Giatec Scientific Inc.

Ottawa-based company, Giatec Scientific Inc., is revolutionizing the construction industry by bringing smart concrete testing technologies and real-time data collection to the forefront of every jobsite. Learn more about Giatec Scientific Inc Mission and Core Values, or read more about Giatec Scientific's Line of Products. We are bringing long-overdue change to a conservative industry by addressing the current challenges in concrete testing, analysis, design, and production. Click the following links to learn more about Giatec Scientific's Management Team and Research and Development Team.

A New Technique for Rebar Corrosion Measurement in Concrete

Giatec Scientific Inc. March 16, 2020

Rebar corrosion is a recurrent problem in the construction industry. More specifically, it can affect the quality of a project by cracking and damaging the concrete, as well as adding costs of repairs. However, there are new technologies that can help us deal with corrosion in a practical manner. In this blog, learn more about corrosion, how it affects concrete, and the importance of detecting the rate of corrosion in any project. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Corrosion of Steel in ConcreteRebar corrosion is initiated when materials that are harmful to steel, such as CO2 and chloride from de-icing salt, start to penetrate concrete and reach the steel reinforcement. As an electrochemical reaction, electrons migrate from the anodic zone to the cathodic zone. This releases ferrous ions at the…

Relating the Electrical Resistance of Fresh Concrete to Mixture Proportions

Giatec Scientific Inc. March 5, 2020

Giatec would like to congratulate Karthik Obla, Rongjin Hong, and Stuart Sherman of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association and Dale P. Bentz and Scott Z. Jones, members of the National Institute of Standards and Technology for receiving ASTM International’s Advances in Civil Engineering Materials’ Outstanding Article Award for their paper “Relating the Electrical Resistance of Fresh Concrete to Mixture Proportions”! Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Abstract Characterization of fresh concrete is critical for assuring the quality of our nation’s constructed infrastructure. While fresh concrete arriving at a job site in a ready-mixed concrete truck is typically characterized by measuring temperature, slump, unit weight, and air content, here the measurement of the electrical resistance of a freshly cast cylinder of concrete is investigated as a means of assessing mixture…

What Contractors Need to Know About Field Testing Concrete

Giatec Scientific Inc. February 18, 2020

A shortage of skilled labor continues to be the dominate issue in the construction industry, and rightfully so. However, delays in construction schedules have always been a thorn in the side of contractors, and history shows that probably won’t change. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now The success of any construction project—single family home, school, hospital, stadium, restaurant—is predicated on preventing problems that cause costly delays. While there are many factors that can disrupt a schedule, few are more detrimental than problems with the quality of concrete on a job. Best case scenario, the project will be temporarily halted until test results are validated. Worst case scenario, the original work will be removed and redone. Either way, bad news for project efficiency, quality, and profitability.Fortunately, unlike unpredictable weather, project delays…

Improve Productivity with Wireless Concrete SmartRock® Plus Sensors

Giatec Scientific Inc. November 18, 2019

If you’ve already looked at our SmartRock® Plus product page, then you know that this program helps ready-mix producers differentiate their company, and mixes, within the market. But this value-added solution also provides project managers and contractors with an opportunity to significantly speed up their timelines, helping improve productivity on site. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now How you may ask?By offering you an opportunity to reduce your reliance on third-party labs for compressive strength testing and instead make the switch to wireless maturity sensors.As you probably already know, most jobsites use cylinder break tests to measure the compressive strength of concrete. However, this process is not only outdated, it is also very inefficient for keeping your project schedule on track. For this reason, more and more project managers are…

Project Engineering Course: The Maturity Method

Giatec Scientific Inc. October 31, 2019

If you are looking to become an engineer in Canada or the United States, you must hold and maintain a license from an engineering regulator. Depending on the location, once your degree is obtained you must also work under a professional engineer for a number of years, and complete additional exams before you earn your license. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Continuing Education for Project EngineersTo retain this license, project engineers must continually maintain and improve their skills throughout their careers. According to the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE), “By combining their specialized skills with their high standards for ethics and quality assurance, project engineers help make us healthier, keep us safer and allow all of us to live better lives than ever before.”This includes continuing education requirements,…

