the client struck a utility as a result. Our analysts complete extensive utility locating training. They are trained to properly mark your site, provide written reports, and to provide you with the best service.

Home improvements.

It is always important to locate all utilities before doing any projects that require digging or excavating. This includes, but is not limited to: landscaping, fencing, pool installation, installing a mailbox, deck installation, among others.

Water leaks.

A lot of our clients suspect that they are dealing with a water leak. While we can’t locate the water leak itself, we can help you locate the water line and look for signals of wet soil that may indicate the location of the leak.

If you would like to schedule private utility location, or need assistance determining if private utility location is right for your projcet, please give us a call at 1-800-736-4255 or fill out our contact form.

underground utility locating

Our South Carolina Analyst started the year with an interesting project, locating unmarked burial sites. A church wanted to know the location of all possible unmarked burials to update the information they have on available space.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a method of inspection that is highly useful for this type of project. Using GPR utility locating equipment, any buried objects would reflect on the screen as a parabola as they were passed over above ground. Our analysts are expertly trained to interpret this data, which enabled South Carolina analyst to mark where the graves were with flags in real time.

Our analyst scanned one half of the small cemetery, this totaled to approximately a half acre of land. He used the GSSI SIR 4000 with a 400 MHz antenna to image the subsurface within the cemetery. The analyst found a total of 57 unmarked graves.

The analyst’s expertise is key in differentiating between old and new graves. Main components to look for is soil and reflections of the objects on the equipment’s’ screen. When looking at a newer grave, the soil appears to be collapsing. This suggests that its relatively young compared to the other burial sites.

ground penetrating radar

Additionally, the strength of the reflections would be the second clue; the newer burial sites reflect back with very high amplitude. On the other hand, the older sites do not reflect back as strongly. Perhaps, the reason for this is that different burial techniques were in practice between the times the bodies were buried.

Penhall Technologies has the expertise to complete any kind of project. From utilities to unmarked graves, we have the knowledge and equipment to complete an array of jobs. Contact us with information about your project and we will identify an approach on how best to assist you.

X-ray scanner setup on site

You are ready to inspect the concrete for your project using digital concrete x-ray. However, you may have heard or read some information about the service before. This could make you hesitant or not fully confident in this state of the art service. We want to clear up any doubts and address the most common misconceptions about digital concrete x-ray.

Digital Concrete X-ray is dangerous

This service isn’t dangerous when performed by expertly trained operators and executed in accordance with state regulations. Our operators receive extensive training that covers safety parameters, proper setup, and how to operate the digital x-ray machine. This ensures that only the safest levels of radiation are emitted. The levels emitted with proper operation are far below state-level allowances. Because radiation is involved, we perform job walks to determine safety parameter zones for trades, employees, or bystanders on site.

Digital Concrete X-ray is better than GPR

These two services have the same purpose, but they are used very differently. While digital concrete x-ray may be the best choice for your project, GPR could be better for someone else’s project. A couple of things to ask yourself before pursuing digital x-ray are:

  • Do I have access to both sides of the slab?
  • Do I need an exact picture of what lies within the concrete? Or am I okay with an analyst interpreting GPR data that is collected?
  • Is my slab less than 12” thick?
  • Can I vacate a safety parameter zone near the x-ray site for a short period of time?
  • Do I suspect the slab to be highly congested?

For highly congested areas or where there is no room for data interpretation, we do recommend digital concrete x-ray. In some cases, we have used GPR and found the area to be too congested. After this, we suggest x-ray to our clients. This is just an example, but it is not always the case. Both are dependable methods of concrete inspection.

Results delivery can take a while

This misconception is very common. With digital concrete x-ray, the truth is very far from this. This service delivers a real time image. Picture the whole process as taking a picture of a landscape. Here, we do the same, but we image the interior of the concrete instead of the landscape. With this service, it is possible to know what is inside the concrete in a very fast manner; 5-10 seconds.

Currently, Penhall Technologies offers Digital Concrete X-ray services in San Francisco-Bay Area, Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas. We have plans to expand into more areas soon.

Did we answer all your questions or concerns? If not, contact us at gpr@penhall.com, or give us a call at 707-363-9822.

concrete scanning for rebar

A lot of underground hazards lie beneath the surface you will be working on. It is essential to scan first to avoid all of the following scenarios we will touch on.

