- 34 days saved across the project schedule
- $230,000 in direct cost savings (labor + machinery)
- 24-hour formwork removal cycle achieved
- 10 sensors per floor across all 17 stories
- Sensor data proved third-party lab breaks were inaccurate within 10 hours of pour
Introduction
Harvey Builders, a general contractor erecting a 17-story building covering 420,000 square feet, ran into a problem that threatened the entire project timeline. Low cylinder break results from a third-party testing lab indicated the concrete did not meet specified strength requirements — setting the project back three weeks.
The Problem
Third-party lab results showed the concrete was failing to meet specified compressive strength, triggering a three-week delay. The contractor could not proceed with formwork removal or post-tensioning until the discrepancy was resolved. The core question: was the concrete actually underperforming, or were the test results unreliable?
Sensytec’s Solution
Sensytec deployed 10 SensyCast sensors per floor to track in-place temperature and compressive strength in real time. The sensor data revealed that the concrete met specified strength within just 10 hours of pouring — the third-party lab’s findings did not reflect actual in-place conditions.
Key Results
Bottom Line
When third-party testing results don’t match what’s happening in the structure, you need an independent source of truth. Sensytec’s sensors gave Harvey Builders the data to prove their concrete met spec, recover a three-week delay, and save $230,000.
Conclusion
The Harvey Builders project demonstrates the value of real-time concrete monitoring on high-rise construction. When traditional testing methods produced unreliable results, Sensytec’s sensors provided the accurate, in-place data needed to keep the project moving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did Harvey Builders save with Sensytec?
Harvey Builders saved approximately $230,000 in direct labor and machinery costs and recovered 34 days of project schedule using Sensytec real-time concrete monitoring.
What was the original problem on the Harvey Builders project?
A third-party testing lab reported low cylinder break results, suggesting the concrete failed to meet specified strength. This triggered a three-week delay because formwork couldn’t be stripped and post-tensioning couldn’t proceed.
How did Sensytec resolve the testing discrepancy?
Sensytec deployed 10 sensors per floor measuring in-place concrete temperature and compressive strength. Within 10 hours of pouring, sensor data showed the concrete had reached specified strength — proving the lab results did not reflect actual conditions.
How fast was formwork removal with Sensytec data?
Real-time strength confirmation enabled 24-hour formwork removal across the project.
How big was the Harvey Builders project?
The project was a 17-story commercial building covering 420,000 square feet.