Concrete Sensors

Concrete Sensors emerged in 2015 from Boston, founded by Brendan Dowdall and Ryan Twomey to address inefficiencies in the construction sector. The idea originated from Dowdall's on-site experience with the uncertainties of concrete curing in adverse weather, which led him and his Babson College schoolmate, Twomey, to develop a sensor-based monitoring solution. Dowdall, with a background in Classical Greek from the University of Notre Dame and subsequent experience in construction litigation and commercial construction, brought industry knowledge to the venture. Twomey, a software engineer with family ties to architecture and construction, complemented this with technical expertise.

The company provides a system for monitoring the performance of curing concrete, targeting general contractors, concrete contractors, and engineers. This system addresses the critical and often time-consuming phase of waiting for poured concrete to achieve the necessary strength. The core of the business is a platform that integrates wireless sensors embedded in the concrete, a mobile application for data access, and an in-house lab for testing concrete mixes. This combination allows for real-time tracking of the concrete’s estimated strength, temperature, and relative humidity. By providing accurate data, the solution enables clients to make informed decisions, potentially accelerating project schedules by days or even weeks. Revenue is generated from the sale of these sensor devices and the accompanying software and data services.

The product is a durable, wireless sensor that is zip-tied to rebar before the concrete is poured. These sensors, available in standard and cabled versions for different pour depths, transmit data via Bluetooth to a mobile app, allowing managers to monitor the concrete's status without being physically present. The platform offers features like notifications for key curing milestones, helping to optimize schedules for tasks like moving formwork or stressing post-tensioned cables. A key differentiator is the company's in-house laboratory, which calibrates sensors to specific concrete mix designs, enhancing the accuracy of strength predictions. In March 2020, the global construction technology leader Hilti acquired substantially all of Concrete Sensors' assets, integrating the team and technology into its digital construction portfolio to enhance its IoT offerings. The entire Concrete Sensors team joined Hilti and remained in their Boston office.

Keywords: concrete monitoring, construction technology, IoT sensors, concrete strength, concrete temperature, real-time data, construction schedule optimization, concrete curing, structural engineering, smart construction, Hilti, Brendan Dowdall, Ryan Twomey, concrete humidity, wireless sensors, construction materials testing, ConTech, project management, asset monitoring, infrastructure data