Advanced Construction and Technology Services (ACTS), a construction materials and geotechnical engineering consultant, has developed a sophisticated software application that is expected to make a big impact on the construction industry.

With concrete being the basis of the numerous infrastructure developments taking place worldwide, ACTS says it took the initiative to develop the ‘ACTS Online Concrete Pouring and Quality Control System’, a web-based application for construction materials testing. The company has dedicated a team of researchers, software engineers, electronics and communication engineers, and mechatronic engineers for the development of the digital application, which is claimed to be the most innovative solution today in the field of concrete.

“The ACTS Online Concrete Pouring and Quality Control System is a breakthrough quality control program designed to track, evaluate and capture data for construction materials testing,” says a spokesman for the company, which has offices in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.  “Compared to the old conventional way of data gathering, this application tracks, analyses and captures field-related work in real time, eliminating the need for paper-based recording and data transposition, therefore reducing the risk of human error. In addition, the results are made available online for easy reference and reports are auto-generated.”

The software boasts three technological advancements: operations features, concrete quality control features, and advanced and automated features. Operations features has web-based site progress monitoring, concrete truck online monitoring system, pump allocation and online monitoring system, GPS (global positioning system) vehicle tracking system, temperature tracking system – vehicles, and mobile concrete laboratory (MCL).

Included in the concrete quality control features are site tests (fresh concrete tests and online results and advanced shotcrete online application), laboratory tests (and online results and laboratory management system), and advanced control centre and technical support. The advanced and automated features include automated slump test application, virtual VSI (vertical shaft impactor) application, advanced rheology application, and advanced thermo cones application.

ACTS is implementing the innovative software at a number of the megaprojects in the region, where it has secured testing contracts. These include key projects in Saudi Arabia, namely the King Abdulaziz International Airport and Kingdom Tower (which is designed to be the world’s tallest tower) in Jeddah; Riyadh Metro (Lines One and Two) in Riyadh; and the Prophet’s Mosque Expansion Project in Madinah. ACTS has also used the testing software for B11 Residences and Waterfront City, both located in Lebanon and is introducing and implementing it in Qatar as well.

ACTS chairman Khaled Awad comments: “ACTS has been incredibly responsive and attentive to the needs of the times. In light of the continuing transformation with complex megaprojects being built in the region, the most important thing is reliability to achieve these critical milestones.”

He says ACTS continues to look for opportunities to innovate which has enabled it produce this cutting-edge technology - the kind of computer-based testing that delivers fast, accurate and precise data and improves turnaround times for engineering and construction projects.

ACTS is the local sponsoring group for the American Concrete Institute (ACI)’s programmes in the Middle East.