Concrete Scanning
Concrete Scanning to Locate Utilities
Concrete Scanning to Locate Utilities
IF IT EXISTS, GPRS CAN FIND IT
Locate utilities and structural elements embedded in concrete before cutting, coring, or drilling.
Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is used in concrete scanning to locate utilities and structural elements embedded in concrete before cutting, coring, or drilling a structure. The use of GPR is safe, non-invasive, and effective for assessing concrete columns, slabs, and walls because it uses reflected radio waves.
Concrete Scanning to Locate Utilities
Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is used in concrete scanning to locate utilities and structural elements embedded in concrete before cutting, coring, or drilling a structure. The use of GPR is safe, non-invasive, and effective for assessing concrete areas, columns, slabs, and walls because it uses reflected radio waves.
Scanning concrete with GPR reveals elements within the concrete, such elements include rebar, post tension cables, electrical conduits, voids, and more. This technology is also an effective method of structural review including concrete slab measurement and rebar spacing.
Concrete imaging is used to examine:
Decks
Roofs
Slabs Floors
Pylons
Tunnels
Walls
Beams
Bridges
Ceilings
Columns
Concrete Scanning: Why is it Important?
Concrete imaging helps to prevent injuries, damage, and extra expenses. To maintain safety on a construction site, concrete scanning identifies and locates objects present within the concrete. GPR scans can be used to detect air pockets in concrete, the depth of the concrete, and what objects are in it. Concrete scanning is vital to:
Ensure the structural integrity of the concrete
Mitigate costly repairs
Reduce the risk of personal injury
Ensure that utilities, post-tension cables, rebar, pipes, and conduits are not damaged
Provide a full, highly detailed picture of all elements of your job site
Concrete scanning should be planned if the concrete contains structural or utility elements, such as concrete floors. Concrete scanning is often recommended during construction, remodeling, renovation, or demolition activities to avoid potential damages, such as a strike of unknown conduits, utilities, and rebar.
GPRS is on a mission to 100% subsurface damage prevention. Concrete is an excellent, strong material that also holds elements within it just as strongly. Knowing exactly what is within and where things are is crucial to the viability of the structure, the project, and the overall safety of the project.
Smart Tools, Smart Solutions
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
GPRS employs the Proceq GP8800 Ground Penetrating Radar Scanner for precision concrete scanning & imaging. This is one of the most advanced machines on the market. Its 400-6000 MHz modulated frequency range means we can locate a wide range of subsurface objects with one pass, and its wireless functionality allows us to scan hard-to-reach locations or uneven surfaces.
EM Locating
Among other smart tool choices, GPRS uses the Vivax vLoc3-Pro Electromagnetic (EM) Locator. This allows us to passively detect the signals from live AC power or radio signals traveling along conductive utilities. We use this in conjunction with a transmitter to connect directly to accessible metallic pipes, risers, or tracer wires.
3D Photogrammetry
GPRS’ skilled in-house Mapping & Modeling Team can export the GPR concrete scans completed by our SIM-certified Project Managers to create accurate existing condition as-builts. These are meant to give you the information you need in a format you can easily work with and share to keep your project on time, on budget, and safe.
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)
GPRS employs the Proceq GP8800 Ground Penetrating Radar Scanner for precision concrete scanning & imaging. This is one of the most advanced machines on the market. Its 400-6000 MHz modulated frequency range means we can locate a wide range of subsurface objects with one pass, and its wireless functionality allows us to scan hard-to-reach locations or uneven surfaces.
EM Locating
Among other smart tool choices, GPRS uses the Vivax vLoc3-Pro Electromagnetic (EM) Locator. This allows us to passively detect the signals from live AC power or radio signals traveling along conductive utilities. We use this in conjunction with a transmitter to connect directly to accessible metallic pipes, risers, or tracer wires.
