Alchatek Blog

The Spetec Re-Injectable Tube System is a primary waterstop in cold joints and pipe joints. When used with acrylates like Spetec AG 200, it can be flushed with water at a pre-determined set time, creating a clean tube ready for subsequent use. It can also function as a standard single-use injection tube system with polyurethane injection resins like Spetec PUR H100 and Spetec PUR F400. The Spetec R-ITS is compatible with combination grouting techniques involving microfine cements.

Procedure:

Spetec R-ITS Application:

1. Tube to be set in maximum runs of 30’ (10m).
2. Terminal ends to overlap to avoid discontinuity in coverage.
3. Must have flush connection with substrate free of rubble and large debris.
4. In conditions with uneven substrate profiles, consider use of Spetec WT400 to fill in imperfections or used as sole waterstop.
5. S-curve technique to be used at hori­zontal-vertical transitions.
6. R-ITS single or dual terminal boxes provide thread for zerk or button head fitting connection.
7. Make a cup test to clearly note reaction time of polyacrylate gel mix.
8. Continue pumping to generate pressure, and achieve penetration through desired profile and substrate. Pump for maximum 75% of reaction time established in cup test, then remove zerk plug, and flush line with water.
9. Reinstall zerk plugs to prevent any unwanted substances in the re-inject­able tube.

Applications:

• Primary waterstop systems.
• Cold Joints.
• Expansion Joints.
• Replacement for traditional PVC waterstops.
• Combination grouting techniques.
• Tunnel crowns, slurry walls, and details.
• Stabilization/permeation combination grouting.

Advantages:

• Re-injectable functionality.
• Monolithic waterstop seal.
• Effective in applications with honeycomb concrete.
• Will not fold or crush with concrete weight.
• Can be injected under flowing water.
• Chemical resistance once injected.
• With NSF approved resin, can be installed in a potable water application.
• Dynamic valve behavior accordingly to pressure.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec waterstop products?

When it comes to leaking cracks, Spetec PUR F400 is an excellent solution. This product is free of solvents and phthalates, which is much safer for our contractors to use. It's also NSF/ANSI 61 approved for use with potable drinking water. This allows contractors to fix leaking wall or floor cracks at water treatment plants. Spetec PUR F400 is also safe for use around water containing fish and other wildlife.

Spetec PUR F400 is designed to shut down leaks in concrete, brickwork, concrete sewers pipes and precast concrete. This product works very well with leaking hairline cracks due to its low viscosity. Spetec PUR F400 is very flexible after it sets up, which allows it to retain its bond if the concrete shifts or moves due to freeze/thaw cycles. When the concrete shifts, the grout continues to bridge the crack.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec leak seal products?

Today is our last day exhibiting at the No-Dig Show!  Visit us at booth #146!

Watch this video to preview a couple Alchemy-Spetec product demos!

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

Spetec PUR GT350 is an MDI based hydrophilic one component flexible polyurethane grout. It is used for many things, most commonly for leaking cracks, soil grouting and joint leaks.  This highly flexible grout works very well in wet moving cracks.  The flexibility of this grout allows it to bridge cracks if they're still moving.  Spetec PUR GT350 works very well in the soils behind leaking walls.  This product has a quick reaction time.  With very heavy water flows, Spetec PUR H100 Accelerator can be used for faster set times.

One of our customers did a big project with Spetec PUR GT350 for the city of Beaumont, TX. They had 200 manholes that had leaking joints and cracks. The contractor soaked backer rod with Spetec PUR GT350 polyurethane grout to fix the leaking manhole joints. Crack injection was also done on the precast structures. If you're a leak seal contractor, consider going after these very profitable types of large scale municipal jobs. If you'd like assistance in that matter (or any others), call us now at 404-618-0438.

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec leak seal products?

We are proud to announce that we are currently exhibiting at the No-Dig Show in Palm Springs, CA. Visit us in Booth #146!

"NASTT’s No-Dig Show is the largest trenchless technology conference in North America, where professionals attend to learn new techniques that will save money and improve infrastructure. This show offers six tracks and 160 peer-reviewed, non-commercial presentations, including case studies detailing environmentally friendly trenchless solutions and cost-saving opportunities for municipalities and utilities. With over 190 exhibiting companies and multiple networking events, spend quality time with current colleagues/customers and grow your connections. Whether you’re a newcomer or a show veteran, NASTT’s No-Dig Show is the must-attend conference for underground infrastructure professionals."

Click here to read more about the No-Dig Show.

