Specialised Service

Structural Condition Audits in South Africa

Engineering-grade structural assessments of bridges, buildings, smokestacks, silos, and industrial structures. Drone and ground-based capture, AI defect detection, and a registered Pr Eng signature on every deliverable.

Request a structural audit quote See condition audit projects
Trusted by
Sasol Eskom Impala Platinum Sibanye-Stillwater Afrimat Growthpoint Concor Stefanutti Stocks Zutari Infrastructure South Africa
In short

A structural condition audit is an engineering assessment of an existing structure's current state. Delta Scan combines drone and LiDAR capture with AI defect detection, then a registered Pr Eng reviews every finding and signs a report covering defects, residual life, repair methodology, and material quantities.

A structural condition audit (sometimes called an engineering condition assessment, or ECA) is a disciplined, documented evaluation of an existing structure's current state. It identifies defects, assesses residual service life, quantifies repair work, and tells the asset owner whether the structure is fit for purpose, requires intervention, or must be taken out of service.

Delta Scan delivers structural condition audits combining UAV photogrammetry, terrestrial LiDAR, ground penetrating radar where appropriate, and AI-assisted defect detection. Every audit is reviewed and signed by a registered professional engineer. The deliverable is not a folder of photographs. It is a structured engineering document with defect locations geolocated to within centimetres, severity classifications, recommended repair methodology, and itemised material quantification suitable for tender.

Inside a deliverable

Measured, modelled, signed.

A condition audit is a measured engineering document · dimensioned models, cross-sections, and navigable twins, not a folder of photographs.

Dimensioned cross-section and tolerance check with calculated volume and area.
Dimensioned cross-section and tolerance check with calculated volume and area.
Navigable digital twin used for defect tagging and remote condition review.
Navigable digital twin used for defect tagging and remote condition review.
As-built structural model of a major transport structure from LiDAR capture.
As-built structural model of a major transport structure from LiDAR capture.
When to use it

Typical engagements.

Each scenario below represents a real-world trigger for this service. If your situation matches one of these, get in touch.

Ageing infrastructure

Structures approaching the end of their design life or operating beyond it. Common for South African road bridges built in the 1970s and 1980s, industrial silos exceeding 40 years, and Eskom-era power station ancillaries.

Post-incident review

Required after structural failure, collapse, fire, flood, or seismic event. The audit determines what remains structurally sound, what must be replaced, and the safe sequence for remediation work.

Due diligence on acquisition

Asset acquisitions, disposals, and refinancing routinely require an independent condition assessment to support valuation. We provide audit reports formatted to satisfy lender and insurer requirements.

Regulatory and insurance compliance

Insurance renewals, municipal bylaw compliance, ECSA building certifications, and SANS-aligned structural reporting all rely on a Pr Eng signed audit.

How it works

Our process.

A repeatable five-stage workflow. The same disciplined sequence runs whether the site is a 500-hectare mining operation or a single 60-metre bridge.

01

Site briefing and access planning

A pre-engagement call establishes the scope, the standards the report must align to, access constraints, safety requirements, and the structures or components in scope. We share a written method statement.

02

Capture campaign

Multi-sensor capture combining UAV photogrammetry for external surfaces, terrestrial LiDAR for high-precision geometry, ground penetrating radar for subsurface elements, and thermal imaging for delamination and moisture mapping. Capture is performed by SACAA-certified UAV operators with full insurance.

03

AI defect detection

Captured imagery is processed through our proprietary AI defect detection pipeline tuned for concrete cracking, corrosion, spalling, biological growth, and mechanical damage. Every detection is geolocated and assigned a severity score.

04

Engineering review

A registered professional engineer reviews every flagged defect against the structural drawings and material specifications. The engineer recommends repair methodology, sequences interventions by criticality, and quantifies material requirements.

05

Signed deliverable

You receive a Pr Eng signed audit report, defect-mapped 3D model, executive summary, and itemised bill of quantities for the recommended repair scope. Documents are delivered through DeltaCloud with full version control and audit trail.

Request a structural audit quote See condition audit projects
Equipment

What we use.

Calibrated, sector-matched hardware combined with proprietary software. The capture stack is selected for the asset, not the other way around.

DJI Matrice 400

DJI Matrice 400

Aerial capture platform for facade, roof, and high-altitude inspection

DJI Zenmuse H30T

DJI Zenmuse H30T

Thermal and high-zoom optical payload for delamination and detail capture

Proceq GS8000

Proceq GS8000

Subsurface utility detection where excavation cannot be tolerated

Proceq GP8000

Proceq GP8000

Concrete and rebar GPR for cover, slab thickness, and structural anomaly detection

Sectors

Where this fits.