Concrete Cracking: Evaluating Causes

Giatec Scientific Inc. August 17, 2019

The concrete cracking article originally appeared on Bluey Technologies (archived). Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Concrete Cracks in Built StructuresConcrete provides structures with strength, rigidity, and resilience from deformation. These characteristics, however, result in concrete structures lacking the flexibility to move in response to environmental or volume changes. Cracking is usually the first sign of distress in concrete. It is, however, possible for deterioration to exist before cracks appear. Cracking can occur in both hardened and fresh, or plastic, concrete as a result of volume changes and repeated loading.This involves tensile stresses being loaded onto the concrete, the cracks occurring when the force exceeds its maximum tensile strength. It is important to understand the reasons why cracking occurs, the type of crack formed, and cracks’ effects on structural stability….

Concrete Maturity Calculation Methods

Giatec Scientific Inc. July 19, 2019

Maturity is a concept that has existed since the 1950s. Since then, various equations have been proposed to measure the maturity of concrete. This chapter discusses three different methods that can be used in concrete maturity measurement: the temperature-time factor, the equivalent age, and the weighted maturity. All of the maturity methods are primarily dependent on the temperature history of the concrete but additional parameters related to concrete properties are also required to predict the in-place strength. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Temperature-Time FactorThe temperature-time factor (TTF) method, also known as the Nurse-Saul maturity function, was the first maturity method developed in the early 1950s, thanks to the work of Nurse[40] , McIntosh[36] and Saul[42]. The goal of their work was to understand the effect of accelerated curing and…

Optimize Your Project Schedule With Wireless Concrete Maturity Sensors

Giatec Scientific Inc. May 30, 2019

The construction industry is often described as being “slow”. Often this refers to how long it takes to complete a project, especially when multiple industry specialists are involved. However, more and more the construction industry has been referred to as “slow to adopt new technology.” Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now This is especially true when testing the compressive strength of concrete. Currently, the most common practice is to use cylinder break tests. However, this process is not exactly accurate and reliable. Many factors, such as curing conditions, the size of the cylinders compared to the onsite slab, and improper handling and transportation of field-cured cylinders from a jobsite to a testing facility can skew the strength data of the specimen. This results in a weak concrete element. Despite that,…

Saving Money with Wireless Maturity Sensors

Giatec Scientific Inc. May 8, 2019

With traditional concrete strength testing practices, that is the use of cylinder break tests, the reliance on third-party testing labs is detrimental to a project’s timeline and budget. While wired data loggers can save some time, the data collected must still be analyzed off site by an experienced individual. Technology like SmartRock, which are non-destructive wireless maturity sensors that collect and analyze data on-site and in real-time using a smart device, can significantly reduce a project’s timeline. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now How to Save Money with Wireless Maturity Sensors and the Maturity MethodWatch this video on YouTubeTraditional Destructive Concrete Testing Can Harm your ConcreteA common practice in the construction industry is measuring strength by testing field cured concrete cylinders. This method is used to determine concrete strength at…

Creep of Concrete Under the Nanoscope

Giatec Scientific Inc. October 9, 2018

Understanding the Underlying Mechanisms of Creep in ConcreteConcrete is one of the main materials utilized in civil engineering construction in the modern age with an annual production of roughly 20 billion tons. For instance, the aging infrastructure in the US requires massive investment and the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates an expenditure of $4.5 trillion by 2025 to fix the country’s roads, bridges, dams and other infrastructure. By understanding the underlying mechanisms of creep in concrete, we can move closer to designing a more durable material that does not incur such astronomical costs after a short service period. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now With this objective in mind, the AIMS lab at UC Irvine has been focused on breaking time and length scale barriers in modeling of cementitious…

