Alchatek Blog

As mentioned in the previous blog post, Kiawah Island is located in Charleston, South Carolina. Due to the makeup of this area, water flows abundantly in every area naturally. In this post I'll discuss a sinkhole that appeared on one of the island's bike trails. This was caused by the soil eroding away under an asphalt sidewalk. This particular bike trail rested on and around a pond that contained fresh fish. The only acceptable route to fix this issue was to use Alchemy-Spetecs’ H100, which has been certified as safe for contact with drinking water. (Other products often used for soil stabilization are AP Soil 600 and H40.)

We advised the contractor to slowly open up the sinkhole by chipping away the bad asphalt and driving probes down to the ground while simultaneously pumping H100. The contractor pumped in H100 until the grout reached a suitable level at the top of the void. The next day after the grout cured, the path was squared off and repaved using sand and stone.

Within 24 hours start to finish, they were able to eliminate the void and get the trail back in shape for public use - without harming the ecosystem of the pond and fresh water fish.

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Kiawah Island, located in Charleston, South Carolina, is home to about 5 championship golf courses. On this island there are a lot of corrugated metal storm sewer pipes that carry water from place to place. Many of these underground storm sewer pipes began to leak due to decay caused by aging.

To start this repair, the contractor used inflatable dams to stop the water from going through the pipes.  We then advised them to drive 8 foot long grout probes into the ground along the outside of the 72 inch sewer pipes. These probes were used to penetrate the surrounding soil and start plugging the active leaks from the outside with Alchemy-Spetec H100. With the inflated dams in place diverting the water, they were also able to climb inside the sewer pipes. While inside they pumped H100 through to the other side of the pipe, out into the soil. Next, they used spin casting to seal off the inside of the pipes. Spin casting is a method in which a small machine with a hose on one end spins around in a circle shooting a coating material to seal the pipe off after grouting.

With a combination of probe grouting and spin casting, they were able to complete this storm sewer pipe repair and ensure leakage no longer occurred.

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In this case study, I will share a story about waterproofing warehouse slabs. There was a distribution center in North Carolina sitting on land that had a high water table. Eventually, the slabs in this 100,000 square foot building began to accumulate moisture.

There were offices next to the warehouse area. The moisture that was seeping through the concrete slabs was first noticed as the carpet in the office area began to get damp.

To combat this issue, we helped the contractor come up with a plan to inject polyurethane chemical grout through the slab floors to create a positive side waterproofing membrane underneath. That was completed by injecting Spetec PUR H100 underneath the slab using a diamond pattern. This technique is called curtain wall grouting. The contractor was able to waterproof the warehouse slabs while simultaneously keeping the moisture out of the building. 

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In Manhattan, New York, a building site was facing unforeseen issues. An old building with an empty lot was being demolished for new construction, and underneath was mainly rock and stone. As the contractors began to penetrate the rocks, water began to spew out.

Grouting had to be done because of the water leaks that arose after penetration of the rocks. We advised the contractor to use our H100 resin to slow down the water. Ports were drilled into the horizontal slabs and rocks as a starting point. With the ports set into place, the second step was to inject the resin into the rock fissures (open cracks) to slow down the water and fill the large voids.

In the end, the contractor was able to slow down 80% of the water from the rock fissures. With the water down to a minimum, the concrete slab was able to be poured and a base was created for the new building. This is just one of the many ways our products can be used to repair damage on building sites in emergency situations.

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In Baltimore, Maryland, an office building housing EZ Pass toll booth administration personnel was facing a serious crisis. A 22 inch deep wall joint in their boiler room had a void and needed to be repaired. The joint was rapidly deteriorating.

We advised the contractor to use a combination of oakum and our H100 resin. The first step was to soak the oakum in the H100. Next, the soaked oakum was dipped in water for activation and then inserted into the joint. The cured material and oakum sealed off the front 15 inches of the joint. Then more H100 was injected behind the cured oakum, using a customized injection needle, to fill the back 7 inches of the joint for extra measure. The combination of H100 and oakum acted as a gasket to stop water from coming through the expansion joint while filling the void.

The job was finally finished off by inserting a caulk joint sealant to lock all the grout into the joint, completely sealing off the leaks and preventing any future ones. This is one of many examples in which our products have been used in the application of leak seal for municipalities.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec leak seal products?

In this post I'll provide an overview of AP Lift 430, 440, and 475. Each product in the AP Lift series has its own distinguishing attributes.

What are AP Lift Foams?

AP Lift Foams are two component, high strength, high density, and hydro insensitive polyurethane foams designed for concrete leveling. AP Lift Foams are among the most resilient and dependable slab jacking foams available.

What are the applications and advantages?

AP Lift polyurethane foams are able to lift concrete slabs, stabilize soil, fill abandoned pipes, fill voids, and also supplement sinkhole remediation. These polyurethane resins exhibit very high strengths. In addition, they work in wet environments by displacing water. Also an advantage, AP Lift foams can be traffic ready in as little as 15 minutes.

Specific descriptions of each foam in the AP Lift series:

AP Lift 430

Two component, high strength, high density, hydro insensitive structural polyurethane foam.  2.75 to 3.25 pounds per cubic foot.

AP Lift 440

Two component, high strength, high density, hydro insensitive structural polyurethane foam.  3.75 to 4.25 pounds per cubic foot.

AP Lift 475

Two component, high strength, high density, hydro insensitive structural polyurethane foam.  4.5 to 5.0 pounds per cubic foot.  Also available in a slow version.  Certified to NSF 61-5 (Approved for contact with drinking water).

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In this post, I will provide a brief overview of Alchemy-Spetec's AP Fill 700 and its properties.

What is AP Fill 700?

AP Fill 700 is a single component, water activated, hydrophobic, low viscosity, closed cell polyurethane leak seal injection resin.

What are the applications & advantages?

AP Fill 700 can be used in numerous applications. Not only can it be used to stop gushing leaks, it can also be used to fill voids behind concrete structures. In addition, it's useful for cutting off underground water flows and consolidating loose soil. Last but not least AP Fill 700 is often used for seawall repair. This injection resin has a very low viscosity rating and is water impermeable. Its adjustable set time can be as fast as just 20 seconds. AP Fill 700 is also environmentally friendly and approved for contact with drinking water.

Need more information on leak seal products?

In this post I'll provide an overview of AP Soil 600.

What is AP Soil 600?

AP Soil 600 is a single component, moisture activated, hydrophobic, low viscosity, polyurethane soil stabilization grout.

What are the applications & advantages?

AP Soil 600 is used mainly for three types of applications: permeation grouting, the stabilization of loose sand and soil, and sinkhole remediation. This product does not require a catalyst. It's great for encapsulating and strengthening loose soil. AP Soil 600 provides excellent soil penetration due to its low viscosity. Not to mention the fact that it's watertight. Last but not least this resin is phthalate free (more environmentally friendly) and certified to NSF 61-5 (approved for contact with drinking water). 

Want more information on soil stabilization products?