GPR surveys and visual inspections for National Highways

A Structural Repairs company conducted innovative bridge inspections on the M5 Avonmouth River Crossing for National Highways. The team performed Visual Bearing Inspections and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys using robotic crawlers. This approach met tight deadlines, increased site safety, and reduced reliance on traditional methods like rope access. The technique provided high-quality data, near-complete asset coverage, and faster inspection times, significantly enhancing efficiency in critical infrastructure maintenance.

The Challenge

Our team faced a complex task on the M5 Avonmouth River Crossing: inspecting critical infrastructure with 70,000 daily vehicle crossings without disruption. We needed to conduct comprehensive inspections, eliminate dangerous working-at-height methods, achieve near 100% asset coverage within tight deadlines, and deliver high-quality data for Visual Bearing Inspections and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) assessments. All while meeting National Highways' SBIM contract requirements and ensuring safety, efficiency, and quality.

The Solution:

A Structural Repairs company implemented an innovative robotic crawler system to meet National Highways' strict inspection standards while eliminating dangerous rope access methods. The crawlers featured interchangeable attachments, including high-definition cameras for Visual Bearing Inspections and GPR for concrete condition assessments.

Structural Repairs team operating robotic crawler for GPR survey on M5 Avonmouth Bridge

The Process:

Robotic crawlers navigated the bridge structure, focusing on critical areas like bridge support bearings. HD cameras captured detailed video and images of each bearing atop the piers. For concrete assessments, advanced GPR technology located and measured rebar depth and estimated concrete thickness. This GPR survey method allowed comprehensive inspections without disrupting traffic flow. The effectiveness of this approach was affirmed by National Highways, with the Bridge Manager stating: "Structural Repairs robots are fast and safe and give high quality data with no working at height". This feedback underscores the significant advantages of using robotic technology for infrastructure inspections, particularly in terms of safety, efficiency, and data quality.

Structural Repairs' HB1 robot conducting GPR screening on National Highways' M5 Avonmouth Bridge railway crossing

Structural Repairs team operating HB1 robot for GPR survey on National Highways' M5 Avonmouth Bridge rail crossing

The Result:

The implementation of robotic crawlers delivered remarkable outcomes. Working at height was completely eliminated, dramatically enhancing safety. This innovative approach provided near-total asset coverage, offering an economically viable solution for comprehensive inspections that were previously too costly or time-consuming with traditional methods. Data quality saw significant improvements, particularly for bearing inspections, due to the robots' ability to position extremely close to inspection points. Crucially, this process demonstrated to National Highways that high-quality data could be collected efficiently, meeting tight deadlines and reducing the inspection backlog while upholding the highest standards of safety and accuracy. The success of this project showcased the potential of advanced technology to revolutionize infrastructure inspections, setting a new benchmark for efficiency and thoroughness in the industry.

Discover how crawler climbing robots can revolutionize your non-destructive testing (NDT) and GPR ground-penetrating radar projects. These innovative solutions reduce work at height, increase safety and quality, and lower costs.

For more information on how this technology can be applied to various structures, visit our concrete scanning services page to learn about our comprehensive range of inspection solutions.

By partnering with Structural Repairs, any emerging structural problems in a critical section of their infrastructure can be effectively addressed, ensuring that operations remain uninterrupted and efficient.

Contact us today to learn how to implement this cutting-edge technology in your infrastructure inspections and GPR surveys!

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