How automation in construction improves concrete delivery tracking

However, in an environment where working conditions are not optimal, capturing and recording data can be difficult. So how can we facilitate monitoring for on-site teams with automation in construction?

Tedious process to collect information

Activity is usually in full swing on a construction site. Project managers must coordinate with their teams and ensure that high quality standards are met. When a concrete mixer arrives on-site, numerous checks are conducted as part of the quality control process and a concrete tracking sheet is created. Thus, for each delivery, the concrete plant attaches a delivery receipt which includes the necessary information for concrete tracking.

Among all the information needed to track the concrete delivered, they include:

• Name of the concrete plant
• Delivery receipt number
• Date and time of concrete loading to determine first contact between cement and water
• Vehicle identification
• Site references and contact information
• Amount of concrete in m³
• Concrete formula
• Logo or name of the certification, if applicable
• Arrival time on-site
• Start and end time of unloading

Creating a concrete tracking sheet on-site without a good construction project management tool can be time-consuming and tedious. Besides the risk of getting easily damaged at the job site, paper-based concrete tracking sheets are also more prone to human error, making it more difficult to obtain reliable information.

The tedious process of collecting and recording data across multiple sites can also lead to a loss of valuable information. Using a cloud-based construction management software improves productivity and data reliability.

Benefits of a construction material tracking software

Digitalising site processes and monitoring projects in real time with a digital solution is a huge step forward. With Novade’s construction app, field operators can complete their site reports directly on mobile devices such as tablets and phones. Data are automatically synchronised and can be easily accessed on web dashboards, enabling seamless project monitoring on- and off-site.

Automate data entry with QR codes

Technology has led to the emergence of new tools, which are now well-adopted. One such example is the Quick Respond (QR) code. Indeed, many concrete plants have been adding QR codes on their delivery receipts. With Novade’s construction app, you can easily scan the QR code on concrete delivery receipts.

As soon as the QR code on the concrete delivery receipt is scanned, the time stamp is recorded immediately to indicate the batch time. In addition, data for the other fields are automatically recorded. This includes the delivery number, name of the supplier and customer, quantity, concrete formula, and site code. This automatic generation of data vastly reduces the likelihood of manual human error.

Even without a QR code on the concrete delivery order, Novade’s intuitive construction management software enables users to easily complete certain fields, such as the supplier, by choosing from prefilled data in the drop-down list. The information can then be sent to the relevant stakeholders via the construction tracking software.

Monitor key tracking indicators

It is vital to have early indicators on the concrete delivery monitoring at a construction site. Being able to perform automatic calculations with the Novade app not only saves time but is also a reliable source. Novade’s automatic calculations of key concrete tracking indicators lets you determine and record:

• Cumulative volume
• Total volume for each supplier
• Total number of concrete mixers

You will also gain visibility on essential information to track project progress and ensure deliveries are compliant with specifications or technical requirements.

Visualise data with a powerful dashboard

Collecting and transcribing data into an Excel table is a time-consuming process. However, with Novade’s construction material tracking software, data collection and analysis are simplified and accessible in real time.

• Concrete delivery receipts are available in one centralised database in a table format. They can be sorted by date, unit, and concrete slip delivery number. The filtering function facilitates the preparation of documents for reporting purposes.
• Registered concrete delivery receipts can also be attached to all laboratory tests. This makes it easier to ensure compliance during the implementation process, as well as to validate the quality of the concrete.
• Data collected can be easily exported in Excel format and distributed to various departments. These reports are especially useful when reconciling quantity delivered and payment.
• Specialised graphs can be easily created, like concrete curves, for specific construction projects such as the foundation aspects of building projects.

Novade is a cloud-based construction app that enables automation in the construction industry and brings technological advancements in site tracking especially for large-scale operations. Customers who use it to process delivery receipts boast about their productivity gains.

Eiffage Génie Civil’s site engineer, Laura Chapron, commented, “When the concrete trucks arrive, I can just scan the QR codes to obtain all the information of the delivery receipt directly on my tablet.”

Eiffage Génie Civil’s works engineer, Mathieu Roboam, also said, “For me, the level of control has been strengthened. We can be on-site to work with two, three, or even four different concrete formulations at the same time. Thanks to the Novade app, we can easily scan a QR code and receive an alert immediately which tells us if we’re using the concrete type that is in accordance with its intended use.”

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