Austin Commercial Case Study

OVERVIEW OF AUSTIN COMMERCIAL AND PROJECT CHALLENGES

Derek Howton, serving as a Senior Field Engineer at Austin Commercial, offered valuable insights into the firm's deployment of DEWALT Concrete Sensors on a current large project. Austin Commercial, a Dallas-based construction management firm, undertakes a wide array of projects spanning manufacturing plants, hospitals, and sports arenas. With a tenure of 26 years at Austin Commercial, Derek has played a pivotal role in overseeing diverse construction endeavors, ensuring their seamless execution and timely completion.

THE PROJECT

This ongoing project involves the construction of a wafer manufacturing plant crucial for chip production. Derek highlighted the challenge of ensuring the integrity of massive concrete foundations supporting sensitive machinery. He emphasized the concerns raised by their supervising Structural Engineer regarding temperature differentials within the massive concrete structures during curing, posing potential structural issues.

On top of these foundations lie the plants, each approximately 14 feet long, 10 feet wide, and 14 feet tall, comprising nearly 100 yards of concrete in substantial blocks. Depending on the vantage point, there are either six or seven of these structures. Derek mentioned that they rest atop a mat measuring 6 feet deep, around 20 feet long, and approximately 150 feet in total length. “Our structural engineer expressed concerns about the temperature differential between the inner core and the exterior of these sizable concrete structures, fearing the possibility of a cold joint forming due to the significant variation in temperatures during curing, particularly in cooler conditions,” he said.

To address this challenge, Derek and his team employed DEWALT Concrete Sensors. While they had previously used sensors tethered to concrete mixes to determine maturity, this project required a different approach. Unlike maturity meters, which are typically embedded in slabs with consistent temperatures, the concrete team needed to monitor both exterior and interior temperatures. Consequently, they strategically positioned sensors in three distinct areas on each structure. One sensor was placed at the surface, while another, affixed to a 10-foot single probe, was secured to the rebar approximately 3 feet below the surface, ensuring readings from both the exterior and middle of the foundation. This setup allowed them to verify and ensure minimal temperature discrepancies between the concrete's inner core and its surroundings. All in, they have installed 286 DEWALT Concrete sensors with 286 tails.

CHOOSING DEWALT CONCRETE SENSORS

Derek discussed the reasons behind selecting DEWALT Concrete Sensors for their latest project, emphasizing their practicality and dependable performance. He appreciated how these sensors integrate seamlessly with the existing monitoring systems and are user-friendly, making them an optimal choice for their construction needs. The connection with White Cap, established through the main superintendent, played a significant role in simplifying the implementation process of these sensors.

Further elaborating on their benefits, Derek pointed out that the sensors are particularly effective in measuring temperature differentials, which is crucial for the proper curing of concrete and avoiding potential complications. He was so satisfied with their performance that he expressed a strong preference for using DEWALT Concrete Sensors in future projects that have similar requirements. According to Derek, the reliability and straightforwardness of these sensors make them an invaluable tool for achieving project success.