Hitting a utility line

Hitting a utility line during any type of excavation can result in great costs for those involved. To start, it can cut out the utility service for you and/or your community. According to a CBS News article, you could face fines from local regulators. Moreover, all repair costs, from fixing the damaged utility line to any damages done to neighboring homes or businesses, can fall on you.

You can also encounter physical injury costs for you or the workers performing the excavating. Some utilities can be dangerous for the person working, such as steam, gas, propane, and electricity, and communication lines.

Striking a post tension cable

If scanning is not performed before construction, you risk the chance of cutting into post tension cable. In a FLCAJ article, Richard Slider of Slider Engineering mentions that post tension cable release can cause structural damage to a building, as well as injury to workers. They also mentioned that the cost of a single cable repair ranges from $800 to $1,200. This does not include the cost of other repairs of areas affected by the release.

If a worker accidentally cuts into post tension cable, the cable reacts by snapping. In the past, workers have been badly injured or even killed due to this release.

Cutting into rebar

During construction, you also run the risk of damaging rebar. According to BNProducts, cutting into rebar can have serious consequences for your project. First of all, you can expect injuries for your workers. Sometimes, when you drill and hit into rebar, pieces of debris can fly out and strike workers. In addition, cutting into rebar can lead to extensive repairs that can keep your project behind schedule.

It is also important to be aware that cutting into rebar can cause serious damage to the structural integrity of the concrete. This can make your site too unstable to work on and further delay the completion date.

“Now many industry experts recognize that cutting into these hazard types can be devastating if people do not scan first. GPR technology is a real game-changer for safety,” said Penhall Technologies President, Simon James. If you want a safe and timely construction project, contact us for our concrete scanning and underground utility locating services.

scanning concrete on boom lift

Our Santa Clara office performed concrete scanning services for a local overpass project. The bridge needed a new water pipe installed. This pipe had to be installed on the side of the bridge due to seismic regulations. To ensure safety for everyone involved, the client requested Penhall Technologies to scan the concrete beforehand.

The scanning was done from a vehicle mounted boom lift. This type of boom lift is not commonly available, the one used on this project was brought in from Oregon. The vehicle was set on the bridge. With the boom lift on it, our analysts performed the scanning overhead.

concrete scanningThis system worked in a very particular way. The truck had a camera and a microphone that allowed the analysts and the driver to communicate. Depending on the required scan areas, the driver moved the boom lift accordingly. The entire scan job was done using this unique mobile system.

Our Santa Clara analysts scanned 18″ × 24″ areas in two phases. For phase one, they scanned 26 areas. For the following phase, they scanned 20 areas. The concrete scanning itself took a week to complete. Our analysts found rebar in the slab, but no conduits or cables were present.

For Penhall, as well as for our client, safety was the main priority. Our analysts regularly attend safety trainings that involve boom lifts. This particular project was done over water. Our analysts had morning and evenings safety briefings, as well as very thorough walk out inspections. Moreover, the vehicle mounted boom lift was inspected both in the morning and after their regular lunch break. As a result, the analysts completed the scan safely.

After the scanning was completed, Penhall Company performed the core drilling without striking any rebar. This confirms our analysts’ accurate findings and markings done on this project.

Our analysts are expertly trained to handle any construction project, such as this one, and bring you precise results that will keep your project safe.

Anaheim demolition

Construction has begun for a new luxury Westin hotel in Anaheim, CA. The project is taking place at the previous location of the Anabella Hotel, which Penhall took down to make room for the $245 million project. The project is expected to be completed by 2020.

Penhall Company worked in the early stages of demolition for the Anabella Hotel. In addition, we are performing hazardous material abatement, structural demolition, removal of all of the pools and flatwork, and clearing and grubbing the site for trees, roots, etc. Essentially, we are clearing the entire 10 acre site down to dirt for the new hotel.

Once completed, the hotel will meet all requirements for a four diamond rating. Currently, Anaheim only has two luxury hotels – both in Disney’s property

Anaheim demolition

The hotel totals 42,000 square feet, including 613 rooms, 101 suites, three restaurants, a pool, roof-top lounge, and 11 meeting rooms. The hotel will generate jobs for 600 people, 450 of those will be full-time positions.

Demolition has always been a core competency of Penhall. We make it our business to supply safe, scalable demolition services for a wide variety of applications. With every structural demolition project, Penhall’s priorities are to minimize risks, maximize productivity, and ensure zero lost time.

concrete scanning terms

Concrete scanning and underground utility locating are a must when performing any excavating, coring, drilling on concrete or on any other surface. If you are still deciding whether or not to utilize this service, this list will help you understand our blogs and information easily.

