“Time is a primary currency traded on any given construction project. At Ground Penetrating Radar Systems, our everyday efficiency in operations allows us to respond to the immediate needs of our customers, often within 24 hours or less.” (www.gprsinc.com)

A Chicago contractor needed to locate any reinforcement inside of the concrete column at one of their project sites in the downtown area. They wanted to drill in anchors so that they could install a display without drilling into the reinforcement and ruining the integrity of the column, which could cause damage to the column, as well as a potential collapse in the building. The contractor hired Ground Penetrating Radar Systems (GPRS) to come in and mark out the reinforcement and any other anomalies in the column. The scope of the project consisted of scanning the entirety of the column across 4 locations throughout the 50th floor of the tower.

Using the SIR-3000 we were able to locate and draw out the path of the reinforcement 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 its location and depth. GPRS was able to hurdle the challenge of scanning the taller portions of the column using a scissor lift to reach up to the ceiling. All GPRS project managers are authorized to operate scissor lifts and are provided with their own harness. Thanks to our service the contractor was able to anchor into clear spots and avoid hitting the reinforcement inside of the column.

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. The specific equipment that was utilized for this job was the GSSI 1600 MHz GPR Antenna. Using the antenna, we are able to scan concrete up to 14” thick and see anomalies that larger antennas would miss. GPRS also uses the RD-8100 Locator to locate live power and radio frequency (RF) signals underground. We can also detect utilities in or under concrete via induction or conduction with an exposed or known surface utility line.

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 slab, there is an unfortunate number of clients that call because they were proven wrong. The price of one of our technicians 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 through email at 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.