Methods for Monitoring Foundation Health After Underpinning
Foundation monitoring is essential to building maintenance after underpinning RECTIFY. It preserves the foundation’s durability and stability and identifies faults before they become costly. Property owners and engineers monitor underpinning foundations using innovative and old methods.
Visual inspection is a simple yet efficient method for detecting errors. Qualified inspectors can see new or increasing foundation and wall fractures, floor level or alignment changes, and shifting indications like doors or windows no longer close in their frames. These examinations should be extensively documented to track changes and reveal structural integrity trends or unexpected alterations.
Technology and visual inspections are essential to foundation monitoring. Electronic monitoring systems with inclinometers and strain gauges are among the most advanced methods. These devices are strategically placed in the foundation and soil. Inclinometers can detect subtle foundation wall angle changes that may not be obvious, and strain gauges detect pressure that could cause cracks or structural collapse in foundation concrete or supporting material.
Geotechnical specialists use GPR to evaluate foundation integrity after underpinning. GPR systems send radio waves into the earth and measure their reflection from subsurface structures. Engineers can examine these reflections to find soil or foundation voids, fissures, or discrepancies that may require additional intervention.
Laser scanning is another precise foundation monitoring technology. This method provides comprehensive 3D models of the foundation and surrounding area that can be updated to detect movement or degradation. Laser scanning can identify sub-millimeter shifts, making it a high-resolution technique for long-term foundation inspection.
Hydrostatic level monitoring is another approach for identifying uneven foundation movement, which uses fluid-filled tubes surrounding the foundation. Tube fluid levels fluctuate as the foundation shifts, indicating movement areas and extent. This strategy works well for large projects with several monitoring locations.
Adding these technologies to a comprehensive monitoring system often requires a structural engineer to assess the data and prescribe remedial steps. The engineer can adjust monitoring methods to the building’s location’s dangers, such as high water tables, seismic activity, and heavy urban traffic.