GPR: This stands for Ground Penetrating Radar. GPR is a method that uses radar pulses to image the subsurface. A GPR system is made up of three main components: a control unit, an antenna, and a power supply.

Subsurface object: These are objects that the GPR system can find. For example, rebar, post tension cable, wire mesh, utility lines, among others.

Conductivity: Conductivity defines a material’s ability to conduct electricity. The differences in the conductivity of materials determines what shows on the equipment screen.

Hyperbola: When an analysts is scanning and he/she finds a buried object in the ground or concrete, it will show up as a hyperbola on the equipment’s screen.

Antenna: Component of the GPR system. The antenna captures the pulses emitted into the ground to reveal a real time image of subsurface objects found.

Electromagnetic field: Used for utility locating, an electromagnetic field occurs when a current is running through a transmitting line. This could be an electrical cable or communication line. The analyst could artificially create an electromagnetic field by using the equipment if the utility does not have an active current.

Public utility locator: 811 is a locating company that identifies all public utilities (utilities that go from the street to the meter). They are the federally designated call before you dig company that helps homeowners and professionals avoid damaging vital utilities when digging or excavating.

Private utility locator: Contrary to 811, a private utility locator will scan all underground utilities on private property. For example, a backyard or a driveway. Penhall Technologies is a private utility locator.

Utility markings: After scanning, the analyst will mark the utilities found with chalk, tape, or keel. These are utility markings and serve as a guideline for your project.

APWA color chart: Each utility marking has a designated color. This depends on what type of line the analyst is marking. This is the official color chart from the American Public Works Association.

 

Want to learn more about concrete scanning and underground utility locating? Review our in depth slides on LinkedIn’s Slideshare.

Texas utility locating
The Use of Utility Locating Services in Hurricane Harvey’s Relief Efforts

Last week, Penhall Technologies had the opportunity to participate in the efforts for those affected by Hurricane Harvey. We performed our services at the NRG Center in Houston, which hosts the largest emergency shelter in the city.

First of all, the FDNY Incident Management Team called our Houston office for utility locating services. The New York Fire Department hired them to set up a 40’ x 100’ tent. This tent would function as the main location to serve meals to truck drivers delivering supplies for the emergency shelter itself. The NRG stadium expected over 250 truck drivers coming into Houston to deliver these supplies.

Before installing the tent, they decided to scan the proposed location for it. This was about 85,000 square feet. The scan would ensure that the client could install the tent safely, without striking any subsurface hazards. The location for the scanning took place in the parking lot.

Two of our local Houston analysts scanned for all utilities under the asphalt. They used Ground Penetrating Radar with the SIR 4000 antenna and electromagnetic detection technology through the use of the RD 7100 wand. Then, they found and marked out two utility lines. These were a sewer line and a power line.

These lines did not present any issues for the client. The analysts advised to stay a minimum of 3 feet away from the marked utilities. Due to this, the client had plenty of room left to drive the tent’s posts into the ground away from the marked lines.

Harvey utility locating

“Being able to help my community here in Houston is beyond rewarding. Helping with the utility locate at NRG makes me feel as if I’m having a direct effect on the city that I grew up in. The fact that I can give back and aid my fellow Houstonians in a time of adversity is indescribable,” said GPR analyst Jacob Paddock.

The FDNY Incident Management Team was pleased with the locating services. Since then, we have performed another locate for them in Rosharon, Texas before the installation of more tents. Their needs change daily. Therefore, they have been in constant contact with Penhall Technologies.

As a team, we are proud that our services played a role in the relief efforts. In addition, Penhall will continue to assist in any efforts that aid Texas’ recovery. To donate to those affected by Hurricane Harvey, click here.

concrete scanning

Four Reasons Why Concrete Scanning is Essential for Your Project

In construction and renovation, hitting an unforeseen obstacle buried within concrete isn’t just an inconvenience. It can be a critical failure that can jeopardize safety, finances, and the entire project timeline. This is where concrete scanning, particularly utilizing advanced Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology, becomes an important pre-construction measure.

What Is Concrete Scanning? 

