Infrastructure asset management is essential for long-term planning and successful operations of roads and bridges. While roads and bridges start in good repair, over time, they may become structurally deficient and require repair and even removal and replacement. By embedding GPR concrete scanning into the infrastructure asset management process, organizations can save time and money, and ensure public safety.
Evaluating Subsurface Conditions of Transportation Infrastructure
GPR concrete scanning excels in providing accurate and comprehensive subsurface data. This makes it a valuable tool for examining long stretches of roads and bridges. GPR assessment provides the data necessary for effective evaluations of the condition of infrastructure. Infrastructure and asset managers can utilize these insights to plan and budget rehabilitation efforts. Ultimately, this can place managers ahead of the curve, with timely maintenance that ensures the long-term functionality of infrastructure and prevents the need for costly replacement.
Producing Good Investment Decisions
A key role of infrastructure asset managers is to make sound investment decisions about allocating funds. While bridges and roads enter service in good condition, it is only a matter of time before they wear out due to aging and ongoing use. It is the asset manager’s job to extend the life cycle of these assets through strategic maintenance. Their goal to maximize the use of roads and bridges is constantly balanced against other priorities. In making decisions for managing infrastructure assets, having the right data at the right time becomes critical.
GPR Concrete Scanning Provide Valuable Intel for Transportation Asset Management
With GPR concrete scanning, infrastructure asset managers can capture and interpret an array of infrastructure-related information. In fact, not only can GPR unveil information about concrete, but it can give insight into many other materials, including asphalt and earth. GPR can detect granular thickness, moisture conditions, cracking, voiding, and corrosion with high precision. This information can be used to determine the structural integrity of rebar and the integrity of post-tension cables. Where traditional survey methods fail to see the entire profile of a road or bridge deck, GPR thrives.
Capturing a Continuous Subsurface Profile
There are many techniques for determining what is happening beneath the surface of roads and bridges. However, many of these techniques are not only destructive but fall short when accounting for deterioration over large areas. A common technique known as coring helps determine the profile of concrete in a very localized area. However, coring fails to provide a holistic profile of a large stretch of road or bridge. Additionally, coring can be expensive in both time and money, and it requires closing infrastructure to the public.
Closing the Information Gap
By integrating GPR concrete scanning into an infrastructure management program, organizations gain subsurface data over large areas. This means anomalies and corrosion can be uncovered at a fraction of the cost compared to other subsurface assessments, such as drilling a borehole. GPR is the ideal tool for efficient, cost-effective, and reliable infrastructure evaluations.
GPR Condition Assessments for Evaluating Transportation Assets
GPR concrete scanning is able to evaluate pavement systems, soils, and unveil environmental problems. It not only improves the range of information asset managers can collect, but it improves the accuracy of this information. This is invaluable for optimizing long-term planning for maintenance, repairs, removal, and infrastructure replacement.
GPR works by sending high-frequency radio waves into the structure or ground and then analyzing the reflected energy. These reflections create a clear profile of the subsurface features. Since the reflections are caused by changes in the electrical properties of subsurface materials, they reveal changes in moisture levels. In turn, this provides information about pavement thickness, cracks, voiding, and deterioration of rebar and post-tension cables. Time and again, GPR has proven itself as an ideal tool for investigating roads, bridges, and many concrete structures.
GPR Concrete Scanning Saves Money and Time on Infrastructure Repairs
Since data gathered through GPR surveys can provide a comprehensive profile of the condition of roads and bridges, asset managers have a much clearer idea of what areas need repairs. This allows managers to prioritize rehabilitation and maintenance spending on areas that need immediate work and more accurately determine when those areas will need work. As a result, this can reduce the overall lifecycle costs of the infrastructure and extend its longevity.
Identify Defects and Distress Early On
A critical component of infrastructure asset management in today’s age is having up-to-date and, whenever possible, real-time updates on wear and defects of infrastructure. GPR concrete scanning is one of the only non-destructive evaluation methods to offer these capabilities. GPR surveys can detect subsurface defects long before they become costlier issues and pose risks to the public. Additionally, GPR can provide subsurface information for roads and bridges in real-time. This aspect empowers asset managers to thoroughly and reliably evaluate if the infrastructure is in a safe condition and whether it needs immediate repairs. This leads to better budgeting decisions in both the short and long term.
Avoid Destructive Testing
While destructive testing, such as coring, can yield helpful insights about the condition of roads and bridge decks, there are many drawbacks to using this method. First, destructive testing is typically much more costly, and secondly, it can physically weaken infrastructure. Additionally, destructive testing typically only provides information at discrete points. In contrast, GPR concrete scanning can fill in the information between these points and provide a truly comprehensive overview of a road or bridge. Finally, destructive testing necessitates closing infrastructure to the public while GPR surveys minimize traffic disruption.
Develop a Data Library
One of the greatest benefits of GPR concrete scanning is the amount of digital data it produces. GPR Data, Inc provides comprehensive reports and 3D (x,y,z) images of infrastructure. Once this data is generated, it can be stored and used in any future analysis of the region. When GPR surveys are incorporated into the life cycle of asset management, they can be used to determine recurring patterns and allow managers to forecast what regions will need maintenance and when. This can help managers refine ongoing maintenance strategies and provide more accurate budgeting for future rehabilitation projects.
Keep Infrastructure Operational
Aside from coordinating maintenance and rehabilitation efforts, infrastructure asset managers must minimize service disruption. The cost of traffic congestion is high, and road closures should be reduced or eliminated whenever possible. With GPR concrete scanning, infrastructure can stay open while data is collected. Then, this data can be used to provide timely and effective maintenance for critical traffic junctures to ensure they stay in good repair.
Infrastructure Asset Management Benefits From GPR Surveys
GPR concrete scanning is a key way to improve infrastructure asset management. GPR scanning can lead to better decision-making in both the short and long term by providing real-time, comprehensive reports. Additionally, GPR concrete scanning is more cost-effective than non-destructive evaluations and keeps infrastructure open and safe for the public. To schedule a GPR assessment, give us a call or request a quote today.