Testing technique gives green light to antenna install

An intelligent testing technique ensured the installation of a new rooftop communications antenna in Central London could go ahead.

Lionel Whittemore, the head of D-Drill & Sawing’s special services, was called in by a contractor which was erecting a new antenna on a block of flats in the capital city.
Before making the upgrade, proof was required that the concrete was strong enough to hold the larger mast.

The turnaround was tight, so, after a brief inspection, Lionel headed back to carry out Schmidt Hammer testing – a form of non-destructive testing that measures the strength of the existing concrete in Kilonewtons.

The test measures how much a plunger in the hammer rebounds from the concrete and can identify how strong it is based on the measurements.

Lionel carried out testing in three different locations as requested by the client, then test results from each individual area were combined to establish the mean average results to form a report that was issued to the client – less than ten days after the original enquiry.
It showed that the concrete was strong enough to withstand the new antenna and could, therefore, be installed with no additional foundations required.

Due to the height and the fact that it was a one-person operation, working at height; ladder safety & training; rooftop working; first aid; lone working; and harness certifications were all required – all of which Lionel possesses.

He said: “This kind of testing process is underused by the industry and is actually really effective. It means you can use the existing concrete in situ as a base for something such as a new antenna, if it is shown to be strong enough.
“There was a really quick turnaround with this one so I had to get on site, assess the job, carry out the testing and provide the reports in a very short space of time.
“Thankfully, we managed to do that and, to the client’s delight, it passed the test.”

Back to Projects