The ELOP Insight is a revolutionary ultrasonic scanning solution for inspecting concrete structures. It is the first of its kind in the world, offering a smart and efficient way to scan a wide range of concrete structures, including bridges, dams, tunnels and buildings.
At Xradar, we’re excited to partner with ELOP to bring its state-of-the-art technology to North America. Adding it to the arsenal of our own cutting-edge proprietary equipment further advances our services.
What is Ultrasound Scanning?
Ultrasonic Pulse Echo (UPE) tomography has been increasingly used for inspections of concrete structures in the last 5-10 years. Ultrasonic waves have an almost 100% return rate upon hitting air, meaning they are very useful at detecting voids, cracks and delamination within concrete structures. Ultrasound, in contrast to Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) can also penetrate metal, to an extent, and can achieve much greater depths allowing the inspection of much thicker concrete structures. UPE and GPR can complement each other in order to provide a much more complete survey of the internal condition of a structure.
What is the ELOP Insight and how is it different?
In a nutshell; ELOP Insight is a state-of -the-art UPE scanner with the first of its kind - rolling transducers.
Thanks to its rolling design, the device can scan large concrete areas 10 times quicker than other ultrasound scanners. That means substantially greater value for our clients. Our technicians can cover large structures in a cost-effective and quick manner, resulting in accurate results at reasonable time and cost.
Data collection with traditional UPE can be slow and tedious and doesn't typically allow for easy data presentation. Elop seemed to have solved this problem!
The typical structures required for inspection using Ultrasound are large, often industrial structures such as bridges, dams and thicker concrete walls and slabs. The inspection of these structures is becoming increasingly important as they age and the amount of structures across the world is only increasing. The ELOP Insight we believe has made a huge step in the industry of the ability to inspect these structures.
The more accessible and cost effective it is, the more structures can be inspected, maintaining their longevity and preventing incidents. Simultaneously, the technology and abilities of this technology will improve exponentially as the volume of inspections increase.
The Nitty Gritty
It’s designed to efficiently and accurately collect data on critical infrastructure, using ultrasound sensors that transmit and receive acoustic signals. These signals are used to create real-time 3D visualizations of subsurface construction, providing an in-depth look at the structure's integrity. The solution's quick and accurate assessment capabilities make it a valuable tool for ensuring the safety and longevity of critical infrastructure.
ELOP Insight utilizes a scalable, cloud-based application for data storage, where all stakeholders can access relevant information, models, images, historical data, and reports in one central location. This allows for easy and efficient collaboration between engineers, contractors, and concrete specialists.
What are some of its applications?
The rolling transducer can detect voids, air pockets, cracks, delamination, debonding, and honeycombing. It can be utilized to monitor structural defects on major infrastructure such as:
- Parking Garages
- Ferry Terminals
- Docks and Piers
- Dams
- Tunnels
- Bridges
- Nuclear Power Plants
- Offshore Oil Rigs
- Concrete Buildings
A common and more recent issue where ultrasound can excel is with post tension (PT) buildings and structures using PT ducts. Ungrouted sections (see figure 3) of PT ducts can cause a huge problem structurally. The ability to detect ungrouted sections of PT ducts is a huge advantage.
Do you have a large-scale piece of infrastructure that requires inspection? Between Xradar Concrete Scanning and ELOP Rolling Pulse Echo, we have you covered. Get in touch with us today to book your next NDT survey.
