Reviewed by Lexie CornerJun 4 2025
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a tool that helps builders quickly measure, adjust, and certify the levelness of concrete foundations. The Flat and Level Analysis Tool (FLAT) uses a 360-degree laser scan of a building site to detect uneven areas on a concrete slab. It relies on ORNL-designed segmentation algorithms and machine learning.
The FLAT tool’s laser image was produced by taking a 360-degree scan of the concrete slab of a housing development and utilized AI-assisted algorithms developed with support from the Building Technologies Research and Integration Center. Image Credit: Nolan Hayes/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy
Concrete forms the foundation of most buildings, and any uneven areas that go unnoticed before it hardens can lead to delays and extra costs. Traditional methods for checking levelness are manual and time-consuming. Builders typically mark the surface and use a profiling tool to gather measurements by walking the slab.
With this digital tool, you can quickly get estimates for the foundation’s smoothness with minimal human involvement. This enables faster building construction because FLAT can tell you within a minute if any mistakes were made and where they are.
Nolan Hayes, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
According to researcher Hayes, field tests at two housing developments showed that FLAT reduced the time needed to measure foundations by over 90 % and required no surface preparation. Future testing will explore its use on other types of structures, including suspended slabs, floor decking, and pier foundations.