New Invention will change the way bridges are inspected worldwide
TendonScan™ is the first of its kind equipment to locate air, water and corrosion within bridge and highway Tendons. The tendons or post tension cables connect the segments of highways together as well as holding up many of our nations bridges.
Although the Federal Highway Administration requires all bridges to be inspected every two years the Tendons of these structures only receive visual inspections. Inspectors will sometimes hit the tendons with a hammer and listen for differences in the sound. This technology is forty years old and you would certainly get differing results with different inspectors. IPC’s TendonScan™ equipment looks inside of tendons (post tension cables) and performs a corrosion condition assessment of the steel and surrounding grout.
TendonScan™ has been demonstrated to Florida’s DOT and on the Sunshine Skyway bridge.
Florida’s contracts to inspect bridges is estimated at $1.8 billion dollars. IPC is determined to replace current inspection methods by developing sophisticated robots that offer more quantitative, less subjective testing results while at the same time making the inspections themselves easier, safer and more cost efficient.
There are approximately 126,000 segmental bridges in the U.S. and millions of miles of segmental roads. The estimated market for the bridge segment at $60,000 (very light) per bridge or an estimated $7.6 billion dollars. The segmental roadways market is similar in value to the bridge segment.
A Post Tendon scan study by the federal government concluded that "It is impossible to visually assess the condition of the embedded steel elements without using invasive methods, such as drilling a hole and using a borescope. Much of the damage associated with the cables and tendons initiated and propagates are hidden from view. Further, local corrosion damage to embedded steel elements does not generally result in visually noticeable changes to the external appearance of the bridge until it is too late. In general, corrosion may result in complete collapse of the bridge without much warning."
IPC now makes makes it possible to help keep these bridges properly maintained and safe for the public.
WHAT IS IPC'S TendonScan™
TendonScan™ is a comprehensive external post-tension tendon inspection and monitoring system that utilizes leading edge non-destructive testing technology to perform Tendon Condition Assessments.
TendonScan™ locates voids, bleeding grout, air and water that leads to active and inactive corrosion. TendonScan™ provides valuable decision making condition assessment information as to when to repair or replace corroded or damaged post tension cables.
For more information about TendonScan™ or other proprietary non destructive testing methods contact the Infrastructure Preservation Corporation at 561-972-8770 or email here.
