Visual Analysis Tool Aims to Prevent Concrete Deck Errors
Quartz’s Concrete Deck Analysis service uses automated and human visual analysis to catch deck-prep errors.
IMAGE COURTESY OF QUARTZ
When preparing to place concrete for a floor deck, it can be easy to miss a few out-of-place sleeves or other elements, which can cause problems down the line once the deck is cured. Walking the site while double-checking the deck installations against 2D drawings is one way to be sure, but jobsite camera service provider Quartz is trying to off-load and automate some of that work.
Quartz currently offers networked, 4K camera systems to be mounted on a jobsite’s tower crane and other vantage points for high-resolution video coverage of a project. It has launched Concrete Deck Analysis, which performs automated and human-based visual analysis of floor decks prior to concrete placement, checking the images against 2D plans.
“These deck elements—like the cans used to make penetrations—may be 50¢ apiece, but there are lots of them, and if you miss one, it could be tens of thousands of dollars in rework,” explains Conor Lenahan, head of product and co-founder of Quartz.
The Concrete Deck Analysis system uses photogrammetry to stitch together images of the deck from the tower crane-mounted cameras and aligns them with 2D drawings provided by the contractor. Quartz then has its team of experienced construction professionals review the images for discrepancies. The service is usually able to turn around the results in about six hours, says Lenahan.
“We [at Quartz] are always looking at the top of the deck anyway,” says Lenahan. “So we can pull out high-res images of the deck at any time.” Quartz’s system is designed to work with 2D drawings of floor decks but can also work with BIM files if necessary. Lenahan says the idea is to use it as an overnight service, so even on an aggressive schedule, contractors can be informed of any problems before concrete placement begins. “We already track what you’re doing on the deck, [so] we can give you an actionable report on where subcontractors and trades need to go back out and review their work—see what they might have missed.”
Quartz plans to offer Concrete Deck Analysis as part of its existing site-monitoring service. Lanahan adds that the company also is exploring other possibilities for work-tracking and quality-control services based on Quartz’s image captures of its customers’ jobsites.
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