Concrete scanning is a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) method that uses radar pulses to create a detailed, real-time image of what lies beneath the concrete surface. Before you drill, saw, or core, a GPR scan reveals hidden hazards like:

  • Rebar and wire mesh
  • Post-tension cables
  • Electrical conduits and live wires
  • Water, gas, or sewer pipes
  • Voids, delamination, and subsurface anomalies

Why Is Concrete Scanning Required?

Concrete scanning is an important step in the construction process that helps facilitate enhanced safety, project efficiency and time savings, cost savings and accuracy. While some might view scanning as an added step, the reality is that it offers a massive return on investment. Let’s look into each of these reasons why concrete scanning is essential. 

concrete scanning markings

Enhanced Safety

Safety is a primary reason for concrete scanning. When workers cut into concrete without prior knowledge, they are quite literally playing a guessing game with potentially catastrophic consequences.

  • The Danger of Electrocution: Striking a live electrical conduit or cable can result in severe injury or death for the worker and can cause a power outage, impacting the entire facility.
  • The Blowout Hazard of Post-Tension Cables: Post-tension (PT) cables are high-strength steel strands anchored and tensioned within concrete slabs to provide structural support. If a PT cable is cut, the immense stored energy can be released in a violent blowout, causing the cable to snap, whip, or expand out of the concrete, severely injuring anyone nearby and compromising the structural integrity of the slab.
  • Avoiding Utility Breaches: Cutting into gas, water, or chemical lines can lead to explosions, flooding, or exposure to hazardous materials. Scanning proactively identifies these high-risk areas, allowing work to be performed safely or the design to be modified to avoid them.

Project Efficiency and Time Savings

Time is valuable on any construction site, and striking a subsurface object is the fastest way to bring a project to a screeching halt.

If a contractor hits a critical line or structural element, the project immediately shifts from construction to crisis management. This introduces significant, unpredictable downtime for:

  1. Assessing the Damage: Stopping all work in the affected area and waiting for a structural engineer or utility expert to inspect the damage.
  2. Repair and Rerouting: Spending hours or days repairing the conduit, patching the hole, or determining a new path for the intended cut or core.
  3. Waiting for Approvals: Obtaining revised permits or approvals for structural changes.

By investing a small amount of time in GPR scanning up front, project managers can ensure that every single cut, core, or trench proceeds smoothly and without incident, keeping the entire project on its scheduled trajectory.

Significant Cost Savings

How much does scanning cost? While concrete scanning services represent an initial investment, they deliver profound cost savings by preventing exponentially more expensive problems.

Consider the financial implications of a single strike:

  • Expensive Repairs: Structural repairs, especially those involving PT cables, are complex and costly, requiring specialized labor and materials. Repairing a severed electrical conduit or ruptured pipe can involve plumbing, electrical, and concrete patching specialists.
  • Delay Costs (Liquidated Damages): When projects are delayed, contractors may face financial penalties known as liquidated damages. Avoiding a delay saves money not just in repair costs but in penalties and extended overhead (equipment rental, supervisory labor).
  • Injury and Liability: The costs associated with an on-site injury—medical bills, potential lawsuits, and increased insurance premiums—far outweigh the cost of a pre-work scan.

Scanning shifts the budget from “unforeseen incident repair” to “proactive risk mitigation,” offering a clear financial advantage.

Accuracy and Structural Integrity

One of the most significant benefits of concrete scanning is accuracy. And ultimately, concrete scanning provides the accuracy needed to protect the structural integrity of the building.

The ability to look inside the slab allows analysts to mark the precise location of structural supports like rebar mats and post-tension systems. This enables a contractor to:

  • Confirm Clearances: Ensure that the proposed location for a new opening, anchor, or penetration is entirely free of critical elements before making the first cut.
  • Maintain Structural Soundness: Avoid cutting vital reinforcing steel that ensures the slab’s load-bearing capacity. If too much rebar is cut, it can lead to long-term cracking, deflection, and catastrophic structural failure.
  • Optimize Placement: When multiple hazards exist, GPR allows the project team to choose the safest, most structurally optimal location for coring or cutting, ensuring the new installation integrates flawlessly with the existing structure.

Concrete scanning is about guiding work with precision and confidence, not just about avoiding hazards.

In modern construction, knowledge is power, and when dealing with concrete, that power is delivered by GPR. By making concrete scanning a standard operating procedure, construction teams move beyond guesswork. They are able to guarantee the safety of their personnel, preserve the structural integrity of the building, and keep their projects on time and budget.