In an ideal situation, concrete would always cure properly and on time and contractors wouldn’t have to worry about what was going on beneath the surface. In the real world, that’s not the case. Thankfully, there are now technologies available to help contractors monitor concrete development to gain inside knowledge of the mix’s inner workings. You can see much more about sensors for environmental monitoring here.
How Concrete Sensors Work
Concrete sensors are to monitoring concrete development what a Fitbit is to keeping track of personal health metrics. They produce vital data regarding the mix’s temperature and moisture levels to determine its maturity. That data is then sent to a software program that can analyze it and offer contractors key insights they can use to improve both quality and efficiency.
The sensors are traditionally tied or anchored to the structure’s reinforcement. Modern concrete sensors are equipped with light-sensing devices that tell them when to turn on and start taking measurements. Once the concrete is poured and the sensors are no longer exposed to light, the sensors begin to transmit the information to a specialized software program.
Most concrete monitoring software developers have gone out of their way to create applications that help contractors make sense of all the data imported from the sensors. Many have corresponding software apps that can perform calculations in real-time. All contractors need to do is enter essential parameters into the app to correlate strength and temperature as maturity coefficients.
Bringing Moisture Meters Into the 21st Century
In their most basic form, concrete monitors are simply a type of moisture meter combined with a temperature sensor. Moisture meters of a similar sort have been around for decades. The ones now in use in the concrete industry initially evolved from wood moisture meters used by wood flooring contractors. Most can detect moisture accurately to a depth of around one inch, which makes concrete monitors perfect for relative tests of concrete slabs.
Fully wireless concrete sensors have only been on the market for a matter of years. They’re part of an effort to integrate concrete monitoring technologies into the Internet of Things (IoT) that extends from the construction phase all the way through the monitoring of concrete infrastructure.
When to Consider Concrete Monitoring
Concrete monitoring is helpful whenever contractors could be making more informed decisions about how and when to move forward with projects based on accurate concrete strength data. The sensors are designed specifically to transmit information from the moment they are covered through the end of the hardening stage, usually several days after pouring.
In very large concrete structures, contractors decide on suitable curing procedures based on measured temperature profiles. Having access to temperature and moisture data makes it possible to ensure better surface quality with fewer cracks and greater core strength.
Concrete monitoring is also helpful in fair-faced projects. The data provided by the sensors can make it possible to strip formwork when the concrete is at equal maturity levels even when it’s poured at disparate times, making it possible to get a suitably similar color tone between castings.
The Importance of Quality
Contractors who want to bring their current operations into the modern world should work with well-established hardware and software providers. There are now several options for concrete monitoring systems, but not all of them are created equal. Some systems are better equipped than others to handle the data requirements of larger projects, for example, and some have more user-accessible software design. When in doubt, ask for a professional opinion.
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