At Breakaway Concrete Cutting & Drilling of South Australia, one of the services we offer – along with cutting, drilling, grinding, scabbling and the demolition of concrete structures – is concrete scanning. In fact, it’s usually the scanning part that takes place before any other type of concrete-related work is even begun. But why is it so important? Let’s take a closer look at the technology involved, the many benefits of concrete scanning, and the sort of post-scan information our clients can expect to receive.
The Technology
To carry out concrete scanning, Breakaway Concrete Cutting & Drilling uses a technology known as GPR – Ground-Penetrating Radar. You might have seen this tech helping uncover treasures on TV programs such as archaeological-dig series Time Team. With our Conquest 100 GPR machine, we can effectively inspect within concrete structures to locate steel reinforcements, live power cables and more. The process is entirely safe as there is no destruction of the concrete required, merely a radar scan of relevant surfaces. This technique works equally well on walls, floors and concrete slabs. The data collected using the Conquest 100 is then transferred into a report for the customer (see “The Feedback”, below).
The Advantages
It makes sense to want to know as much about a site as possible before commencing work, and therefore it makes sense to call in a company like Breakaway Concrete Cutting & Drilling when that site involves concrete structures. However, if we want to quantify the advantages of concrete scanning, then a basic list would be:
1. Safeguard the health of workers by ensuring they don’t come into contact with live power cables or other hazards.
2. Prevent the loss of equipment, money and time due to accidents resulting from working blindly on unknown concrete structures. (Also preventing law suits, invalidated insurance cover, etc.)
3. Fill in the “knowledge gap” where no plans exist for old buildings, etc. that can be accessed prior to renovation/demolition.
4. Determine the optimum points at which to cut, drill and so on – as opposed to taking a “best guess” approach.
5. Identify hidden weaknesses in the structures that may need to be addressed in addition to the work already planned post-scan.
The Feedback
Once the scanning process is complete, Breakaway Concrete Cutting & Drilling will use the info to prepare a report in line with the client’s requirements. This will likely include site photos, scans of the concrete structure(s) and a detailed summary of the Conquest 100 operator’s findings. Obviously, any steel reinforcements or live power cables that were detected will be clearly mapped so that they may be avoided as necessary. The same goes for further obstructions or potential problem areas, e.g. strange gaps, discovered during scanning.
For Expert Concrete Scanning
Breakaway Concrete Cutting & Drilling is SA owned and operated. We’re fully licensed and insured, and our accreditations include membership in both the Master Builders of South Australia and the Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association of Australia. Our philosophy is to get every job done right – and right on time. To discuss your latest concrete project, contact us by emailing info@breakawayconcut.com.au or calling (08) 8349 6330.