17595 Harvard, Suite C-237, Irvine, CA 92614 PH 714.427.0501 FAX 714.427.0502
Description of Equipment and Services
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Minimize
the risk of coring or cutting through rebar, cable, and subsurface utilities.
Experience
Structure Scans
Inspection Resources Company (IRC) trained technicians have successfully located wire mesh, rebar, post-tensioned cable and energized (120/220V) conduit in concrete over metal deck, pre-fab deck assemblies, formed decks, walls and slab-on-grade, as well as rebar and voids in masonry walls. More complicated investigations have included mapping of multi-layer rebar with concrete coverage detailed within +/- .10 to .20 inch for rebar 1.25 inches or less below the surface and .25 to .40 inch for rebar coverage greater than 1.25 inch.
Contractors have drilled with small diameter concrete bits and successfully verified our accuracy for both location and depth findings. In cases where IRC findings have been compared to findings by other GPR companies on the same project, IRC accuracy far surpasses that of our competitors. The reason for this is the selective use of GPR antenna frequencies and the use of supporting equipment to verify the GPR findings.
IRC has constructed calibration models; concrete sections with rebar, conduit, pipe, energized wire and changes in thickness used to train our technicians.
IRC projects, either direct or through approved testing agencies, have included the multi-million dollar L.A. Live project, LAUSD Vista Hermosa, UCLA Parking Facility, UCI Rowland Hall, Starbucks, Glendale Galleria, 2000 Avenue of the Stars, the multi-story Current condominium project and many more comparable and smaller scale projects.
Plumbing, electrical, mechanical and structural contractors can count on IRC to provide quality services. Our staff will interact with the client to best determine a course of action. If there are limitations expected in the test results, IRC will inform the client up-front.
AT&T
Costa Mesa Police Department
Burlington Coat Factory
Fashion Island
Glendale Galleria
Japanese Cultural Center
John Wayne Airport
LA Meridian
LA Live
LATTC
LAUSD
LAX
Melrose Parking Structure
Newark Pacific
Paul Martins
Total Western
UCI
UCLA
Universal Studios
USC
Walgreens
Underground Utility Locating
IRC has developed close working relationships with communications infrastructure companies and underground utility contractors; providing clients with underground utility locating and mapping services to clear the way for underground fiber-optic trenching and boring operations. Using a variety of sophisticated locating equipment, IRC remains in high demand for it's reliable prompt service and competitive pricing.
Using ground penetrating radar, electromagnetic tracing methods and known landmarks, IRC personnel conduct a thorough examination of client designated areas to identify concealed underground piping, telecommunications cable and electrical power lines prior to any proposed excavation. Underground targets are marked using recognized APWA paint markings and/or flag markers when specific services are identified (e.g. gas, water, sewer, communications, and power).
Our underground testing equipment can often detect utilities not previously identified by Underground Service Alert or verify the accuracy of older 'USA' markings.
IRC field reports include the use of digital photography to record site locate findings.
Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Equipment
IRC uses two separate types of ground penetrating radar (GPR) equipment: structure scan equipment for locating rebar, PT cable, live conduit, and voids in concrete and masonry structures, and underground scanning equipment for locating buried utilities and changes in geological substrate (e.g. old trenches).
GPR equipment provides a high resolution, cross-sectional image of the subsurface. A short pulse of electromagnetic energy is radiated downward. When this pulse strikes an interface between layers of material with different electrical properties, part of the wave reflects back, and the remaining energy continues to the next interface. Depth measurements to interfaces are determined from travel time of the reflected pulse and the velocity of the radar signal.
The GPR method provides a very rapid means of non-intrusive data collection. The system is most commonly moved along the surface at a consistent rate as data is continuously collected. The depth at which a feature can be imaged is largely dependent on subsurface material type (resistive versus conductive). Clay soils and "green" concrete are not conducive to the GPR method due to the high moisture content. Aged concrete and sand/silt/loam soils and cured concrete are good candidates for GPR imaging.
Equipped with EM sensor capabilities, GRP systems can detect concealed 50/60 Hz energized wiring circuits when performing structure scans on concrete and masonry structures.
Unlike radiographic inspection, GPR does not require clearing personnel from the testing area or down-time for film development and interpretation. Unlike radiography, GPR typically requires physical access to only one side of a structural component. Findings are instantaneous.
Electromagnetic and Metal Detection Devices
A covermeter is a device to locate and size rebar and to measure the concrete cover over rebar. The covermeter creates a low frequency electromagnetic field with a coil. The inductance of this coil changes when metal objects are put near to the coil. The change of inductance depends of the type of steel, the quantity and the distance between the steel and the coil. The influence of magnetic metals (base metals) is much greater than the influence of non magnetic metals (precious metals).
Metal detectors use two coils of wire. Each coil is connected to an oscillator that generates thousands of pulses of current per second. As the pulses travel through each coil, the coil generates radio waves. A tiny receiver within the control box picks up the radio waves and creates an audible series of tones (beats) based on the difference between the frequencies. If the coil in the search head passes over a metal object, the magnetic field caused by the current flowing through the coil creates a magnetic field around the object. The object's magnetic field interferes with the frequency of the radio waves generated by the search-head coil. As the frequency deviates from the frequency of the coil in the control box, the audible beats change in duration and tone, allowing the user to make determinations on the location and type of metal being detected.
Additional electromagnetic induction and detection devices have been utilized for many years to detect and trace underground utilities including pipe and buried electrical lines. The newer equipment utilizes recent technological advancements and software to provide reliable locates and mapping of underground utilities. When utilized with ground penetrating radar equipment, electromagnetic and metal detection devices provide a high level of customer confidence.
Radiography (X-Ray and Gamma Ray Testing)
Radiography is a nondestructive testing method that examines a specimen showing any changes in thickness, defects (internal and external), and assembly details to ensure specified quality standards and construction. Radiography is used for a variety of applications but is commonly performed using two different sources of radiation; X-Ray and/or Gamma Ray sources. The choice of radiation sources depends primarily on the size of the component and the material thickness. Inspection Resources Company utilizes radiography to locate rebar, PT cable, conduit and voids in concrete decks and walls where access is available to both sides. Radiography may be called for when it is critical to differentiate indications from concealed PT cable, conduit or fiber optic raceways from rebar.
Inspection Resources Company offers a full range of industrial X-ray equipment and techniques for the inspection of concrete and steel assemblies. We will work with you to identify the most appropriate solution to ensure optimum technique, performance, speed and economy for your application.
There are
many advantages to radiography including: inspection of a wide variety of
material types, ability to inspect assembled components, minimum surface
preparation, the ability to detect both surface and subsurface defects and the
ability to provide a permanent record of the inspection. The disadvantages of
radiography are: safety precautions are required for the safe use of radiation,
access to both sides of the specimen are required, orientation of the sample is
critical, and determining flaw depth is not possible without additional angled
exposures.
Inspection
Resources Co.
17595 Harvard, Suite C-237
Irvine, CA 92614
PH 714.427.0501 FAX 714.427.0502
Email:
info@siteinspected.com
