Solutions and applications
Inspect buildings, bridges, tunnels, nuclear facilities and O&G infrastructure
GScan's Muon Flux Tomography (MFT) detectors are ready for deployment across various sectors, delivering deep, non-destructive insights where conventional NDT methods fall short.
BRIDGES
Ready to order for in-service bridge inspection
GScan's MFT has been deployed on many motorway bridges, river crossings, and rail structures worldwide. With a fast installation process, asset owners and engineering firms can order the detectors, install, and begin collecting in-depth data immediately — helping save costs on renovation and increasing asset lifespan.
MFT is suitable to assess most types of concrete and steel bridges including:
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Post-tensioned — detect tendon breaks, voids and defects beyond GPR/ultrasound reach.
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Half-joint — MFT is the only non-destructive technology that can see deep enough to detect issues in the half-joint area.
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Suspension — assess potential defects in anchorage zones and saddle areas deep within concrete anchor blocks.
NUCLEAR
Non-intrusive inspection for nuclear infrastructure
Nuclear facilities demand the highest inspection standards — but many critical components are inaccessible, heavily shielded, or surrounded by concrete structures that conventional NDT methods cannot penetrate effectively.
MFT is well-suited to nuclear environments precisely because it requires no radiation source of its own. Using naturally occurring cosmic-ray muons, GScan detectors can inspect reinforced concrete structures, pipe walls, gate valves, and containment vessels — without requiring complex regulatory permissions associated with X-ray or gamma sources. For example, in our project with ALARA, we provided 3D mapping and atomic analysis of concrete-shielded submarine reactors to support safe site decommissioning.
Key applications include:
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Monitoring concrete degradation in reactor buildings
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Characterising legacy nuclear waste containers to verify contents non-destructively
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Supporting decommissioning programmes by imaging internal structures
OIL & GAS
Deep structural inspection for O&G infrastructure
Oil and gas facilities operate some of the most demanding inspection environments — high-pressure vessels, buried pipelines, heavily insulated process equipment, and ageing infrastructure where access is restricted and downtime is costly.
Because muons penetrate dense materials without any emitted radiation, MFT can inspect process equipment from the outside — through insulation and cladding — without shutdown or removal of protective coatings.
Key applications include:
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Inspection of hydrotreatment reactors, storage vessels, and pressure vessels through insulation
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Detection of catalyst bed settling, fouling, and internal degradation
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Condition assessment of ageing infrastructure without intrusive investigation
TUNNELS
Subsurface imaging for tunnel construction and monitoring
Tunnel construction and long-term structural monitoring present unique inspection challenges — particularly where access is restricted, structures are buried, or conventional probing would disrupt operations.
One key application of GScan MFT in tunnel environments is the scanning of soil layers above a tunnel excavation. Detailed evaluation of soil density in critical zones provides essential information for tunnel boring technology — helping engineers detect voids, unstable ground, or density anomalies that could otherwise lead to ground settlement or accidents.
MFT can also be used to:
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Monitor the integrity of tunnel linings
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Identify cracking or delamination behind the lining surface
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Track structural changes over time without any intrusive intervention
Using our reconstruction methods and UI environment, the differences in the density of the scanned soil are clearly visible.
BUILDINGS
Non-destructive testing of large buildings
Traditional non-destructive testing (NDT) struggles to penetrate heavily reinforced, multi-layered concrete, forcing engineering teams to make critical asset management decisions based on partial data.
Muon tomography replaces guesswork with clear 3D data, delivering full-depth internal visibility for thorough structural assessment.
Deploying GScan’s muon tomography enables asset managers and engineers to:
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Conduct detailed As-Built visualisation
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Detect defects up to several metres deep
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Ensure the quality of new builds
How MFT compares to conventional NDT methods
Most NDT methods were not designed to inspect deep into dense reinforced concrete.
MFT fills a gap that no other passive, non-destructive technology addresses.
Non-Destructive Testing comparison table
Capability | GScan MFT | Ground-penetrating radar | Ultrasound / Impact echo |
|---|---|---|---|
Inspection depth | Several metres | Up to ~600 mm | ~300–500 mm |
Detects tendon breaks | Yes | No | Limited |
Works through dense concrete | Yes | No | Partial |
Radiation source required | None | None | None |
3D structural imaging | Yes | Yes | No |
In-service deployment | Yes | Limited | Limited |
