Concrete Scanning – Know Before You Cut

Scan for Rebar, Pipes, Post-Tension Cables & More

Before cutting, coring, or drilling into concrete, you need to know what’s beneath the surface. GPR Arkansas provides professional concrete scanning services using ground penetrating radar (GPR) to locate rebar, post-tension cables, conduits, pipes, utilities, and other hidden hazards. Our non-destructive concrete scanning helps avoid costly damage, project delays, and safety risks.

What Can Concrete Scanning Detect?

Drilling, cutting, or coring concrete without scanning first can damage hidden utilities and create serious safety hazards.

Concrete scanning can locate embedded objects and hidden hazards including:

• Rebar
• Post-tension cables
• Beams
• Pipes
• Gas lines
• Fiber optic cables
• Sanitary lines
• Conduits
• Refrigerant lines
• Utility lines

How Does Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Work?

During a concrete scan, a GPR technician systematically moves a handheld scanner or GPR cart across the concrete surface. High-frequency radar waves pass through the concrete and reflect back when they encounter buried objects, allowing technicians to identify and mark their locations before work begins.

Why is Concrete Scanning Important?

You can reduce the risk of cutting lines or damaging equipment by determining the location of horizontal and vertical impediments. GPR can identify the presence of utilities like electrical conduits, plumbing pipes, and communication cables within or beneath the concrete. This prevents accidental damage to these systems during drilling, which could potentially result in safety hazards and costly repairs.

Post-tension cables also pose a significant safety hazard if they are cut during drilling.

“Using GPR to do scanning before cutting through the concrete prevents a lot of potential problems,” said Jessi Taylor, of GPR Arkansas.

Benefits of GPR Concrete Scanning

GPR is superior to several other means of concrete scanning for several reasons:

1. Non-Destructive: The concrete is not harmed during the scan, maintaining its structural integrity.
2. Versatility: GPR can be used in a variety of environments and doesn’t require as smooth of a surface as other means of concrete scanning.
3. Can Detect Non-Metallic Objects: Some other means of concrete scanning only detect the presence of metal (or in some cases ferrous metal). GPR can give you a more complete picture, detecting not just rebar but also conduit, voids and more.
4. Portability and Set-Up: Unlike methods that use X-rays, GPR equipment is more portable and it also does not require special safety precautions to guard against radiation exposure.

When Should a Concrete Scan Be Conducted?

GPR should be used during construction, remodeling, or renovation projects with pre-existing concrete floors.

Any project that will require cutting, coring, or drilling into the concrete needs to first be scanned. Using Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) prior to drilling into concrete is a highly recommended practice to locate potential hazards, reduce the risks associated with drilling and ensure that the structural integrity of the concrete is maintained.

For more information about commercial GPR work, contact GPR Arkansas.

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