IoT is Revolutionizing the Concrete Industry

Giatec Scientific Inc. September 14, 2018

When it comes to Smart Construction and Intelligent Building Operation, the Internet of Things (IoT) is a powerhouse that has revolutionized many aspects of the industry—including concrete installations and applications. Essentially, the IoT is a network of items that are embedded with sensors, electronics, actuators, and software that connects them together. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now This integration allows the connected devices to exchange information in the physical world remotely via computer-based systems, resulting in more efficient operations, reduced need for many human interventions and providing an array economic benefit. In fact, the benefits are so substantial that it is reported that more than 8.4 billion IoT devices were in use in 2017, and that number is expected to increase to 30 billion by 2020. So, without doubt, loT…

Giatec Award for Best Paper Recipients

Giatec Scientific Inc. September 1, 2018

Winner of the Giatec Award for Best PaperNanoscale origins of creep in calcium silicate hydrates Ali Morshedifard, Saeed Masoumi, Mohammad Javad Abdolhosseini Qomi Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Synopsis The authors propose a novel three-staged incremental stress-marching technique to study nanoscale longtime phenomena, specifically creep, in atomistic simulations. The stress-induced time-dependent behavior of C-S-H was investigated by the application of a chain of aging shear cycles at the nanoscale. The model results showed a stretched exponential relaxation in the first stage. When fully relaxed, C-S-H was found to behave viscoelastically upon further loading, which the authors described by the standard solid model. By progressively increasing the interlayer water, the time-dependent response of calcium-silicate-hydrates was found to exhibit a transition from viscoelastic to logarithmic creep. The results of the study…

How 3D Printing Has Transformed the Construction Industry

Giatec Scientific Inc. August 16, 2018

Recently, we discussed how the use of 3D printers at construction jobsites may soon become common practice. Advances in 3D-printing technologies have resulted in the ability to craft anything from chocolate and food to statues and even entire buildings. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Considering the competitive nature of the construction industry, 3D printing offers contractors an innovative way to set themselves apart from their competitors. To prove this point, here are eight advantages that using a 3D printer could give to the construction field.1. Reduced InjuryOne of the biggest benefits that 3D printers have presented to construction workers is a reduction in injuries in the field. Considering that building with concrete is difficult—even dangerous—this is a welcome improvement. Not only do workers have an easier time doing their…

Giatec Adds Four New Ready-Mix Concrete Producers to the SmartRock® Plus Family

Giatec Scientific Inc. July 19, 2018

It’s been a busy summer already for Giatec, and we’re not slowing down as we welcome four new members to the SmartRock® Plus producer family. These ready-mix producers have embraced technology by integrating wireless concrete sensors into their business models to optimize the performance of their mixes and offer contractors a more efficient way to monitor concrete temperature and strength at jobsites. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Cornejo & Sons – Wichita, Kansas An industry leader in Kansas and the Midwest, Cornejo & Sons has been associated with quality construction projects and services for decades. Established in 1952, the company has been serving private and government clients in the community for more than 63 years. With over 575 employees and substantial plant and equipment resources, Cornejo & Sons products…

How Concrete Can Reap Solid Environmental and Economic Benefits

Giatec Scientific Inc. July 4, 2018

Made up of water, aggregate (rock, sand, or gravel), and Portland cement, concrete is the most widely used construction material. Its popularity is mainly due to the fact that concrete is flexible, cheap, and durable. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Unfortunately, even with today’s contemporary recycling technology, used or old concrete is seen and treated as waste. Concrete piles are one of the most common sights around concrete plants or construction sites across the world. However, concrete can be reused, recycled, or repurposed. And if handled correctly, concrete plants and construction businesses can garner solid profits from concrete.Ways to Handle Concrete for Environmental and Economic BenefitsLet’s look at how construction sites can handle concrete in a way that makes the most of it environmentally and economically:1. Monitor the Quantity…

Testing Is Easier With the Concrete Slab Temperature Sensor SmartRock® Plus

Giatec Scientific Inc. June 29, 2018

On the job site, time is money, and delays can be costly. But what if making a small change could shave days off your schedule while saving big bucks? That’s the premise behind SmartRock Plus™, the concrete slab temperature sensor that allows contractors get real-time information about the strength and temperature of newly poured concrete as it matures. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now How are Concrete Slab Temperature Sensors Making Construction More Efficient?SmartRock Plus is manufactured by Giatec Scientific of Ottawa, Canada, but other companies also tout similar products. Giatec’s version uses wireless, 2-by-2-inch battery-powered sensors, which are set into the concrete as it’s being placed. These concrete slab temperature sensors use wireless technology to transmit data that you can read with an Android or iOS smartphone app. The apps draw from…

