21MT Scan Services – Shotcrete Scanning
21MT scan services combine expert knowledge with the latest technology to provide immediate and precise shotcrete thickness information to nozzlemen and engineers.
Our services are customised to meet every customer’s unique requirements and can be seamlessly integrated into any excavation cycle, without delay. Whether it’s the early stages of excavation or the final shotcrete lining, our Scan Technicians provide scan by scan, instant visual feedback on shotcrete thickness as it is being sprayed.
With our shotcrete scan services, our customers can rely on detailed, highly accurate data (<1mm) to achieve improvements in safety, quality, and efficiency of shotcrete application.
IMPROVED SAFETY & QUALITY
To ensure the safety and durability of ground support, it is of utmost importance that the shotcrete is installed in accordance with the specifications.
However, nozzlemen face various challenges when applying shotcrete in underground environments. The poor visibility (e.g. dust, rebound, lighting, distance, obstructed view) and the uneven rock surface mean that it is almost impossible to judge the actual thickness of the shotcrete from its surface appearance.
21MT’S INSTANT AND ACCURATE SCAN DATA IS A GAME CHANGER.
Our fully integrated services provide instant feedback to the nozzleman by visualising the actual thickness of the applied shotcrete. Under-sprayed areas can be detected and corrected in the same shotcrete application. The result is a significant improvement in both safety and quality.
Nozzlemen and engineers appreciate the visual support and our detailed scan reports enable continual improvement. Feedback received from shotcrete crews have been hugely positive.
First scan: red/yellow areas indicate shotcrete thickness under specification.
Second scan: thin areas have been identified and sprayed to specification (green / blue) in the same shotcrete application
OPTIMISED SHOTCRETE EFFICIENCY
Shotcrete materials are expensive and a major contributor to what are already costly operations. Typically, excessive shotcrete volumes are ordered to account for wastage, over-spraying, and varying skills of the nozzlemen. These types of unnecessary usage have a considerable effect on the overall cost efficiency of the operation.
21MT’s scan services allow our customers to maximise shotcrete efficiency. Based on the immediate availability of scan data, 21MT has developed a process to optimise shotcrete order volumes continually. The result is a significant reduction in unnecessary shotcrete usage, resulting in equally significant cost reductions for our clients.
In addition to the savings in raw materials, the immediate availability of shotcrete thickness information allows the crew to identify and fix thin spots within the same application. As a result, the need for expensive and time-consuming repairs or rework is minimised.
During our work in Australian tunnel projects we have demonstrated our ability to improve efficiency, through a combination of optimised shotcrete usage, reduced over-spraying and minimised rework.
Continual reduction of shotcrete volume for identical cuts / surface areas