Concrete strength predictions streamline workflow at London City Airport

A new concrete deck at London City Airport has been laid more precisely and in good time, thanks to concrete prediction technology.

Concrete contractor Converge placed sensors in freshly poured concrete which sent temperature data to a Cloud-based system, to inform engineers when the concrete is at the correct temperature for maximum strength. After analysing data from 10,0000 sensors, Converge created an algorithm that predicts concrete strength.

Raphael Scheps, co-founder of Converge, said:

“Predictions are 95% accurate. We have had instances where we are predicting it down to a 10-minute window, which is incredibly accurate.”

The London City Airport project marks the first time the algorithms created from the sensor data have been used commercially. The new deck extension was completed in sections, and engineers needed to know when each section had reached full strength. Plant and deliveries of materials could not be placed on understrength concrete. After pouring concrete for a new section of the deck extension, the system combined the local weather data with the algorithms to predict when each section of concrete had reached maximum strength and it was safe for the concrete to support heavy loads.

This technology could be used in other large concrete flooring projects. The developers of the system are confident that no standard tests need to be made to assess whether the concrete is at full strength as the predictions are accurate. It is claimed that the speed and efficiency gains created by the system are significant.