LOCAL NEWS | HausBots Climbing Crawler Robot Enhances WJE's Inspection Capabilities

WJE has enhanced its inspection capabilities with the addition of the HausBots HB3 climbing crawler robot, a versatile testing platform capable of remotely traversing vertical and overhead surfaces. The HB3 enables safer, more efficient access to challenging or hazardous locations while deploying multiple nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies.

Our collaboration with HausBots began last summer following a live demonstration at our Northbrook headquarters and laboratories. During the visit, HausBots showcased its climbing crawler technology to WJE staff, including a field deployment on tall bridge piers that we previously evaluated for the Chicago Skyway.

The successful demonstration led to WJE's purchase of the HB3 crawler and integration into our equipment fleet. Equipped with attachments for pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), half-cell potential (HCP), and ultrasonic shear wave tomography (UST), the HB3 supports efficient, high-quality data collection in areas that are difficult or hazardous to access using conventional methods. By reducing the need for scaffolding, rope access or heavy equipment, the robotic platform enhances both safety and productivity.

WJE recently deployed the HB3 to inspect reinforced concrete bridge piers over Caminada Bay, Louisiana, as part of a broader corrosion and durability assessment. The robot performed near-full-height GPR scanning on all four faces of the columns, collecting detailed data on tie locations and clear cover to support development of a service life model. This approach significantly expanded coverage beyond the limited areas accessible by an under-bridge access vehicle or snooper truck.

In another application, the HB3 was used to evaluate a dam. The HB3 crawler conducted GPR scanning and half-cell potential testing on a sloped concrete surface of the dam. The robot enabled continuous scanning across full panels, complementing targeted hands-on inspections and substantially increasing the number of areas evaluated during the four-day mobilization.

Across both projects, the HB3 crawler improved productivity and data quality while significantly enhancing safety for WJE field personnel.