A Chicago contractor needed to locate any reinforcement in the concrete column at one of their project sites. They wanted to core through the concrete to run new plumbing lines without hitting any reinforcement or conduits and ruining the integrity of the concrete, or even shutting down power to nearby rooms. They hired Ground Penetrating Radar Systems (GPRS) to come in and mark out the reinforcement, beams, and any other anomalies in the column.

Using the SIR-3000 we were able to locate and draw out the path of the reinforcement and beam within the scan area, as well as give an approximate depth to them. The reinforcement was clearly marked out with a black sharpie to highlight their location and depth. Thanks to our service the contractor was able to drill into clear spots and avoid hitting the reinforcement and beam. Our state of the art GSSI GPR equipment can send radio signals into concrete that send back in real time data for onsite interpretation. The radio waves are safe for workplaces so there is no need for a stoppage in work for floors below or around scan areas. GPRS project managers are commonly called for scanning for reinforcement such as rebar, mesh, and post tension cables. We also scan for conduits and radiant heat tubes as well.

At GPRS safety is one our #1 priority, when saw cutting or drilling the last thing you or our technicians want, is to hit a surprise conduit in the slab. While you may think that there is nothing in the ground, there is an unfortunate number of clients that call because they were proven wrong. The price of one of our project managers is well worth the price compared to the costs of repairing a mishap later on.

If you have any questions about GPRS applications or would have a need for GPR, feel free to contact Parker Schings at (224) 422-7284 or parker.schings@gprsinc.com.

If you are outside the Chicago area, GPRS is nationwide so please visit the contact page to find your closest local Project Manager.