The Challenge
A soon-to-open shopping mall in Petaling Jaya engaged Sonicon to assess 5 proposed coring points within a book café unit. The cores were needed to install a new water discharge system. However, before any work could proceed, the building consultant raised concerns that uncontrolled coring could potentially impact the structural integrity of the slab, particularly if post-tension (PT) cables were present. The client needed confirmation of safe zones to avoid costly damage and delays.
Our Approach & Result
We conducted a structural assessment using Xradar™ concrete scanning at all 5 designated points. The high-resolution scans allowed our team to identify the embedded items such as rebar and potential PT cables within the slab. At one of the proposed locations, post-tension cables were detected directly beneath the core area. As a result, the coring position was shifted, preventing a high-risk strike. The full scan process was completed in just 1 hour, enabling the client to proceed with installation safely and without disruption.
Structural upgrades in commercial buildings often come with hidden risks, especially when post-tensioned slabs are involved. At a new shopping mall in Petaling Jaya, the client planned to install water discharge outlets for a book café. While the task required just 5 coring points, precision was critical as one wrong hit could compromise the building’s whole structure.
Our team was brought in to scan the 5 proposed locations using Xradar™ concrete scanning technology. The goal was to verify that each location was safe to core without hitting any rebar or post-tension (PT) cables.
After thorough scanning, our engineer found that only four of the five points were safe for coring works as they detected PT cables running directly beneath the one of the marked zone. Thanks to the early detection, the client was able to shift the coring to a safer spot; avoiding unnecessary risk and keeping the project on track.
The entire process took about 1 hour, with no interruption to site operations.
