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EXTENSIONS AND ALTERNATIVES TO INSPECTION 35 Through early detection, a larger percentage of craft man-hours are spent on work that meets specifications the first time. NEW TECHNOLOGY FOR INSPECTION Emerging tools and procedures that utilize modern electronics, computers, and other technologies new to the field of construction quality control and assurance may in coming years revolutionize the industry. The task of inspection will be accomplished more quickly, using less labor, and yielding more reliable information about the quality of construction in-place. Federal agencies have much to gain from such improvements and can foster their development through research and demonstrations in the field. For example, research on how the electrical and chemical properties of Portland cement concrete change during mixing and curing may lead to inspection methods that replace slump tests30 at the time of placement and compressive strength testing of cylinders days after the concrete is placed. Transmission and resonance behavior of structural members, roof coverings, and wall sheathing materials (brick and other masonry, in particular) exposed to sonic and radio-frequency waves may become the basis for monitoring for voids and failures to achieve bonding at the interfaces between different materials. Computers and communication technology are enhancing both constructors' and owners' abilities to review inspection data and monitor construction performance. A voice-mail system developed by the Army's Construction Engineering Research Laboratory permits inspectors to telephone their reports to a central office for typing and review, enhancing the speed and accuracy of inspection reporting. Laptop and hand- 30 Slump is a measure of a physical characteristic of the still-plastic concrete mix, that indicates the workability of the mix and correlates broadly with later performance of the cured and finished concrete.
