Construction Monitoring — Why It’s Important.
Sep 23 · 6 min read
Construction monitoring is a crucial aspect of the capital-intensive building industry. Some codes and regulations underline the minimum requirements in terms of safety, reliability, and durability. From pre-construction inspections to construction progress tracking and structural health monitoring, these regulations ensure that such constructions are sustainable, safe, and durable.
Monitoring also applies to a wide range of projects ranging from small apartment complexes to extensive infrastructure such as tunnels, dams, bridges, ports, and terminals, among others. There are various aspects of construction monitoring. Some of the prominent examples include photo condition inspections, vibration, and movement monitoring, geotechnical instrumentation, high definition scanning and more.
Here in New York City, building code requires surveys and monitoring of construction work within a 90-foot vicinity of designated landmark buildings. Technical policy and procedure notice, TPPN 10/88 discloses the monitoring measures required for intrusive construction. The monitoring program of both landmark and non-landmark structure includes a combination of services touched on in this post.
The services you choose will depend on the type of construction (bridge, highway, storied building) and your local building code. Construction monitoring also involves using various conventional and emerging technologies in robotics and precision survey, non-destructive testing solutions, imaging, and structural analysis. The goal is to facilitate the building of reliable construction without impacting surrounding structures.
Here are four essential construction monitoring services you will come across for most urban projects:
Photo Condition Survey
Photo condition inspection is an essential service that involves conducting existing condition surveys to provide comprehensive photographic documentation of the area pre/post-construction. It is usually performed on adjacent structures of all types… tunnels, buildings, landmarks, and any other sensitive constructions. This is particularly vital if the development involves blasting and jack-hammering. The inspection comes in two main phases that include pre-construction and post-construction surveys.
The initial review examines the existing conditions and suitability to develop a documented benchmark for parties involved, including neighbors. Following construction, a post-inspection survey provides insights regarding the presence of impacts on the sensitive buildings around the construction site. They may also include the third aspect for periodic photographic documentation in between construction phases in the events concerns or complaints arise.
Vibration Monitoring
A typical vibration monitor installation on a brick facade.
Vibration monitoring is another essential service in the urban construction industry. According to the New York City Department of Buildings, vibration monitoring examines construction impacts on important buildings such as landmarks, historic buildings, and apartment buildings, among others. Seismograph equipment are strategically installed on adjacent structures to record and report vibration impacts.
You can monitor vibrations remotely using seismic equipment or have monitoring technicians man the surveys. It may be necessary to have both and this will vary from project to project. The convenience of vibration monitoring services is that it offers both real-time alerts and data reports in the event project thresholds are exceeded. Thanks to modern technology, clients are able to access this data remotely as well as on-site.
Movement Monitoring (Surveying & Tilt)
Movement monitoring is another critical aspect of building protection. Monitoring movement may involve the use of manual / automated surveys and specialized equipment such as tilt-meters, inclinometers and crack gauges. These methods are used to measure if there is any directional movement of adjacent structures above and below ground.
Automated Motorized Total Station (AMTS) on a steel monument.
Automatic survey instruments are commonly increasing on larger long-term projects. Automated motorized total stations (AMTS) are wireless surveying devices used in conjunction with reflective optical prisms and computing software. The prisms are mounted to adjacent structures which the AMTS records point coordinates from at time-intervals set by project requirements. With the convenience of the AMTS’s unattended operation, this naturally improves safety, lowers costs, and provides data and alarms 24/7.
The Tower of Pisa could use some tilt-meters. Tilt monitors are mounted to structures and actively monitor leveling. Data from tilt-meters are transmitted wireless and measures movement in degrees (radial). In the event a building is experiencing shifts, the monitoring system will notify all project parties once the project thresholds are exceeded.
Cracks are everywhere! The necessity of crack monitoring will be determined after the pre-condition surveys. In the event that structural (and occasional cosmetic) cracks are documented, crack gauges are adhered with epoxy and then taped on each side of the crack. Crack gauges provides project managers data on crack widening and/or lengthening. With this data, the project can keep track of site conditions and if necessary, take precautionary measures.
A crack gauge monitoring a step crack on a brick facade of an adjacent building.
With movement monitoring as an essential construction monitoring service, a myriad of smaller services that examine a specific aspect will supplement your monitoring program and peace of mind.
Air Quality Monitoring
Air quality monitoring intends to rule out the existence of particulates and impurities that arise because of the ongoing construction. With modular and automated instruments capable of providing real-time results, the service seeks to monitor air quality and assure that air quality is not compromised by construction. It also differentiates construction impacts from issues other than the construction. You can read a case study by Aeroqual, which features the MTA Long Island Railroad ( LIRR )expansion project leveraging air monitoring.
Reliable air quality monitoring services are designed to maximize safety, debunk false allegations and avoid construction delays. The primary goal is to maintain air quality within the required standards. Advanced data collection instruments may eliminate the need for site investigation.
Other Construction Monitoring Services
According to studies, there are numerous minor monitoring and surveying services that accompany a capital intensive construction project. From ground and groundwater inspection to advanced 3D laser testing, precision surveys, and sound and noise monitoring, these services are widespread and interrelated.
Construction monitoring services generally aim to verify the project’s ability to comply with local requirements and minimize impacts to adjacent structures. Several different services fall within the building and construction codes in NYC.
Conclusion
Construction monitoring is an industry on its own and growing in parallel with the real estate and construction industries. The field covers a broad list of activities and legislature that govern standards at every scale. Whether it is a small story building or a federal infrastructure project, there are various considerations and monitoring requirements. Most services are connected, but the scale and construction code may vary as you move through the landscape of prospect projects.
As a project manager, it is essential to review your options carefully before choosing your construction monitoring vendor. The monitoring services you include in your project and the reports you gather will be crucial in unexpected scenarios and support decision making. As such, you should ensure you work with credible, reputable construction monitoring firms. They should demonstrate both experience and capacity to meet your needs as well as assure you’re in compliance with NYC’s construction codes.
About Vibranalysis
Working as a premiere services consultant, Vibranalysis has provided a wide range of instrumentation and monitoring services to general contractors, construction management companies, engineering firms, building owners, developers, excavators and demolition companies.
Vibranalysis was founded in May of 1986 by President Linda Socquet, and has been servicing the New York Metro area for over 30 years.
About the Author
Jabber Al-Bihani Jr. is an engineer in training (E.I.T.) and a life long entrepreneur. As a child of a small business family, he experienced first hand the commitments required to run a successful business. After years of testing ideas and failing businesses, he’s found his journey with Komeeda. As CEO and founder, he built a food hospitality technology platform to support small local businesses. He also operates an events production and catering company (Catering by Komeeda). His full time role is Vice President of Field Operations at Vibranalysis Inc., a high-touch construction monitoring and special inspections services company based out of NYC. He is motivated by his mission to develop intentional self-sustained communities for displaced people.