The same engineering discipline applies across Mining, Energy, Infrastructure, Commercial and Government. The detail changes with the asset class and the operational context.

Mining

Headgear structures, conveyor gantries, processing plant frames, mill shells, tailings dam walls

Energy

Cooling towers, smokestacks, flue gas ducts, boiler hall steel, switchyard structures

Infrastructure

Concrete and steel road bridges, railway viaducts, water reservoirs, dam walls, parking structures

Commercial and Government

High-rise facades, heritage buildings, civic structures, educational facilities, hospitals

Selected work

Recent engagements.

Specific projects where this service was deployed. Each links to the full case study with metrics, equipment, and outcomes.

Kolobeng Bridge, Infrastructure, Botswana
Infrastructure, Botswana

Kolobeng Bridge

A 60m, 30-year-old bridge assessed in a single day: GPR rebar mapping, coring, and a LOD 300 model.

View project →
Kusile Power Station, Energy, South Africa
Energy, South Africa

Kusile Power Station

Confined-space drone assessment after a flue collapse. About 1,600MW returned to grid, zero personnel at risk.

View project →
Park Station, Infrastructure, Johannesburg
Infrastructure, Johannesburg

Park Station

70,000 square metres digitised across three levels, with over 10km of underground infrastructure mapped.

View project →
FAQ

Frequent questions.

Direct answers to the questions clients ask most often before engaging.

How long does a structural condition audit take?

Field capture typically takes one to three days depending on structure size and access. Processing, AI detection, and Pr Eng review add a further five to ten working days. Urgent audits can be turned around in under a week for a critical-path engagement.

What standards do you align the report to?

Reports align to SANS 10160, the SAICE Guidelines for the Condition Assessment of Concrete Structures, TMH19 for bridges, and where applicable, EN 1504 for concrete repair specification. International engagements follow client-specified standards.

Does the audit include a remediation cost estimate?

Yes. We deliver an itemised bill of quantities with material takeoffs, indicative unit rates, and a recommended sequence. The estimate is at concept design level, suitable for budgeting and tender preparation.

Can you audit a structure that is still operational?

In most cases yes. UAV-based capture is non-contact and does not require operational shutdown. For confined-space components we use the Flyability ELIOS 3 caged drone which can fly inside live silos, flues, and ducts under specific safety protocols.

What deliverables do I receive?

A Pr Eng signed PDF audit report, a 3D defect-mapped model viewable in DeltaCloud, an executive summary suitable for board reporting, defect imagery indexed by location and severity, and a bill of quantities for the recommended repair scope.

Do you handle the actual repair work?

No. Delta Scan is the independent engineering assessor. We do not perform repair construction. This separation is deliberate and important: it removes any conflict of interest and means our recommendations are not biased toward work we would carry out ourselves.

What about heritage and historical structures?

We have inspected listed and heritage structures including Park Station in Johannesburg. Our non-contact capture methods are particularly well suited to fragile or sensitive structures where physical access would risk further damage.

How accurate is the AI defect detection?

AI defect detection accelerates the engineer's work; it does not replace engineering judgement. Every AI detection is reviewed and either confirmed or rejected by the responsible Pr Eng before it enters the final report, so the accuracy of the deliverable is governed by the signing engineer, not the model. Detection performance is benchmarked internally against engineer-validated sets and reported on request for a specific engagement.

Related services

If this fits, these often do too.

Engineering programmes rarely run on a single service. These adjacent capabilities most often pair with the work above.

MiningSIMMS AuditsExplore the service →Inspection & IntegrityNon-Destructive Testing (NDT)Explore the service →GPR & SubsurfaceGround Penetrating RadarExplore the service →Condition AuditsWaterproofing AuditsExplore the service →
Accuracy & standards

Built to be signed, not just shared.

Pr EngECSA 202001436

Every engineering deliverable is reviewed and signed by Darryl Epstein, a registered Professional Engineer (Pr Eng, ECSA 202001436).

SAGIsurvey

Geospatial deliverables carry registered land-surveyor sign-off where accuracy must be certified.

Classstated

Every deliverable carries a stated survey accuracy class or BIM level of development (LOD), reported per engagement against check-point analysis.

Standardscited

Findings cross-referenced to the applicable codes (SANS, TMH, EN), with accuracy statements on every report.

Start here

Request a structural audit quote

Send the brief and our engineering team will review your enquiry and reply within one business day. Prefer to talk first? Call or WhatsApp us below.

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Response within 1 business day · Pr Eng or SAGI signed

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