Expose Your Civil Engineering R&D on a Global Stage with Giatec

Giatec Scientific Inc. May 21, 2018

At Giatec, we believe that today’s civil engineering researchers are shaping cities of the future. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now That’s why we have launched an annual contest to recognize innovative research and thought leadership in the world of civil engineering and concrete infrastructure.The Giatec Award for Best Paper is an essay-writing contest open to civil-engineering students (graduate and undergraduate), professors, and researchers across Canada and the United States. Candidates are invited to submit an original article or journal paper related to: Non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies for concrete Concrete durability and sustainability Wireless concrete testing Rebar corrosion of concrete Electrical resistivity of concrete Novel cement-based materials Previously published articles are allowed as long as the publication date is 2017. Everybody WinsThe author of the winning article will receive a…

Update Your SmartRock App Today!

Giatec Scientific Inc. April 17, 2018

At Giatec, we always take customer feedback seriously in order to add value to our products and give users the best possible experience. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now Today we’re excited to announce the launch of our new and improved SmartRock app, which has incorporated all your suggestions into a user-friendly, intuitive interface that still has all the functionality of the previous version and more!If you haven’t already, update your app here: What’s New in the SmartRock AppAll of the changes to the SmartRock app have been made with the goal of enhancing the user experience. Here’s what you can expect in the new version:Faster SyncYou can access data and share it with your teammates faster than ever before. Pull to RefreshLike in your other favorite apps, you can…

How Ottawa-Based Giatec Connects Concrete to The Internet of Things

Ottawa Business Journal | August 31, 2017

Giatec CEO and co-founder, Aali Alizadeh is interviewed on Techopia Live to unpack the challenges of concrete construction. Interview highlights Giatec’s revolutionary impact as an Ottawa start-up and global leader in the concrete industry. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

Aali Alizadeh, CEO, Giatec Scientific 2017 Forty Under 40 Recipient

Ottawa Business Journal | June 15, 2017

Get to Know Aali Alizadeh, the CEO of Giatec Scientific and distinguished Forty Under 40 award recipient. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

Checking on Your Concrete Slab Just Got Easier!

Daily Journal of Commerce | June 15, 2017

Brand differentiation, customer loyalty and quick decision-making capabilities are some of the benefits of using SmartRock® Plus. This article explores some of the reasons why concrete producer, Stoneway Concrete uses SmartRock® Plus. SmartRock® Plus is a value-added solution that maximizes project time and money. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

Giatec Has Been Selected to Attend C100: 48Hrs in the Valley

C100 | April 25, 2017

Announcing Giatec’s selection to participate in the C100: 48 Hours in the Valley in San Francisco. Giatec was nominated for being one of Canada’s most promising companies; leading in IoT solutions, disruption and entrepreneurship. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

Forty Under 40 Recipients Represent City’s Best and Brightest

Ottawa Business Journal | April 24, 2017

Aali Alizadeh is celebrated as one of Ottawa’s Best and Brightest Talents, in the “Forty Under 40” awards. Recipients were recognized for leadership, professional expertise and community involvement. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

Keytec showcasing iCOR in Japan

March 21, 2016

Keytec, our exclusive agents in Japan, performed a creative demonstration of the Giatec iCOR at this year’s PV System Expo in Tokyo, Japan.

OCM Manufacturing Signed Agreement with Giatec Scientific Inc.

