Apr 21 2010
MATECH’s electrochemical fatigue sensor (EFS) system, the only non-destructive type of technology that detects growing cracks as minute as 0.01 inches in metal structures and bridges, offers enhanced objective reporting capability for securing the U.S. infrastructure and preventing a humanitarian and economic catastrophe.
MATECH EFS Sensor
Visual inspection, the most widely used method at present for bridge inspection, depends upon the inspector’s subjective judgment. The U.S. government reports indicate that 90% of cracks caused by fatigue are not detected by this method and 80% of the cracks that are identified turn out to be false positives later. By eliminating the subjectivity issue from the inspection process, the EFS technology provides a specialized enhanced solution in comparison to existing undependable and unsafe bridge inspection methods.
News organizations that have conducted investigations on the existing visual methods have detected discrepancies among similar report forms prepared and submitted to the state. Missing or wrong measurements are also additional issues.
MATECH’s CEO Tony Cataldo informed that the scope for human error is large even for thorough and skilled inspectors during visual inspections. He added that even experienced bridge inspectors questioned their work and seriously doubted the safety and validity of existing methods for bridge inspection.
The efficacy of the EFS system has been proved for more than 35 bridges in 10 states of the U.S., and also for numerous railroad bridges.