Application
Concrete Core Sampling
Coring intact concrete samples for compressive testing, thickness verification, and material evaluation.
Testing labs and engineers rely on concrete cores to evaluate in-place concrete — compressive strength, slab thickness, chloride content, and general condition. The core has to come out intact and from a location that represents the concrete in question, without damaging the structure it's taken from.
Crews we route work to extract clean, full-diameter cores at the locations the engineer or testing lab specifies, then handle the sample so it reaches the lab undamaged and patch the hole. In Houston forensic and quality-assurance work, sampling often happens on post-tension slabs where the coring location must be scanned and chosen carefully.
Coring method
Samples are extracted with concrete core drilling at the diameter the test method requires. Where sampling accompanies larger evaluation, it pairs with concrete scanning to select representative, reinforcement-free locations. Repair of the sample holes uses the same clean-edge approach as saw-cut repair & removal.
Scanning is essential on structural and post-tension slabs so the sample avoids tendons and rebar.
Practical considerations
- Core diameter and length follow the test method the lab specifies.
- Sample locations are scanned to avoid tendons and rebar and to stay representative.
- Wet coring controls silica per OSHA 1926.1153 and keeps the sample intact.
- Sample holes are patched so the structure is restored after testing.
Coordinate with the lab
The testing lab sets the core diameter, count, and locations. Coring to those specs keeps the sample valid.
Core sampling FAQs
- What size cores do you take for testing?
- The diameter follows the test method and the lab's requirement. Crews core to that spec and extract the sample intact.
- Can you sample a post-tension slab?
- Yes, after scanning to select a location clear of tendons and rebar so the structure isn't compromised.
- Do you patch the sample holes?
- Yes. Sample holes are patched after coring so the slab or member is restored.
- Who decides where the cores are taken?
- The engineer or testing lab specifies the locations and count; the crew cores to that plan and scanning refines the exact spot.
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