1. Application of ROTRONIC products in Concrete

2. Why measure ERH in Concrete? Checking concrete has dried (set) enough Determine the condition of old concrete Establish condition recovery after flooding Material performance research Diagnosis of damp problems in buildings Many materials that are in contact with damp concrete will degrade in some way.

3. High Moisture/ERH Effects Adhesion between concrete and coverings Movement in floor coverings Emissions of harmful substances from materials in contact with concrete Mould growth in timber Staining of natural materials Corrosion of metals

4. ERH Measurement Technique Insertion probe –Hole drilled, cleaned (vacuum) and sealed –Long period to equilibrate Temperature Humidity –24…48 hours typical –Measurement sleeves best solution (more later) Seal Probe

5. Concrete floors After concrete floors are laid, they must be allowed to dry below a certain level before floor covering can be fitted Testing is carried out using ERH measurement Standards are in place that define acceptable ERH values before coverings are applied Critical ERH values 80…90% Depends on the material covering Example: Wood – 80%

6. Bridges and structures Concrete condition key to structural integrity Measurement values vary according to concrete type and the materials application Impact on materials, e.g. corrosion of iron reinforcements Active humidity control now used –Example: Oresund Bridge (Humidity News 1-2000)

7. Building conservation and maintenance Similar requirement as for bridges Building longevity Impact on other materials of construction More and more structures built from concrete are being preserved instead of being knocked down Recovery from flood

8. Materials research Concrete testing specialists –Highly aware of application difficulties –Require the best possible instrument performance –Recommend products to industrial user –Set the standards for industry and hence drive demand Other building materials research organisations! –Concrete condition and performance can impact on other materials of construction or finishes –Examples include; timber, metal, paint, floor coverings

9. Damp diagnosis If a building has a damp problem, %rh measurement can be useful in determining conditions inside structures or voids Surface only moisture measurements can lead to wrong conclusions because of surface absorption/condensation Insertion probes for concrete walls and floors Cable mounted probe useful for cavities or voids

10. Key organisation Lund Institute of Technology (LTH) Göran Hedenblad Swedish Council for Building Research Excellent reference ISBN 91-540-5785-X

11. ROTRONIC key benefits %rh sensor which performs well at high ERH values Stable %rh sensor Fast response Small probe dimensions Wide range of options Interchangeable probes Direct calibration method

12. ROTRONIC products HygroPalm HygroLog HygroLab M Series HygroClip probe series

13. HygroPalm and probes Handheld solution for spot checks Range of display options with different features Small probe dimensions mean smaller holes Probes can be interchanged without system calibration RS232 interface could be useful for data acquisition

14. HygroClip SP05 5mm diameter insertion probe Robust stainless steel probe Laser cut measurement slots in the probe –Fast response No filter means sample preparation must eliminate dust –Otherwise the probe will clog

15. HygroClip HP28 10mm diameter insertion probe Highly robust Replaceable sensor protection filter Larger dimension means slower response to temperature changes

16. HygroClip SC04/05 Small 4 or 5mm diameter probe on a cable Flexible and compact Multiple probes can be inserted in a test sample in a more convenient way Used more for research Teflon filter available (which increases diameter to 7mm) SP-T05 for SC05 only

17. Measurement sleeves Available for probes with diameter 4…15mm Developed by our Finnish expert in this field Vittorio Vitale Must be used correctly

18. HygroLog and probes For unattended logging using the HygroClip probes Compact and robust IP65 housing Impact protection option Local display option No site power necessary Cost effective

19. M Series and probes For direct connection of HygroClip probes to monitoring or control systems Permanent installation Live information of concrete condition Display option Interchangeable probes Enables continuous management of concrete condition

20. HygroLab and probes Multiple HygroClip probe inputs Used more in research applications RS232/RS485 interfaces for PC connection or multiple instrument networking Direct calibration function Analogue inputs can be used with older ROTRONIC probes

21. Accessories & spares Carry case –Protects equipment in harsh site conditions and during transportation Replaceable filters –Protect sensors –Ongoing revenue Measurement sleeves –Optimises measurement performance –Developed by Vittorio Vitale (use the Sales Forum for more information exchange)

22. Calibration Our SCS calibration standards give the customer useful benefits –Probes can be calibrated anywhere, anytime –This can resolve disagreements between different instruments You should always recommend that a customer defines a calibration procedure and keeps a record so that equipment performance can be analysed over time The sale or standards, or calibration service provides additional and ongoing revenue

23. Other measurement techniques Moisture measurement –‘Pin’ hygrometers –Infra red –Capacitance More often used than ERH –Concept is easier to understand –Equipment can give a more instantaneous reading –Does not require holes to be drilled Measurement of moisture content is less dependable when used inserted into concrete samples Measurement only at the surface may not give an indication of moisture levels within the sample

24. Rotronic position Rotronic benefits, range of instruments, probes and options provide an opportunity for sales to this market To compete with Vaisala we must emphasize our advantages –Wider range of probe and instrument options –Datalogging capability To compete with Protimeter –Better quality %rh measurement –Wider range of options –Datalogging capability

25. Market forces Building programmes in developing countries Demand for better quality of construction and finish Increased focus on building preservation Increased incidences of flooding worldwide

26. Strategy and focus Develop an understanding of the application –Research –Hint, search Google ‘moisture in concrete’) Identify key organisations in your local market –Research organisations –Building standards authorities –Trade associations Promote the product by direct contact with test engineers Consider promotion to the trade journals (PR is good)

27. Conclusions Industry and commerce demands drive the need for measurement Measurement demand is at high ERH levels where we are strong ROTRONIC offer a high quality range of solutions and features to satisfy most application scenarios Sales success depends significantly on your preparation for this specialist field

28. Questions?