Construction tech just leveled up, thanks to scientists working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. In a recent report, researchers unveiled a new tool that rapidly ensures building foundations are as flat as a pancake, without the usual legwork. It's called FLAT, shorthand for Flat and Level Analysis Tool, and it's changing the game for builders.
Traditionally, a builder's best friend (or worst enemy, depending on how you look at it) has been the level. Ensuring a concrete slab is even keel used to mean marking up the surface with chalk lines and manually collecting data points, a method not only tedious but prone to the human error factor. Now, FLAT uses a 360-degree laser scan, alongside machine learning, to spot any high or low points on a newly poured foundation, according to Nolan Hayes of ORNL.
"With this digital tool, you can quickly get estimates for the foundation’s smoothness with minimal human involvement," Nolan Hayes told the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in an interview. Quick, indeed. FLAT reportedly delivers verdicts on foundations in under a minute, signaling where mistakes were made, if at all, and where corrections are needed.
Real-world tests confirm FLAT isn't just theoretical fluff. After deployments at two housing developments, the analysis tool demonstrated a whopping 90% reduction in measurement times, and the kicker, it requires no pre-slab prep. Gone could be the days of slow-building sagas due to uneven foundations; Hayes and the team are looking ahead, keen on adapting the tech for various construction projects, including, but not limited to, suspended slabs and floor decking.
