Water Industry

Concrete Scanning in the Water Industry Sector: A New Dawn for Safety and Integrity

The water industry sector is a cornerstone of any developed society, ensuring that populations have access to clean and safe water. This sector, with its intricate systems and structures like water storage dams, culverts, and vast networks overseen by water utility companies, is heavily reliant on concrete as a primary material. The durability and strength of concrete have made it a go-to choice for several critical water-related infrastructures. However, like all materials, concrete can degrade over time. Voids, defects, and other hidden issues can compromise the safety and functionality of these structures. That’s where concrete scanning, especially the unparalleled services offered by CR Scan, comes into play.

Before diving into the nuances of concrete scanning, it’s essential to appreciate the complexities of the water industry sector:

Water Storage Dams: These colossal structures serve as reservoirs, storing water for a variety of purposes, including consumption, irrigation, and energy generation. The integrity of water storage dams is crucial, as any compromise can result in catastrophic consequences.
Culverts: Often unnoticed but vital, culverts redirect water flow beneath roads and other structures. Proper maintenance and inspection are required to ensure these passages remain unobstructed and safe.
Water Utility Companies: Responsible for the delivery of water to households, businesses, and other institutions, water utility companies rely on an extensive network of pipes, reservoirs, and treatment plants. Ensuring the structural soundness of these facilities is paramount for the safe and efficient delivery of water.
Unsafe Concrete Dams: While concrete dams are built to last, external factors and wear-and-tear can make them unsafe over time. Regular inspections and maintenance can help detect and mitigate potential problems before they escalate.

30-story office tower (2018-2019)

Concrete scanning is rapidly emerging as an indispensable tool for the water industry. Here’s how:

Safety Assurance: Safety remains the topmost priority in the water sector. Concrete scanning offers a non-invasive method to inspect the inner workings of concrete structures. By revealing hidden defects or voids in water storage dams or culverts, pre-emptive measures can be initiated.
Cost-Efficiency: Early detection of issues in any structure managed by water utility companies ensures that preventive repairs can be undertaken. This not only maintains the flow and distribution of water but also saves significant sums that might be spent on major repairs or reconstructions.
Enhancing Structure Longevity: Through regular concrete scanning, structures in the water sector can be assessed for potential issues. Addressing these concerns promptly can significantly extend the lifespan of structures, ensuring they serve their purpose for years to come.
Aiding Upgrades and Renovations: As demands on water utility companies grow, so does the need to upgrade and expand facilities. Concrete scanning ensures that existing structures are up to par and that new additions are constructed to the highest standards.

When it comes to concrete scanning in the water sector, CR Scan stands tall as the gold standard for several reasons:

State-of-the-Art Technology: CR Scan employs the latest in concrete scanning technology. Our methods ensure accurate, detailed insights, allowing water utility companies to make informed decisions.
Expertise: With a seasoned team of professionals, CR Scan brings unmatched knowledge to the water sector. Whether scanning water storage dams or culverts, the nuances and challenges are understood and effectively addressed.
Comprehensive Reporting: Beyond just detecting issues, CR Scan offers in-depth reports. This empowers decision-makers in the water sector to grasp the complete picture, allowing for strategic planning and action.
Customer-Centric Focus: Recognising that each structure, be it among water storage dams or those managed by water utility companies, has unique challenges, CR Scan offers customised solutions tailored to specific needs.
Safety Commitment: Safety isn’t just a word for CR Scan—it’s a guiding principle. Our procedures are meticulously designed to safeguard both our team and the structures they evaluate.

Industrial Park construction (2019-2020)

Knowledge Pool

What is Concrete Scanning?

Concrete scanning is the act of reading what sits under a concrete surface via the use of non-intrusive technology.

This is done in order to identify whether there are elements sitting under a concrete’s surface or to obtain an understanding of a known element’s condition.

Concrete scanning is further able to identify whether anomalies such as voids or cracks exist under a concrete surface.

All of these scenarios are then interpret by our leading industry specialists who are readily available to help you with any endeavours you have in mind.

How is Concrete Scanning Conducted?

Concrete scanning is the conducted via the use of non-intrusive technology such as ground penetrating radar (GPR), a cover meter, ferroscan instrument, ultrasonic scanning equipment and the like.

This technological equipment is able to non-intrusively penetrate your concrete structure and understand what is going on beyond its surface.

Once this has been conducted, industry specialists are then able to interpret the findings and report back to you on the condition of your concrete.

Additionally, recommendations regarding how to repair any poor condition found within the concrete are likewise provided.

What can Concrete Scanning Detect?