3D Photogrammetry
GPRS’ skilled in-house Mapping & Modeling Team can export the GPR concrete scans completed by our SIM-certified Project Managers to create accurate existing condition as-builts. These are meant to give you the information you need in a format you can easily work with and share to keep your project on time, on budget, and safe.
Ground Penetrating Radar
Gone are the days of digging and guesswork. GPR is a non-invasive way to explore the world. GPR scanners emit radio waves into concrete slabs and detect the interactions between these waves and any subsurface objects to create a readout of hyperbolas that vary in size and shape depending on the type of material detected. GPRS’ SIM-certified Project Managers interpret this data to tell you what was located and estimate its depth within the slab.
Concrete Thickness
Our elite GPRS Project Managers provide GPR scanning services to determine important slab information for structural engineers and professionals, including concrete cover and overlay thickness, concrete thickness, and even dowel placement. GPRS Project Managers aren’t limited by the size or scope of your site; we have the training and the equipment to fully evaluate your concrete structure. If we don’t? We’ll find a way.
Slab on Grade
The technology of GPR has an amazing ability to visualize what’s inside and under concrete slab-on-grade. This ability is one of its biggest advantages over X-Ray scanning technology. Because GPR only needs access to one side of a concrete slab or structure to scan the material for anomalies such as embedded conduit, it can evaluate slab-on-grade.
Shallow Utility Locating
This is one place where being shallow doesn’t really matter, thanks to GPRS and GPR technology. In slab-on-grade, you also need to avoid lines buried in the soil below. GPRS Project Managers utilize both ground penetrating radar and electromagnetic (EM) locating to provide you with a 99.8%+ accurate picture of the infrastructure within and below your concrete slab. This ensures that you have the most accurate and complete project data.
Conduit Mapping
Imagine what happens when you cut an electrical cord with scissors, now imagine that on a larger scale. You can’t risk severing an electrical conduit while coring or cutting through concrete. We mark our GPR findings directly on your slab so you know where all subsurface obstructions are buried and where you can safely cut or core.
Rebar Locating
Rebar is perhaps the most important aspect of a concrete structure. Damaged rebar will cost you tens of thousands of dollars to repair, and that’s not counting any additional structural damage or injuries that occur when the support is damaged. GPRS Project Managers are specially trained to use GPR to locate and map the rebar within your slab or concrete structure.
And More!
Frequently Asked Questions About Concrete Scanning
Can Ground Penetrating Radar Scan Concrete Slab-On-Grade?
Yes. As mentioned above, GPRS is skilled with scanning slab on grade. GPR is accurate and capable, Concrete x-rays require a radioactive isotope on one side of the slab, and a film on the other side of the slab.
Ground penetrating radar uses a completely different technology. It doesn't require access to the entire concrete slab. GPR is suited to slab-on-grade applications
Can Ground Penetrating Radar Differentiate Between Rebar, Post Tension Cables, Electrical Conduits, And Other Embedded Materials?
GPR does not determine the type of object being located; however, our elite, skilled Project Managers use all available data to determine the type of reinforcing steel or electrical conduit present.
By combining GPR with other site data and experience, our elite team of GPRS Project Managers can accurately identify all subsurface obstructions. Findings are then marked on the concrete. For example, in a square layout, an obstruction on an angle will typically be a conduit. Conduits may have subtle differences in the GPR reflection than rebar, different depths, spacing, patterns, etc.
How Accurate Is Ground Penetrating Radar When Scanning Concrete?
Our horizontal accuracy is typically +/- ¼” to the object's center in concrete. Using GPR, we can also identify the depth of each object in concrete to within +/- 10-15%.
While GPR is very accurate, we always recommend clients cut, drill, or core one to two inches from any line marked as an obstruction. While GPR typically cannot provide the exact diameter of a subsurface obstruction, a skilled technician can provide a very accurate estimate of diameter.
Is Ground Penetrating Radar A Risk to Health?
