The key to effective structural asset management

Our comprehensive range of non-destructive testing and structural investigation services combines traditional and advanced techniques to provide a one-stop shop that enables you to manage your structural assets effectively.

Quality and competence you can trust

Inertia Consulting is committed to providing high quality, well-executed inspection, testing and assessment services. That’s why our projects are always led by Chartered Civil and Engineers and specialist testing experts – giving you complete confidence in the accuracy and quality of our findings and recommendations.

We don’t work to a ‘tick-sheet’ mentality and we specialise in designing bespoke testing and investigation programmes to meet your precise requirements. Our engineers always make sure our reports are concise, easy to understand and include defect drawings with linked photos and text descriptions to help you understand the condition of your structure.
Specialist access is part and parcel of all the services we provide. Our trained engineers and technicians hold a range of qualifications, so we can offer these activities in-house. These include IRATA Level 1 and IRATA Level 3 Rope Access Inspection Teams, Medium Risk Confined Spaces Entry (including search and rescue High Risk support), CSCS, IPAF Powered Access Licences, PASMA and EUSR Water Hygiene certification.

The benefits

We’ve had some great feedback on our non-destructive testing and structural investigation services from our clients. Our services have helped them:
• Save money on inspection, investigation and testing costs
• Better understand, and have more confidence in, the condition, strength and behaviour of their structures
• Eliminate unnecessary repair and renewal costs
• Prove the condition of a structure for third party claims
• Maximise structural lifespan through proactive maintenance.

Our services

Our engineers can provide clear and accurate data on the condition and construction of civil engineering structures, from their overall geometry to the smallest bolt. We use a range of techniques, including full dimensional surveys, deformation monitoring, laser scanning and traditional surveying.We can remotely or directly measure structures to sub-millimetre accuracy and create two-dimensional drawings or three-dimensional models that demonstrate our findings.

Where certain elements of a structure are inaccessible, such as beam ends or half joints to bridges, we can use methods such as breakouts, ground excavation and temporary structural supports to expose and inspect these for hidden defects. The elements are then reinstated after the investigation is complete.

Our engineers can also carry out internal corrosion surveys of metallic structures by drilling pilot holes for borescope investigations, or by using non‐intrusive ultrasonic techniques.

We plan and carry out a full range of non-destructive testing and laboratory analysis services to provide detailed and accurate reports on a structure’s condition.As well as standard testing suites, we carry out bridge cable corrosion investigations using radiographic and magnetic flux reflectography techniques, and can assess the structural and geotechnical capacity of ground-bearing slabs using coring, reinforcement mapping and geotechnical investigation methods.

An integral part of our pipe bridge investigations for water companies is strategic, in situ pipeline testing and residual life assessment.

Our standard non-destructive testing methods include:
• Half cell mapping
• Cover meter surveys
• Ferroscan
• Determination of chloride ion content
• Resistivity testing
• Ultrasonic thickness measurement
• Paint inspection to ICORR standards
• MPI ultrasonic and ACFM testing of steel structures
• Petrographic analysis
• Radiographic analysis
• HAC concrete testing
• Sulphates and alkali analysis
• Tensile strength surveys
• Cement content and mix details
• Compressive strength
• Pull-off testing
• BRE screed testing
• Rebound Schmidt hammer tests
• Delamination surveys

Our team is highly experienced in planning and carrying out intrusive post-tensioned and pre-stressed special inspections, working to Highways Agency standards or other standards determined by the client. We also undertake inspections of external post‐tensioning and suspension systems.We use a wealth of non-destructive testing methods to provide a range of inspection services, from mapping the profile and position of deflected post-tensioned cables to assessing voiding, corrosion potential and the condition of wires, strands and anchorages.

Techniques include:
• Radar
• Ferroscan and borescope surveys
• Grout sampling and analysis
• Concrete coring and breakouts
• Duct locators
• Radiographics

Using wet coring methods, we can extract material samples through concrete, stone and masonry. By drilling or cutting, we can also obtain steel samples. We then test these samples to determine properties such as strength, material composition, contamination and weldability, as well as determining the thickness of the material and how it’s constructed.Projects we’ve worked on include:
• Deep diamond coring to 2400mm to establish the profile and construction of abutments, slabs and retaining walls for capacity assessment by our consulting division
• Deep drilling into piled foundations
• Extracting cores for petrographic analysis
• Shallow coring to enable concrete strength and density analysis
• Small diameter coring through half joints and post-tensioned beams to establish accurate chloride profiles from the surface and into the concrete element
• Swarf sampling and testing for weldability and material composition
• Steel sampling for tensile strength testing

We use the Hilti Ferroscan reinforcement detection system, combined with targeted breakouts and hammer visual surveys, to map the position, cover, size, lap length and spacing of concrete reinforcement.Whether you need localised information for steel reinforcement avoidance, or fully detailed structure-wide reinforcement mapping to enable strength capacity assessment, we can produce accurate data on site, or prepare detailed drawings and CAD models at our office.

Our engineers can also provide a full dimensional and condition survey of a structure, highlighting potential corrosion hot spots, voiding and defect locations, so you can plan and prepare for refurbishment. Techniques include ground probing radar, diamond coring, half cell potential, carbonation, resistivity and chloride content analysis.

We carry out fully-managed inspection and condition surveys for clients throughout the UK and overseas. Our end-to-end service includes organising and implementing road space, waterway and rail possessions and permits, arranging traffic management and enabling specialist access.As well as our extensive experience in bridge inspection, we inspect and undertake condition surveys of a diverse range of civil engineering structures. These include underground reservoirs, culverts, stormwater attenuation structures, tunnels, foundries, car parks, buildings, pipelines and retaining structures.

We regularly carry out confined space surveys and can manage all aspects of specialist access in-house, including dewatering, desilting, river flow management and mining communications.

Other Services