This is the time of year for travel and where airports need to start thinking about travellers safety by locating voids under airport runway. Since a problem with voids under a runway was confirmed after a Boeing 737 dropped through the concrete taxiway at the Mid Delta Regional Airport in Mississippi. It was reported the airplane sustained approximately $1.5 million in damages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Continue reading “Locating voids under airport runway with GPR”
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is the venue for the FIA Formula One Canadian Grand Prix. Continue reading “Formula One Canadian Grand Prix”
Spring is here and its time to think about outside work, remember to call Scan Plus before you dig! Each year across Canada there are thousands of underground utility disruptions from some form of excavation work. When you find yourself in any situation where you find yourself disturbing the ground to dig, you should call for a locate service. The service worth any expense you’d need to pay after damages were done to utilities. As well, they generally only need 2 business days notice to schedule a time to come out to you.
Continue reading “Why is it important to call before you dig?”
Ground penetrating radar is a geophysical method to analyze and ausculate concrete and soil and applies to multitudes of applications. It uses the process of relatively low frequency pulse radars to get the information. Electromagnetic pulses are reflected at the boundary surfaces where the electrical properties of the material are changed, and are then detected by the receiving antenna.
Reflections are present mainly on the surface and back of the structures to be analyzed as well as boundary surfaces to sudden changes in the dielectric properties, eg. inclusions such as rebar. Depending on the frequency, it is possible to use this technology to scan a variety of materials, such as ice, rock, earth or concrete. That is why this technology is suitable for use in the fields of geology, archeology, mining, military applications, and concrete structures.
Are emissions from GPR represent a health hazard?
Emissions from GPR pose no danger to health or the user, nor for those in the vicinity of the unit.
What objects can be detected with GPR?
Scan Plus detects all types of metal objects (eg. Rebar, clamping cables, copper or aluminum tubing, etc.) and all types of non-metallic (eg. Wood, layers of air, plastic, electrical lines, cables, glass fibers, etc.) located in the concrete. In addition, it is possible to identify objects in a plurality of layers depending on the nature of the concrete structure, spaces between the reinforcing bars, the size of the object and the depth of the object. It is also possible to indicate the thickness of a wall or a concrete slab.
Can Scan Plus locate and identify the power lines? Yes, Scan Plus can locate power lines, but can not identify classes of materials. It is only possible to specify the layout of objects, the approximate depth and the route of the line.
Is it possible to use ground penetrating radar on different floor coverings
(hard wood, PVC, tiles)?
GPR can be used on different floor coverings. The results may possibly not always be satisfactory (eg. On tile or natural stone slabs). The tiles often contains quartz, which can interfere with the radar waves. The plastic film in the insulating layers, metal screens in soil systems and air layers in multilayer structures are also factors that can cause reductions in the power measurement or limit the depth measurement range.
Can GPR sweep through the plaster, insulating layers, etc.? It is possible to use ground penetrating radar to scan such media. The power measurement, however, decreases accordingly. GPR is intended to be used directly on concrete surfaces or on the ground and a further layer above the concrete; the layers containing metal or existing among the layers of air layers have a negative influence on the power measurement of the device.
Is it possible to use ground penetrating radar in nuclear power plants, airports and hospitals? In the vast majority of cases it is possible to use ground penetrating radar (radar equipment floor or wall), but the service technician must ensure that there is no sensitive system or radio stations around (airfields, radio astronomy stations, etc.) nearby. These items can be used as such by a service that has been set by the responsible local government. If such posts were near the place where the sensing device must be used, the operator must first contact the post before making sweeping operations in order to reach an agreement concerning the use of ground penetrating radar.
In conclusion, GPR is safe, reliable and gives great results. What is your experience with GPR? Don’t hesitate to comment below.
This is a GREAT question and one that we are getting more frequently. While the cost of a GPR system may seem inconsequential on a large project there is more to concrete imaging than just having the equipment. We truly believe that half of the job involves knowing how to read the GPR data screen. The other half is being able to determine what the data means and this is learned only by experience and expertise.
Continue reading “Why not just buy my own GPR equipment?”
Concrete is more than just a construction material. It tells a rich story that spans millennia, blending engineering, art, and innovation.
Continue reading “Concrete Auscultation: The Essential Role of Concrete in Our World”
If you’re investing the time and money into having your private utilities located, we want to make sure you get the absolute best results from us. Not many people know that getting the best from a locating company starts before a locating tech even shows up on the job site.
Not all jobs require an estimate, but if you have a large job, it helps us to have a clear understanding of exactly what it is you want from our services, and what is most important to you. Here are a few things you can provide to ensure you get the very best estimate.
Continue reading “How to get the best results from locates”
Scan Plus provides both underground utilities detection and concrete scanning services to a wide variety of clients. With a network of locations and of technicians, near and in every major city in QUEBEC & its surroundings.
Scan Plus is equipped to handle projects of any size. No job is too big, too small, or too far away for us! We are proud to serve the following market segments:
Continue reading “Who uses Scan Plus?”
On cloudy days, Scan Plus is sure to receive phone calls from concerned customers, asking if the rain will delay their utilities being marked. We tell them possibly, because when the clouds open up and the rain pours down, spray paint will run like mascara! Unfortunately, the spray paint will not stick to a wet surface, potentially delaying the utility markings for hours or even days.
We also want to avoid damage to our utility locating equipment, which would result in even more of a job delay. In the case of a thunder and lightning storm, we often seek shelter and wait up to 45 minutes from the last lightning strike before returning to the job for the safety of our technicians.
Continue reading “Weather holding back GPR?”
Did you ever park on the street or walk on the sidewalk and noticed different colour markings on the concrete and wondered what that’s all about?
Well, let’s start by understanding first what each color stands for as for the reason behind it all….
Companies with underground networks have agreed to a color code to identify the type of network buried. Each member company marks the precise location of its network using color as shown:
Continue reading “What’s in a color?”