Concrete slabs and floors sometimes have pipes, conduits, and other materials running through them. If you are cutting through the concrete, it is critical to locate anything inside before you cut or drill into the wall, and concrete scanning offers the best method for that.
Ground Penetrating Radar
GPR concrete scanning is an excellent way to locate pipes, conduits, rebar, and other materials in concrete. The concrete scanning service can check the slab's surface and find voids and other features you can not see. A training technician can use the results to determine where you need to avoid things in the concrete if you are cutting or removing a section.
To an untrained eye, the results from the GPR (ground penetrating radar) may be hard to decipher. However, the tech scanning the concrete can point out features to you and help you lay out any cuts or alterations to the concrete so they are safe and will not compromise its strength.
If you are unsure where the pipes and electrical lines run but suspect they are under the concrete, the concrete scanning service can check and rule out any safety hazards for you. Scanning is often the safest way to ensure you do not damage any lines during construction or building alteration.
Concrete Demolition
When removing concrete on a project, it is critical to know what is inside the floor or wall you are cutting. If the building is still in use, there could be active utilities inside the concrete that were added after the fact and might not be on the plans.
Using a concrete scanning service to check the walls or floor you are removing is essential. Natural gas lines running under a floor, for instance, may no longer be active but could have some residual gas in them. Hitting the line with a saw and causing a spark could set off an explosion or fire even if only a small amount of natural gas remains.
Electrical wires that supply the build may still be energized, so knowing where they are is critical. Check with the electric provider to ensure the power is off but have a concrete scanning service mark the lines anyway so you can avoid them and any problems that could result if you cut into them.
Support Systems
Concrete construction often includes structural supports like rebar, large bolts or rods, or other materials embedded in the concrete. These support materials are used to help reduce cracking or fracturing of the concrete over time and will probably not cause the building to come down if one is severed. However, there is a chance that cutting through them could reduce the durability of the concrete and shorten its lifespan.
Concrete scanning can help avoid these problems and ensure that you are working safely when altering concrete structures.
Contact a company like GeoTek Services, LLC to learn more.