Reps Attending: Jim Spiegel, Thad Brown
Polyurethane Solutions Demonstrated: Seal Leaks, Stabilize Soil, Lift Slabs
Booth Number: 146
Address: Palm Springs Convention Center 277 N. Avenida Caballeros, Palm Springs, CA 92262 

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

Hydroactive chemical grouts, by definition, require hydrogen molecules from water to initiate the polymerization reaction.  Typically, an ISO component is catalyzed by an amine, but this solution will remain unreacted until it comes in contact with hydrogen.  All of the contractors out there familiar with chemical grouts are familiar with the ‘skin’ on the top of a catalyzed batch.  This is simply the top layer of the catalyzed batch showing signs of initiation just through contact with moisture in the air.  For injection into active leaks, these products are a slam dunk.  But what happens when you get to the job, and there is no leak where there was one just a few days ago? 

Most manufacturers will provide the generic answer of ‘just introduce water.’  And in layman’s terms, this is accurate.  But what is the CORRECT way to introduce water?  Twin streaming through an F-Valve Assembly is perhaps the most proven technique to ensure adequate and thorough activation of hydroactive grouts.  An F-assembly is an applicator apparatus designed specifically for twin streaming multi components.  This can easily be achieved through the use of two pumps, one designated for water and another designated for chemical grout.  This will also prevent the leaking resin phenomenon sometimes observed following mechanical packer removal. 

Alchemy-Spetec supplies F-assemblies and the following hydroactive grouts: Spetec PUR H100, Spetec PUR F400, Spetec PUR F1000, Spetec PUR H40, AP Fill 700, and AP Soil 600.  For application recommendations and guidance, call an Alchemy-Spetec consultant now at 404-618-0438.  Don't rely on suppliers who simply promise a universally easy application process.  Lean on the suppliers who teach you how to navigate the unique challenges that each job site inevitably presents. 

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec hydroactive grouts?

Waterproofing is a broad term in the construction world.  The distinctions of above-grade and below-grade pretty well sum up the offerings out there.  But when considering chemical grout’s place in the waterproofing world, we primarily stick to below-grade applications. 

An understanding of what chemical grouts can and can’t do is a very valuable tool for any waterproofing or concrete repair contractor.  On many job sites, several systems are being applied across a variety of trades against costly and ambitious deadlines.  Most well-established manufacturers have all of the physical property testing, warranties, case studies, and approved applicator programs to get the job done.  Unfortunately, no manufacturer warrants against human error. 

What happens when an HVAC contractor or an electrician takes it upon themselves to drill a “little” hole for their penetration?  What happens when backfill operators “barely touch” an installed membrane system?  Or what happens when another contractor just “pushes or pulls a bit” to make a penetration detail work?  What often happens is very costly to the client and/or general contractor in both time and money.  Enter chemical grouts. 

In a hydrostatic condition, the smallest of failures can cause huge water infiltration issues.  Chemical grouts can be utilized in below-grade hydrostatic conditions, while providing a positive side repair applied from the negative side.  In all estimations, these conditions can be a nightmare for even the best waterproofing contractors.  As localized repair of the compromised membrane is achieved, often the hydrostatic pressures relocate, causing seemingly new leaks in other areas (when in actuality, it is the same small failure causing the bigger problem). 

Some advanced below-grade manufacturers are going the route of specifying pre-installed injection tube systems such as the Spetec ITS Kit in which leaks can be quarantined to specific areas of repair.  Chemical grouts such as Spetec AG200, Spetec PUR H100, Spetec PUR F400, and Spetec PUR H40 can then be injected into cracks, cold joints, and through injection tube systems. 

So, although some contractors may not associate chemical grouts with new construction waterproofing, these solutions definitely have their place to be at the pre-bid and design tables when discussing the waterproofing design.  To schedule an experienced technician for your next design meeting, please contact us today. 

 Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec Waterstop products?

I’m a big proponent of using chemical grout to fix all sorts if issues, be they geotechnical or waterproofing related. Most contractors and distributors that offer chemical grouts fall into one or more of the following categories: Residential Slab Lifting and Foundation, DOT Infrastructure and Roads, and Municipal Storm and Wastewater. Certainly, there are some others, but these are the main ones we see.

As the popularity of slab lifting with polyurethane continues to heat up, there is more and more competition for residential business. With the ability to electronically access bid data across the USA, there are few secrets; all the big players know about the DOT work and water treatment plant expansions, etc.

Why work so hard fighting over the same pie everyone else knows about? How about baking your own pie?

