Murphy faced winter concreting challenges while refurbishing a large industrial warehouse. To avoid delays and premature loading, they used Converge’s real-time strength monitoring. With Signal Live Hubs and embedded sensors, the team made quick, data-driven decisions, ensuring safe, efficient progress—without waiting on lab results.
Murphy’s refurbishment of a large industrial warehouse included replacing the concrete floor. Work took place during cold winter months, under tight deadlines, presenting common challenges of cold weather concreting, including slower strength development, increased risk of freezing before setting, and a greater potential for thermal cracking.
Relying on fixed curing times was not a reliable option—the cold could slow strength development unpredictably. If they load too early, the slabs could fail. If they waited too long, the project would fall behind. It was vital that engineers had accurate data on concrete strength to allow them to use machinery on the reinforced concrete slabs and progress the programme.
Murphy chose Converge’s wireless embedded Signal System so that the power-floated finish for the concrete floor could be achieved. A network of Signal Live Hubs enabled automatic data collection across a large area of 150mm thick slab pours. With real-time strength data, provided by a network of Signal Live Hubs, the team could track in-situ curing progress, to ensure premature loading was prevented, whilst avoiding unnecessary delays. The system also allowed machinery to be loaded and other works to proceed without waiting for cube test results, which sometimes needed chasing for days from the lab.
The 23 slab pours were monitored using 25 sensors and 5 hubs, providing critical insights despite the vast warehouse site. The project also highlighted the limitations of relying solely on time-based curing methods, reinforcing the value of real-time maturity monitoring in ensuring quality, safety, and efficiency.
With such a large, uncovered floor area, freezing was a significant risk. The in-situ data reassured Murphy that slabs remained above freezing overnight, while industrial heaters were used strategically. While cube tests were still used for verification, the instant insights from the sensors that could be accessed off site helped the team make faster, more confident decisions about when it was safe to load.
Murphy was impressed with Converge’s technical support and training, and is keen to use the system again in summer months. This project demonstrates the maturity method’s ability to support thin slab flooring applications.