Ottawa, Canada: Giatec®, world leader in concrete testing technologies, believes their iCOR® corrosion detection device can help save lives by preventing building collapses resulting from rebar and concrete structural damage.
A South Florida condominium building recently collapsed due to ‘major structural damage’ and cracking to the concrete slab below the pool deck and the underground garage. As a result, the City of Miami has asked all owners of buildings over 6 stories to retain the services of a licensed structural engineer and to undertake a structural inspection for visible signs of distress by mid-August.
The Florida case is one of many instances in which structures have collapsed as a result of a lack of sufficient insight into the health of concrete structures. In June 2012 Algo Center Mall in Elliot Lake, Ontario collapsed, killing two people, due to corrosion. Giatec was selected by the Ontario Provincial Police to assist with the materials analysis and structural inspection using their iCOR corrosion detection device to accurately identify the existing deterioration in the structure of the mall.
“These tragedies could have been prevented if more in-depth and advanced testing of the state of concrete were done to detect early signs of corrosion, helping avoid loss of life, serious injury, and catastrophic structural damages. The more accurate information provided by iCOR can help building owners accelerate their rehabilitation and maintenance operations”, says Andrew Fahim, Head of Research & Development at Giatec, and ASTM WK76846 and ASTM G01.11.5: “New Test Method for Measuring Corrosion Rate of Uncoated Reinforcing Steel in Concrete” committee lead.
Factors such as rate of steel corrosion can contribute to concrete structure deterioration, resulting in structural collapse. Testing for these properties would fast track the maintenance the building needs before catastrophe occurs.
The iCOR uses Giatec’s Connection-Less Electrical Pulse Response Analysis (CEPRA) technology to detect the health of concrete structures in a matter of seconds. Other detection systems that assess corrosion must physically attach to rebar by drilling into concrete, or through other invasive means. The iCOR can measure the condition of major structures without damaging them or compromising their integrity. iCOR was presented the 2019 Corrosion Innovation Award by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE). Visit www.giatec.ca/icor to learn more about iCOR.