A healthy population depends on access to clean water and a healthy supply of food. North America is a world leader in producing both.  The US and Canadian agricultural industry though, remains untapped by specialty concrete repair contractors and their suppliers. Rather than tell you where to look for opportunities in "Big Ag", let me share an example in which I found myself advising a customer who was installing polyurethane. This example will be enough to get you thinking...

Three stories below ground level I saw a stream of water shoot all the way across a grain bin. I was in the great plains of Canada in the lower levels of a grain terminal. With a capacity for receiving 800 tons of grain per hour; and the responsibility of drying it and storing it, the owners of this terminal could ill afford water intrusion issues. Twin rows of belly dumping grain haulers pull into the facility on a regular basis and drop everything from wheat, barley, peas, lentils, etc. 

The noise was deafening as the hard seeds cascaded down through the facility into hoppers below. The problem in this hopper was slow water intrusion seeping into the bin. The effect was twofold as the ceramic wear plates that protect the steel were delaminating, and the incoming grain was getting wet. This made it harder for the augers and grain elevators to work properly, created a health risk, and created a lot of manual shoveling in a confined space environment.

The stream of water came from our contractor's first drill hole, an indicator of how much hydrostatic pressure surrounded the hopper. We had to overpower this pressure with some pressure of our own. Twin streamed warm water and AP Fill 700 (maxed out with 10% Cat 107) reacted instantly and were already making foam as they entered the cold 48 degree water surrounding the hopper. A thorough application of between 50 – 75 gallons encapsulated the bin we were in and pushed away the water. The ceramic tiles dried up and the owners were ecstatic; they did not even ask what it would cost because they had no other solution. To replace or reline those bins would have been next to impossible or would've required massive downtime and disassembly of everything above the bins.  We, on the other hand, solved the issue in one day. Appropriately, a “grain themed” celebration was held after the job was over later that day with cold beer and Irish Whiskey!

The point of telling this story is to make you aware that there is a huge untapped market out there, full of people who need the solutions your business offers. Whether it is stabilizing soil under slabs and structures or stopping water intrusion. Just about every state and province has major agricultural business going on, including crops and livestock. I won’t speak for everyone, but I would wager that most contractors are not calling on those types of facilities and businesses. Instead of waiting for the phone to ring about another driveway lift; make someone else’s phone ring with some good news about chemical grout. Do this consistently and I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Need more information on Alchemy-Spetec products?

Product

AP Lift 475 is a two-component polyurethane chemical grout resin system (1:1 ratio) developed for the reinforcement and stabilization of loose bulk ballast stones on railway tracks.

Procedure

AP Lift 475 is mixed together, then poured on the ballast stones to increase the rigidity and stiffness of ballast. When applied, this product is a weather resistant solution that reduces vibrations and provides a buffer zone from the concrete slab track to the ballast track. AP Lift 475 helps to reinforce the ballast, reduce loose stones and dust, as well as prevent pulverization. The AP Lift 475 also provides an excellent binder for stabilization of the ballast, so when excavation is needed under the ballast and the tracks, for applications like Micro-tunnelling, AP Lift 475 will bind the ballast together to prevent cave-ins from occuring.

Solution

For rail infrastructure, compliance of Polyurethane Stabilized Ballasts may be favorable due to the strains that can be tolerated under the loads distributed from the superstructure down through the substructure. Large differences in mechanical behavior of clean ballast before and after polyurethane stabilization indicate that the introduction of Rigid Polyurethane Foam to ballast creates a geocomposite, referred to herein as polyurethane stabilized ballast, with different and generally superior mechanical properties to that of clean ballast, recycled ballast, and fouled ballast. Excerpted from “Mitigating Ballast Fouling Impact and Enhancing Rail Freight Capacity” by the National Center for Freight & Infrastructure Research and Education.

Want information on Alchemy-Spetec soil stabilization products? 

There are many ways to seal leaks in concrete structures. One of the oldest methods uses water to activate polyurethane chemical grout to either bond to the concrete to form a watertight seal or to fill voids, and stabilize concrete.

According to (NASSCO) National Association of Sewer Service companies chemical grout started in 1955. Polyurethane grout has been used in tunnels, elevator pits, manholes, tanks, and even to lift slabs. Studies show that 40% of groundwater leaks in the sewer systems enter through manholes. When this happens over time the manhole will start to break down and needs to be rehabbed. Both Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic grouts can be used to seal leaks in all types of concrete structures. Here are a just few of our water activated products that are used on a daily basis.

• Spetec PUR F400
• AP Seal 500
• AP Fill 700
• Spetec PUR H100

Want more information on Alchemy-Spetec Leak Seal products?