This concern usually arises from someone with experience in x-raying concrete because radiation exposure from x-rays is known to pose health risks. The use of x-rays to identify items embedded in concrete remains a viable and accurate method, but x-ray companies must ensure safety by clearing people from an area around the x-ray location.
Surprisingly, the typical power output of a GPR antenna is less than the power output of most cell phones. Because of this, there are no health concerns for our project managers, construction workers, or tenants in the building where the work is taking place. GPRS takes safety very seriously, and would never purposely put our team or yours at risk.
Additionally, GPR is a soundless process, so noise pollution is not an issue
How Much Time Does it Take to Scan for Core Drilling?
Ground penetrating radar is a highly efficient and fast method of scanning. GPR is very versatile as it can do anything from determining the slab thickness in an entire warehouse or pinpointing rebar for a core drilling location.
GPRS typically uses a 2-foot by 2-foot layout for core drilling locations. Generally, scanning and marking a location of this size takes about 10 minutes. This saves precious time for other important matters, while also providing exceptionally accurate data, increasing safety and decreasing the likelihood of disaster.
Equipment Limitations
Ground penetrating radar is an effective tool to find the locations of obstructions but it’s possible that some conditions, operations, or desired results, may not be suited for GPR. This is why GPRS employs a comprehensive suite of technologies, to better increase the chance of helping even the most difficult and convoluted case.
Limiting Factors of Concrete Scanning
Concrete scanning is generally reliable, but some conditions may interfere. These include:
- Closely spaced steel content
- Reflective aggregate in concrete mix
- The subsurface conditions beneath the slab
- External interferences
- High moisture content
- Metal fiber reinforcing
Modern construction technologies and documentation practices pose these issues less frequently, but they can and do arise from time to time.
How Much Time Does Concrete Scanning Take?
GPR can identify the position and depth of embedded objects such as rebar, conduits, post-tension cables, and more. If there is no interference or unusual conditions at the site, GPR can detect embedded structures quickly, sometimes within a few seconds. But typically the time required for a project depends on various factors such as the time frame of the project, the client’s needs, the type of slab and the amount of reinforcement in the slab, and more.
Can Concrete Scanning Identify the Differences Between Subsurface Obstructions?
No, not by itself. Using GPR, we can tell that an obstruction is at a given location. We can also determine the depth of an object. Translating information into useful utility and other material markings requires a human mind and eye to translate the image on the control unit display to show the client what obstructions lie below the surface. This is where other talented members of our team come in handy. Skilled professionals like those with GPRS can almost definitively identify what obstructions are beneath the ground by using their expertise and training.
THE GREEN BOX GUARANTEE
The GPRS Green Box Guarantee is an industry-leading, proprietary program that provides contractors the necessary assurance of safety when drilling, cutting, or coring through an elevated concrete deck. When GPRS places a Green Box within a layout before cutting or coring concrete, we guarantee it will be completely free of obstruction.
GPRS Project Managers can accurately clear dozens of cutting/coring areas per day. Cutting, coring, and drilling through concrete clear of obstruction can significantly speed up the demolition process. This is crucial for keeping on time, budget, and even earning early completion bonuses. However, it’s also crucial that timelines are met with safety in mind. When contractors can keep their schedule from experiencing delays due to line strikes and damaged reinforcement, change orders and budget overruns are decreased.
The Green Box Guarantee not only helps provide peace of mind, but it also helps speed up the process. Learn more about the Green Box Guarantee here.
Schedule a Project Today
GPRS offers ground penetrating radar, video pipe inspection, 3D laser scanning, drone imagery, virtual tours, as well as mapping and modeling services, and more. Our Project Managers have the skills and equipment to handle any subsurface challenges. To do this, GPRS uses various advanced locating technologies in conjunction with our world-class SIM process.
Don't wait. To schedule a project with GPRS, click here. Our highly trained Project Managers will keep your project on time, on budget, and safe.
Take out the guesswork, contact GPRS today for a better way to see the subsurface.