Concrete scanning is able to detect a large range of different elements, depending on the technology which is being used. Overall, however, and in general, it is able to identify elements such as pipes, metals, asphalt, cables, masonry and such. Concrete scanning is further able to record and understand changes in material properties and any voids and cracks existing below the surface of a concrete structure. This scanning method holds the ability to be conducted on a large variety of mediums beyond concrete such as rock, clay, sand, coil, ice, water, pavements and more. In addition, this scanning method is likewise able to identify and communicate the condition in which a sub ground element or object is found to be in (e.g. corrosion, etc.)

Is Concrete Scanning Effective?

Concrete scanning is an extremely effective scanning method.

Concrete scanning experts consider ground penetration radar (GPR) technology to be the best technique for scanning concrete.

GPR penetrates deeper than other methods.

The technology Structural Repairs uses has a better resolution than Ferroscan and the Cover Meter. The detection is not limited to metallic objects like these two methods.

GPR is further able to detect changes in a concrete’s subsurface and can detect most materials including plastic, wood and voids.

Overall, however, GPR technology is known for its precise, effective and very successful outcomes as it is able to provide specialists and clients with full and comprehensive reports regarding the condition of a concrete structure.

Why is Concrete Scanning Required?

Concrete scanning is often required due to a large range of different reasons. For example, it is often necessary to understand the condition of any reinforcing bars lying at the core of the concrete structure as a means to understand its structural stability and strength. Concrete scanning is a common practice in renovation projects that involve cutting or coring of concrete slabs because it is crucial to understand if there is anything beneath the surface of these slabs. Failing to identify what is beneath the surface of a concrete slab could be potentially dangerous. It could result in injuring workers and causing accidents. Furthermore, cutting into elements such as electrical cables is not only extremely dangerous and potentially deadly, but is likewise very costly as this would disrupt the electrical supply, cause technical damage and delay the project. Concrete scanning can also be used as a preventative measure to maintenance the healthy of your structure through proactive, rather than reaction, action.

Benefits of Scanning Fire Damaged Concrete.

One of the main advantages of using concrete within the structure of a building is the resistance it has against fire. Fires typically visually affect most building materials, making it easy to identify them as unfit for use and later replace them. Concrete on the other hand changes very little in respect of the shape and size making it much more difficult to assess for damage. Concrete loses strength when heated above 300°C. Currently, people enter potentially dangerous and unstable parts of the building to assess damage and propose suitable repair methods or decide if demolition is necessary. Therefore, there is a greater need for new assessment technology. Our GPR and Ultrasound technology is the best non intrusive solution to survey and identify any voids and delamination. industry specialists are then able to interpret the findings and report back to you on the condition of your concrete.

What Scanning Services do you actually offer?

Ground Penetration Radar
Our Ground Penetrating Radar services operate on a variety of difference concrete surfaces and structures.

They likewise hold the ability to identify and analyse an abundance of different sub ground elements and objects as a means to give you a clear picture of what is going on underneath your concrete.

As well as helping you identify the current conditions of your sub ground concrete, we are further able to assist you as we put into practice the remedial recommendations we have expertly suggested.

Before leaving the job site, Structural Repairs also make sure we communicate the best ways for you to maintain a healthy upkeep of your concrete going forward.

Rebar Corrosion Survey
Our comprehensive Rebar Corrosion Survey services utilise a range of non-intrusive methods in order to scan, identify and understand the current condition of the reinforcing bars under you concrete.

Via industry leading technology, we are able to provide you with a concise and comprehensive report. This will advise of exactly what is going on with your rebar.

What Are The Benefits Of Concrete Scanning?

Concrete scanning holds a plethora of different benefits. For example, it holds the ability to preserve the structural integrity of your concrete given that slicing through embedded elements can weaken the concrete and impact its structural strength.

Understanding what is going on under the surface of your concrete thus is likewise a time-consuming endeavour as it holds the ability to prevent large errors from taking place.

Cutting through a structure without being aware of any embedded elements can bring a project to a quick halt.

Avoiding damage and errors leads to cost savings as the project runs smoothly, thereby eliminating the need to repair damages, pay fines or penalties, or replace equipment or materials.

In all, a smooth project will allow for better for business to be conducted and will leave clients significantly more satisfied.

Water Sector

In conclusion, the water industry sector, with its vast infrastructures like water storage dams, culverts, and facilities overseen by water utility companies, requires rigorous and regular checks for potential issues. Concrete scanning, with its non-invasive, precise approach, is ideally suited for this purpose. And among service providers, CR Scan’s dedication to excellence, innovation, and safety make us the foremost choice. For those in the water sector, seeking to detect and report voids and hidden defects within and below the surface of structures, CR Scan is the partner you’ve been searching for.

train station renovation (2016-2017)

Knowledge Pool

Water Sector