CISION PR Newswire | February 22, 2016

Press release announcing OCM Manufacturing’s contract to manufacture SmartRock® for Giatec. SmartRock® is a 2” inch wireless sensor that transmits real-time data on concrete temperature, strength and maturity directly to a mobile device. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

Introducing ‘Concrete Hub’, the Best Educational Tool

February 17, 2016

Concrete Hub is designed to offer a beautifully categorized collection of useful concrete resources for Civil Engineers

IoT Hero from Giatec Develops “SmartRocks” with Bluetooth

Silicon Labs | January 18, 2016

Aali Alizadeh was named IoT Hero for the month of January. Alizadeh sheds light on how the Internet of Things is the future concrete construction and how Giatec is making this happen. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

WOC 2016

January 15, 2016

WORLD OF CONCRETE 2016 | LAS VEGASWe are excited to present our latest innovations in smart concrete testing at the upcoming World of Concrete 2016 to be held in Las Vegas from February 2nd to 5th. Please visit Giatec Booth #S13417 in the South Hall to get a hands-on experience with the new wireless mobile-based sensor for concrete temperature/maturity monitoring, SmartRock, and the connection-less corrosion rate measurement device, iCOR. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now We are also running a special limited time promotion on all our concrete testing devices and sensors at the World of Concrete show. Please present the following coupon in our booth to receive 20% off your entire purchase.

World of Concrete 2016

January 6, 2016

Giatec will present its latest innovations, SmartRock sensor and iCOR NDT device, at the WOC2016 in Las Vegas.

Iconic and the Internet of Things (IoT)

Ionic Blog | December 17, 2015

Giatec is a Canadian company that solves construction problems through cutting-edge research and product development. Article puts focus on SmartRock2™, a rugged, waterproof, wireless sensor that monitors the temperature of concrete from the fresh stage to the solid stage. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

SmartRock in Ottawa Citizen

October 21, 2015

SmartRock™ wireless temperature/maturity sensor for new concrete structures was featured in a story covered by Ottawa Citizen on Oct. 2, 2015.

Embedded Wireless Sensors Cement Giatec’s Reputation

Ottawa Business Journal | October 2, 2015

Giatec creates a buzz with their innovative technology and extensive research. Product focus on SmartRock2TM and its use during construction for Ottawa’s LRT tunnel and the Federal Government’s new Seaway International Bridge, near Cornwall. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

CFU distributing Giatec Devices

January 14, 2015

CFU International located in Ankara Turkey, is now distributing Giatec concrete testing devices.

Can Advances in Mobile Technologies Lead to Smart Cities?

ENGINEERING.com | August 29, 2014

This article focuses on the benefits of using XCell™; Giatec’s non-destructive solution for corrosion testing. XCell™ is a ground-breaking technology that monitoring concrete deterioration and corrosion, wire-free. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

Humboldt distributes Giatec devices

January 20, 2014

Humboldt Mfg is now distributing Giatec concrete testing devices globally through their network of +100 dealers.

Hi-tech Industry’s Future Bright In Ottawa

Ottawa Citizen | January 4, 2014

Christmas arrived early in Ottawa as its High-Tec industry continues to grow. Giatec Scientific is one of three recent graduates from Invest Ottawa’s resident company program and a contributor to growth trends. Explore 12 Futuristic Technology Trends Solving Concrete’s Biggest Challenges. Download our 2025 Innovations Calendar! Download Now

About Giatec

Giatec is a global company revolutionizing the construction industry by bringing smart testing technologies and real-time data collection to the forefront of every jobsite. Giatec’s suite of hardware and software products has leveraged advanced technologies such as AI and the Internet of Things (IoT), including wireless concrete sensors, mobile apps, and advanced non-destructive technologies (NDT) to drive innovation throughout concrete’s lifecycle and reduce concrete’s carbon footprint.

Our suite of hardware and software products has leveraged advanced technologies such as; Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT), including; wireless concrete sensors, mobile apps, and advanced non-destructive technologies (NDT) to drive innovation throughout concrete’s lifecycle.

Combining wireless concrete sensors and mobile apps, Giatec has developed smart IoT-based technologies, like SmartRock® concrete maturity sensors, for real-time monitoring of concrete properties. This provides critical information to contractors so they can make efficient and informed decisions on the jobsite, ultimately saving time and money. Ready-mix producers also leverage the SmartRock® Plus cloud, which gives them access to concrete performance data to optimize their mix designs.

Giatec Scientific Inc.

About Giatec

Wireless Sensors and NDT Technologies

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