eGate jobsite sensors represent the latest advancement in condition monitoring technology for the construction industry, with cellular data connection for remote site monitoring and alerts. This enables project managers to have visibility into their construction jobsite conditions, even when they are not at the jobsite themselves. With real-time monitoring of air temperature, humidity, concrete moisture, hazardous air particles, dust, and VOC, project managers can be more proactive in ensuring that they are meeting the project requirements and government regulations.

Concrete Measurement

eGate’s new wireless sensor family includes the latest technology for concrete moisture (RH) and temperature monitoring. Unlike other concrete sensor vendors, eGate supports multiple measurement methods.

Industry experts say approximately 85% of all floor installation failures result from moisture problems. In fact, in the USA moisture accounts for more than $1 billion in flooring damages annually. Many building contractors work on a fast-track construction schedule, so the timing of the floor installation is always critical. When done too early, high moisture content in the concrete may damage the floor materials and cause mold growth. If done too late, the project crew will lose time while waiting.

For flooring contractors, who must use ASTM F2170 drill-hole humidity check to secure manufacturer’s warranty, eGate has developed a new eGate nSense sensor. It works according to ASTM standard, but is unique in its ability to remotely connect to the smartphone via cloud. The benefit is that the floor installation crew does not have to pay repeat visits to the jobsite to check if the concrete is cured, but instead will get an automated mobile alert when it is time to start the installation.

eGate Concrete sensor help saving time and improving the quality of flooring work. The measurement results and trend are also stored in the database, so that if problems come up later it is possible to go back to the record and see the exact conditions during the flooring project.

eGate Deep sensor is zip-tied to rebars before pouring the concrete. It measures the concrete temperature and humidity from inside the slab, and reports wirelessly to the cloud, making the data available for mobile users and reporting. Knowing the concrete batch mix and the measured temperature curve, the sensor can also calculate the concrete strength (Maturity Method), as an alternative to the traditional “crunching the cylinder” ASTM C31 method.

A battery powered EGate Deep will continue operating inside the concrete slab for up to 5 years after its installation. This enables contractors and owners to monitor the concrete structures over longer term and detect potential problems and water leaks also later during the building operations.

Air Temperature and Relative Humidity

Responsible project management will always monitor the air temperature and humidity at construction site, so that the impact of temperature variations and humidity to building structures and insulation can be controlled already from the very beginning of the project.

The high precision eGate RH-IN temperature and humidity transmitter monitors the environment both at the jobsite and inside the building. It will also report results and alerts wirelessly to the eGate Cloud platform, to be shared with all mobile users.

Dust and Airborne Hazardous Particles

Dust in the air created by cutting, grinding, and drilling can contain silica particles. This respirable silica dust causes lung disease and lung cancer. It only takes a very small amount of airborne silica dust to create a health hazard. Therefore, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 29 CFR 1926.1153 requires construction employers to keep worker exposures at or below a Permissible Exposure Level (PEL) of 50 µg/m3.

There are several ways in mitigating the impact of excessive dust to workers and buildings, from Hepa Vacs dust removal, using water with tools, to using protective masks. But how can project management actually monitor how much dust is in the air? Especially when they are not at the jobsite? eGate has a solution.

eGate Dust sensors were developed for remote dust monitoring service. It monitors dust in the air in several particle size categories, from fine dust, that can cause health hazard, to visible dust that can cause problems when migrating to the clean side of the building.

eGate Dust analyses the measurement data and the exposure levels, and triggers alerts when the safety limits are exceeded. This keeps workers safe and the project compliant with the OSHA regulations.

Excess amount of dust can also impact the work efficiency and safety. It may create additional cost through repeat cleaning, and in the right circumstances dry dust in the air can even cause fire or explosions. Well planned dust abatement and monitoring is therefore critical in mitigating risks and safety hazards during the construction project.

Differential pressure, commonly called DP, is a great tool that can be used to make sure dust stays away from the clean side of the building. DP sensor measures the difference in pressure between the clean and dirty sides, and alerts if the pressure change may push the dusty air on the clean side. eGate DP sensor was developed for this exact purpose, for monitoring the pressure difference for dust control.

Cramo Oy selected eGate in its portfolio for the construction market

Cramo Corp., one of the largest equipment rental firms in Europe, has used eGate solutions now for two years in its remote condition monitoring services. Cramo Oy’s Project Manager, Mr. Mika Aalto, says that customer feedback has been very positive. Says Mr Aalto: “There are many traditional ways to monitor construction site conditions, but after our initial tests with eGate, we decided to start using it as our primary monitoring solution due to its reliability and accuracy. Detailed wireless reports and data analytics increase the transparency during the project and improve the reliability of the building process. This eventually leads to better quality and safety.”

Is it time to connect your phone to the jobsite environmental data? We are here to help! Contact our product experts now for pricing and technical details.