PERI UK launches concrete monitoring for contractors

PERI UK and VEMAVENTURI have introduced concrete monitoring systems for UK contractors, focusing on real-time data during pouring and curing.

Many decisions on concrete sites are still based on assumptions about pressure, filling and strength rather than direct measurement, the companies said. They argued that this often leads not to major failures but to slower pours, delayed striking of formwork, idle plant and lower productivity.

VEMAVENTURI, part of the PERI Group, specialises in sensor-based systems that track what happens inside formwork as concrete is placed. The tools are designed to measure fresh concrete quality before placement, monitor pressure during a pour, confirm that concrete has reached enclosed areas, and track strength development so teams can decide when formwork can be removed.

All the information is brought together on a single digital platform, creating a record that project teams can use for quality assurance and engineering decisions. The approach reflects a wider shift in construction towards more documented, measurable site processes.

"Contractors naturally build in extra time and capacity to protect safety and quality," said Aaron Lucid, Global Partnership and Channel Manager at VEMAVENTURI. "However, real-time concrete data eliminates the need for overly conservative margins. It allows them to fully leverage the engineering built into their formwork investment, unlocking major time and cost savings without ever compromising structural integrity."

UK project

One of the clearest UK examples cited came from the HS2 programme, where Balfour Beatty VINCI installed the A46 Bypass Bridge near Kenilworth using a bridge slide technique for a 14,500-tonne concrete structure. After the bridge was moved into position, the team had to place concrete infill on either side of the structure.

The work involved tall enclosed voids with no direct line of sight, so crews could not visually verify whether the concrete had fully reached every part of the space. To address this, the project team used 24 PHONO sensors linked wirelessly to a cloud-based monitoring system.

The system provided live visibility of concrete movement during the pour, according to the companies. It enabled the team to confirm full coverage, change pump lines when needed and maintain the required rate of rise through a three-day concreting operation.

More than 800 cubic metres of self-compacting concrete were monitored on the project, producing a digital record for quality assurance and compliance. Here, the system's value was presented less as a way to increase speed and more as a means of verifying conditions inside areas that could not be seen directly.

"The PERI/VEMAVENTURI void sensors proved to be an invaluable addition to our quality assurance and control processes during the A46 bridge slide and associated pours," said Maurice Dowling, Works Manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI. "They gave us the confidence, control, and traceability needed for a critical and complex operation."

Growing demand

The companies also pointed to demand outside the UK, particularly in South Korea, where VEMAVENTURI's SONO Hub digital water content monitoring system has been used in response to stricter requirements for concrete testing. They said the system replaces manual testing with faster digital measurement before concrete enters the formwork.

Another product, the PHONO system, was developed to detect incomplete filling and inadequate compaction inside complex formwork. It is intended to confirm whether concrete has reached difficult-to-observe sections while also monitoring vibration, which can help identify the risk of hidden voids and honeycombing.

The commercial case for monitoring remains a challenge because such systems are not yet widely specified in the UK market. PERI and VEMAVENTURI said some contractors still view monitoring as an added cost, especially where regulation does not require it.

They argued that the larger cost often lies in uncertainty. When site teams cannot verify pressure, filling or strength in real time, they may slow operations, leave temporary works in place longer than necessary, or discover quality issues only after the concrete has hardened.

Some of the monitoring hardware can be reused across multiple pours and projects, which may improve the economics over time, the companies said. They also stressed the long-term value of a digital audit trail, particularly if workmanship, compliance or engineering decisions are questioned later.

Design stage

PERI UK said the benefits are greater when monitoring is considered at the formwork design stage rather than added later to solve an isolated site problem. That approach links formwork design more closely to the live data that site teams receive during construction.

"Certainly, we can add VEMAVENTURI sensors into formwork at any time," said Matthew Binder, National Product Manager at PERI UK. "But the biggest benefits come when it's considered alongside the formwork design from the outset. By combining engineered formwork with live monitoring data, we're able to help contractors optimise the whole concreting operation, rather than just patching an individual problem. Ultimately, it's about giving engineers greater confidence in the decisions they're already making."