“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 Detroit contractor needed to locate any utilities or conduits inside and underneath the concrete slab at one of their project sites in the downtown area. They wanted to excavate parts of the room so they could install sinks, walls, and electrical without striking any utilities, which could shut down power to nearby rooms/equipment, cause a water leak, or harm a worker in the area. The contractor hired Ground Penetrating Radar Systems (GPRS) to come in and mark out the utilities and any other anomalies inside and under the concrete. The scope of the project consisted of scanning the entirety of the room so they could choose areas that had the least amount of utilities to dodge.

Using the SIR-3000 we were able to locate and draw out the path of the sanitary pipes (Green), water lines (Blue) and electrical conduits (Red) within the scan area, as well as give an approximate depth to them in red paint. The utilities were clearly marked out with varying colors of paint to highlight its location and approximate depth, as well as differentiate the utilities. All of our project managers are OSHA certified and come to every project site with the correct PPE. Thanks to our service the contractor was able to excavate areas around the room without striking and damaging the underground utilities.

Our state of the art GSSI GPR equipment can send signals into concrete that send data back in real time data. The signals are safe for workplaces so there is no need for 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 technicians 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 are 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 on his cell: (810) 834-8050 or through email: parker.schings@gprsinc.com If you are outside the Detroit area, GPRS is nationwide so please visit the contact page to find your closest local Project Manager.

GPRS does not provide geophysical, geological, land surveying or engineering services. If you need such services, please contact an appropriate professional.