3 Construction Problems You Can Avoid With a GPR Concrete Scan
If you're working on a project where you have to dig up or drill into a concrete base, then you might not know what is under the surface. If you work blind, then you could do some damage.
However, you can avoid problems by having a GPR concrete scan on the surface before you start on the job. What can a scan show you?
Utility Layouts
Areas of concrete sometimes have utility pipes, cables and conduits buried under them. If you don't have plans that show what lies beneath the surface, then you could drill into this infrastructure.
This causes various problems. For example, one of your workers could get a serious injury if they drill into an electrical cable.
Breaching gas and water pipes could cause headaches for local businesses and homes. A utility company might need to shut down their service until they can repair the problem.
The kind of accidental damage increases your project costs. If you're held liable for the damage, then you might need to pay for the repair. You'll have to stop working on the project until the problem is fixed.
A GPR scan shows you if you have any utility components in the area. You can then plan your work around the parts so that you don't damage them.
Rebar and Tensioning Placement
The concrete surface you work on is likely to include some reinforcing products. For example, it might have steel rebar meshes or posts running through it. It might contain tensioning cables.
These items help keep the concrete strong and stable. If you accidentally drill through them, then you'll have to make the damage good again to restore the surface's strength. Again, this costs you time and money.
If you book a GPR scan, then you can map out any reinforcements and mark them on the surface. You can leave rebar and tensioning cables intact.
Voids
Some concrete surfaces have voids under them. These spaces build up when something happens to the ground under the concrete. For example, a void might open up if the ground shifts or if its soil erodes.
Drilling into a void can cause a lot of damage. If you open up the space, then the ground around it and the concrete could start to collapse. If this happens, you might need to rebuild some or all of the surface from scratch.
A GPR scan identifies voids. Once you know that you have a void under the concrete, you can plan what to do with it. In some cases, you might need to fill it in; in others, you can work around it.
To learn more, contact a GPR concrete scanning company like Absolute Vision.
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