New technology from IPC utilizes non destructive testing to help identify Issues in our nations infr
An electrical device developed by Infrastructure Preservation Corporation can test metal and concrete structures for potential problems more
efficiently than anything else available today.
Clearwater, Florida: February 20, 2016.
Each year, the number of disasters increases as our nation’s infrastructure continues to age and deteriorate. Roads crumble, rails can’t bear the load, pipelines burst and dams break causing death and tremendous devastation. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, roughly 10% of bridges across the country are ‘structurally deficient’.
One of the main reasons for this growing problem is the lack of proper and timely inspection. A prime example of this was cited in an audit performed by the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration which found that state inspectors were not properly trained, inspections were not conducted frequently enough and that the focus was not necessarily on the most compromised pipelines.
The costs of cleaning up the problems caused by faulty infrastructure are staggering – not just from the monetary standpoint but including loss of human and animal life and damage to the environment. In the summer of 2015, $62 million was spent on an oil spill clean-up along 100 miles of the Orange County coast in California. Almost $13 billion were spent and 19 lives lost due to flood damage after 36 dams collapsed in South Carolina in October.
These dramatic incidents are two high profile examples of the billions of dollars of productivity lost each year to people having to deal with problems related to outdated and failing infrastructure. The quality of roadways, bridges, dams, pipelines, levees, railways and sewage treatment plants is no longer the standard it once was as many of these structures are more than 50 years old – in some cases even nearing 100 years old when you consider water mains under city streets in Boston, New York and Philadelphia that are beginning to burst with unfortunate regularity.
Solving the problem will not only require plenty of money and effort but new technology as well. Infrastructure Preservation Corporation stands at the forefront of providing high quality inspection assessments for all types of infrastructure with a new electrical device that uses magnetic imaging to peer inside metal and concrete structures to evaluate them for corrosion, deterioration and de-lamination. According to Doug Thaler, IPC Executive Vice President, “This technology can prevent disasters, save billions of dollars and help maintain worldwide infrastructures”.
Finding and preventing structural breakdowns will reduce or eliminate the loss of life and cost significantly less in terms of making repairs instead of demolishing and rebuilding.
Current IPC technology includes an inspection system for examining suspension bridge cables “ cable stays”, post tension cables, Column scanner for bridge columns, bridge scanner, column scanner and pole crawlers that inspect high mast light poles. IPC provides Condition Assessment reports that can help identify areas where action needs to be taken.
“Future projects IPC is working on include equipment to assess oil platforms, railroad rails, ballast, base, sub-base, cruise ships, cargo liners, buildings and more” says Doug Thaler. “Our new technology can be directed towards almost any industry and we will adapt it to create new inspection standards across the board as we move forward.”
