As an advocate of quality , we know quality facade reports result in quality repairs. Thermography is a tool that is showing rapid growth and an ability to provide end users with an Empirical Data-Driven snapshot of their assets health.
Quality facade inspections that deliver a greater understanding are paramount to enabling rectification specialists to select the most effective techniques, products and access methods. Equipped with the right information contractors can ensure the results are of a high quality, long lasting and cost effective; saving the client’s time and budget.
Thermographic technology and its applications has grown rapidly over the past decade, with the use of thermal imaging we can study heat distribution in structures giving a better insight into a facade’s structural properties than traditional and potentially destructive hammer (tap) tests.
How does Thermography compare?
| Partial Hammering (tap) Inspection + Visual Inspection | Thorough Hammering (tap) Inspection | Thermographic Infrared Inspection | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compliance to BCA Facade Inspection Requirements |  | |  |
| Informative quality |  | | |
| Recording of Results | | | |
| Cost | | | |
| Rope Access | | | |
| BMU | | | |
| Scaffold | | | |
| Safety | | | |
| Impact on Building Occupants | | | |
| Impact on Building | | | |
| Impact on weather conditions | | | |
| Barely Effective | Adequate | Most Effective |
| | |
The Process and Advantages of Thermography
Damage detection of concrete infrastructure
The deterioration of concrete infrastructure is a growing problem worldwide; many structures are approaching the end of their service lives and need maintenance or rehabilitation in order to remain functional. In spite of recent increases in public infrastructure investments, infrastructure is deteriorating faster than it is being renewed. Various factors can contribute to the deterioration of concrete infrastructure; mechanical stress and fatigue, and chemical and environmental conditions are among the major causes concrete distress
Advances in thermography imaging for sub-surface damage detection
Visual colour and greyscale imagery of concrete greatly extend natural vision capabilities in terms of colour and greyscale perception. Human vision is relatively poor at differentiating the brightness and colour features in the scene being viewed, whereas greyscale digital imagery can provide hundreds of levels of grey and colour digital imaging allows the quantitative differentiation of millions of different colours
Looking at the table above, it is quite clear that a Thermographic inspection far exceeds the conventional visual and tap test that most inspectors will employ. The reduced impact on the buildings render, concrete, sealant and cladding as well as the buildings occupants takes a lot of strain and pressure off contractors and building owners/managers alike. Different access methods makes this technology an efficient and effective means of developing an accurate image of your structure or buildings problems.
However, to obtain a quality and informative Thermography inspection ensure your contractor uses:
- experienced personnel with experience to determine what areas of the facade should be analysed,
- well trained and certified camera operators to capture data – there are many niche facets underpinning accurate thermal data acquisition, and
- finally an operator familiar with structural materials and infrared technology to analyse and draw accurate conclusions; preferably an Engineer
